Get all your fishing information here, including rules and regulations, license info, the weekly fishing report and much more. Use the link above to visit the fishing home page, or go directly to your area of interest below:
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Information on DNR shooting and archery ranges, rules and regulations, resources to get started and more. Use the button above to visit the target shooing and archery home page, or go directly to one of the pages below:
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Want to find tasty morel mushrooms in the forest? Click the box above for tips and tricks to fill your basket.
Find cross-country ski, ice fishing , snowmobiling info and much more.
Find facility info, overnight info, an event calendar and much more.
Find a great trail experience near you - whether you want to hike, bike, snowmobile or ride an ORV. From long, paved linear trails to rugged forest terrain, Michigan offers trail opportunities for all abilities and interests.
Visitor Centers across the state provide education programs, field trips, archery, fishing, trails and much more. Click the box above to see all our locations, or click the individual location below.
We administer grants that enable our local partners to promote the lifestyles we all enjoy by providing recreational opportunities, enhancing wildlife habitat and ensuring public safety. Visit the grants home page by clicking on the button above, or view a specific area of interest below:
Recreational Safety and Hunter Education
Learn about Michigan's diverse range of fish, plants, trees, reptiles, amphibians, insects and mammals. Click the box above to see all species, or click the species group below.
DNR educators across the state provide fun, educational activities, programs and workshops year-round for adults, families and kids. Click the box above to see all our offerings, or click the program below.
DNR educators provide classroom lessons, field trip opportunities, professional development and experiential programs to teachers around the state. Click the box above to see all our offerings, or click the program below.
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IC2065 (01/15/2026)
Michigan Department of Natural Resources – Wildlife Division
Answer: Only in a limited, temporary way under the Good Samaritan Clause. A member of the public may temporarily possess a sick, injured, or orphaned wild animal to transfer it to:
Time limits for temporary possession are:
You may not possess threatened or endangered species, or any species that is not permitted to be rehabilitated. You must have an approved DNR permit before you can rehabilitate a wild animal. If you possess a wild animal longer than the allowed time, you could be ticketed for illegal possession of a wild animal.
Answer: Possibly, but only under extenuating circumstances and with the appropriate permit. If you need to keep an animal beyond the designated release date, you must apply for the appropriate permit (for example, a captive game permit or scientific collector’s permit) at least 30 days before the designated release date.
If the appropriate permit is not applied for in time, or is not approved, the animal must be released by the designated release date or humanely euthanized.
Answer: A licensed veterinarian may treat a sick, injured, or orphaned wild animal at the veterinarian’s facility for no more than 48 hours before doing one of the following:
A licensed veterinarian needs a wildlife rehabilitation permit to treat a wild animal for longer than 48 hours.
Answer: A letter of affidavit is a sworn written statement used to testify that certain information is true and correct. For a wildlife rehabilitation permit, a licensed veterinarian or a permitted wildlife rehabilitator must write and sign a letter of affidavit stating that the applicant has demonstrated, through at least 30 hours of hands-on experience, adequate skills in handling injured and orphaned wild animals. A letter of affidavit does not need to be notarized.
Answer: No. Wildlife rehabilitation requires significant time and resources and is a full-time commitment. Wildlife rehabilitators are responsible for the well-being of the wild animals in their care and must provide food, water, and medical care; clean cages; and complete other necessary daily tasks.
Answer: No. Wildlife rehabilitation requires specialized knowledge, high-level skill, and proper facilities, and it is not for everyone. Wild animals have different handling requirements, diets, habitat and housing needs, diseases, and parasites than domestic animals. Caring for wild animals requires training, commitment, and funding.
Answer: Facility requirements, including cage dimensions and sanitary requirements, are outlined in the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC) and National Wildlife Rehabilitators Association (NWRA) publication Foundations of Wildlife Rehabilitation.
Conservation officers will check for the requirements outlined in that document during an inspection. It is important that all facility requirements are met before applying for a wildlife rehabilitation permit.
Answer: Up to 10 subpermittees may work off-site under your permit. If you are already at 10 and want to add more, you must amend your permit to remove some subpermittees first, then add additional subpermittees so you do not exceed 10.
Answer: No. A permitted wildlife rehabilitator cannot be a subpermittee on another wildlife rehabilitator’s permit.
Return to Table of contentsAnswer: No. Wild animals do not want to be in captivity. They are stressed by human contact and do not want to be cuddled, petted, or handled unnecessarily. Wildlife rehabilitators must not treat rehabilitated wild animals as pets.
Answer: No. Wildlife rehabilitators must follow protocols to ensure a wild animal in their care is not habituated or domesticated. A wild animal being rehabilitated is not a pet.
Answer: No. A child cannot participate in wildlife rehabilitation. Only licensed wildlife rehabilitators or listed subpermittees may participate.
Answer: No. Co-mingling wild and domestic animals is not allowed. It is the rehabilitator’s responsibility to reduce unnecessary stress on the wild animals they are rehabilitating. Allowing domestic animals near wild animals being rehabilitated induces a high level of stress on the wild animals.
Return to Table of contentsAnswer: No. Wild animals being rehabilitated cannot be in direct or indirect contact with the public. They also cannot be housed in a way that is visible or otherwise allowed to be viewed by members of the public.
Answer: No. Wildlife rehabilitation permits are not intended for public education. To educate the public, you must have a scientific collector’s permit issued by the DNR before accepting or possessing any wild animals for that purpose.
Answer: The publication Foundations of Wildlife Rehabilitation includes strict regulations on how wildlife rehabilitators may post on social media. Wildlife rehabilitators should only be shown properly caring for and/or releasing wild animals in their care (no kissing, snuggling, or face contact).
Do not use photos that show wild animals:
Any illegal activity posted on social media could result in legal action by the DNR.
Answer: When accepting a phone call from an individual, business, or agency:
Answer: The following are not allowed to be rehabilitated or possessed, including their offspring. There are no exceptions:
Answer: You cannot rehabilitate adult deer. You may rehabilitate fawns in certain counties, but strict rules apply. A wildlife rehabilitator must be aware of these rules before possessing a fawn.
Key timing rules include:
Answer: Only if you obtain a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Answer: Only if you obtain a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Answer: The goal is to release the wild animal back to its natural habitat as soon as the animal is capable of fending for itself and shows no signs of habituation.
Some species have specific release conditions (for example, raccoons and fawns). It is important to know the specific release conditions for the wild animal you are rehabilitating.
