Since 1895, when a law was signed to require a deer hunting license in Michigan, hunters have been the primary supporters of conservation efforts in our state.

License sales are the main revenue source that supports the Department of Natural Resources’ wildlife and fisheries management programs. Hunters annually underwrite conservation programs across the United States, benefiting all citizens who value wildlife and wild places. Annually, hunters in the U.S. contribute $1.5 billion in license sales alone, and $30.5 billion to the national economy through the activity of hunting.

In 2002, there were more than 865,000 licensed hunters in Michigan, and the total number of hunters in our state has remained relatively constant over the past 40 years. However, the proportion of Michigan’s population engaged in the activity of hunting has dropped from 10.1 percent in the 1960s to an average of 8.7 percent in 2000-2002, according to DNR hunter surveys.

Due to inflation and steady to decreasing revenue the DNR must operate its conservation programs on a tighter budget. To reverse this trend, new hunters, especially non-traditional hunters, must be brought into the shooting and hunting sports. This will strengthen the funding for conservation, broaden the diversity of participants and preserve Michigan’s rich hunting heritage.

To help the DNR develop a strategy to recruit and retain hunters in Michigan, a work group was formed in 2005 by DNR Director Rebecca Humphries. The group was charged with looking at existing data and recommending three to five approaches to use in increasing and retaining hunter numbers in Michigan. The work group was comprised of representatives from universities, the DNR, educational groups, and conservation organizations.

It has become apparent that there has been a shift in Michigan away from species that can be hunted by younger hunters with firearms toward deer hunting.

“This shift is notable because
we are shifting away from a mentoring opportunity between veteran hunters and young hunters,” said Tom Oliver, the DNR’s heritage program coordinator, who served on the work group. “We are seeing more hunters hunting deer only, and shying away from small game hunting, which has historically been the entry point for novice hunters.”

Surveys show that hunting in Michigan is increasingly focused on deer hunting. At least 91 percent of license buyers purchased a deer hunting license. In 2002, 62 percent of the deer hunters purchased only a deer hunting license – compared to 51 percent in 1968. In 1968, 45 percent of all small game hunters purchased only a small game license, compared to 16 percent in 2002.

The work group made specific recommendations in its final report. The top three recommendations include:

Access/Supply of Hunting Opportunity
Increased access to hunting in southern Michigan is a top priority. Only 2 percent of Michigan’s public land is open to hunting in southern Michigan, while more than eight million people live there. In the 1970s, the Public Access Stamp program provided an additional 180,000 acres for public hunting. Due to urban sprawl and other factors, that access was reduced to less than 20,000 acres in 2002. Additional hunting land will increase hunting opportunities in the most populated part of the state.

The work group recommended reinvigorating the public access to private land program through increasing landowner payments, providing options for meeting landowner needs for land management and security, multi-year leases and quality maps. The program would be funded by those who hunt in southern Michigan through a visible access stamp on their license. The group also recommended creating a new “habitat stamp” similar to those used in other states to provide funds to enhance wildlife habitat on private lands of willing owners, link to agricultural conservation programs and give additional incentives to those enrolled in the public access program.

Companion/Mentor Networks
Creating and using opportunities to introduce shooting sports, hunting and related outdoor recreation into successful mentoring programs, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters or 4H is one of the top recommendations. Other recommendations include producing a Web site to act as a clearinghouse for mentors, novice hunters and shooters and event sponsors. The work group recommended more study of the issue through the use of online diaries for students enrolled in a hunter safety class.

Education and Outreach
The work group recommended that the DNR work with the Michigan Recreation and Parks Association and local community members to incorporate hunting, fishing and camping programs into parks and recreation programs. It also recommended the DNR partner with the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Board to give extra scoring points to applicants that foster natural resource-based recreation, like hunting, fishing and camping. The group also recommended that the DNR work with partners to develop a K-12 environmental and outdoor education curricula that clearly identifies the role hunting and hunters play in conservation and environmental stewardship.

Regulations and Enforcement
The work group recommended lowering the minimum age from 12 to 10 for hunter safety certification and for all small game, waterfowl and turkey hunting; and lower the minimum hunting age from 14 to 12 for all big game hunting. The report also calls for increasing and expanding hunting opportunities for hunters with disabilities. There was also a call for simplifying and standardizing the DNR hunting/fishing/trapping guides.

The DNR will be working with its partner organizations to implement these recommendations this year and next. The very future of conservation depends on these recommendations to stem the loss of licensed hunters and bring new enthusiasts into the shooting and hunting sports.

A copy of the final report and executive summary is available on the DNR’s Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnr.