Calendars: Classes & Workshops; Hunting and Fishing; Public Meetings; Volunteer Opportunities; State park, historic sites and visitor center events.
Find camping and overnight lodging options, reservation info, rules and regulations and more. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE CAMPING HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below:
Get all your fishing information here, including rules and regulations, license info, the weekly fishing report and much more. Use the button above to visit the fishing home page, or go directly to your area of interest below:
Get all your hunting information here, including hunting season dates, rules and regulations, and much more. Use the button above to visit the hunting home page, or go directly to your area of interest below:
Find ORV license and permit info, maps, rules and regulations and more. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE ORV HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below:
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:
Find snowmobile trail permit info, maps, rules and regulations and more. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE SNOWMOBILE HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below:
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. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE WINTER FUN HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below:
Find facility info, overnight info, an event calendar and much more. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE RAM HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below:
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.
DNR programs engage youth in our natural resources. Click the box above to see all our offerings, or click the program below.
DNR forest resources professionals maintain healthy forests, manage wildfire, maintain responsible harvesting certifications and improve wildlife habitat. Click the box above to learn more about Michigan's state forests.
law enforcement, legislation, rules and regulations
All DNR-related boards, committees, and advisory groups
Find seasonal, part-time and full-time job openings with the DNR
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Spring is a great time for birding in Michigan. Our early migrants are back and settling in to woo a mate and raise a family; our late migrants are flooding through in great colorful waves as they race to be the first back to claim their own nesting spot.
Some of those early signs of things warming up again are the return of species like red-winged blackbirds, turkey vultures, sandhill cranes, and Canada geese. These may not be rare and exciting birds at first glance, but their comfort in living around people gives us an opportunity to watch them as they go about their day.
You'll want to invest in a pair of binoculars before you head out, but even $30-40 can buy basic all-purpose binoculars to help you start checking out the birds around you. If you need help or pointers, you can check out this binocular buying guide or watch this video: Binoculars: how it works or this video: Everything you need to know about binoculars. (The DNR does not endorse any of these companies, we are just pointing you towards some helpful information.)
Find a damp weedy roadside ditch and enjoy the show as male red-winged blackbirds pop up ready for a fight in defense of their lady.
In early spring, sandhill cranes migrate to their breeding grounds. Try to catch a glimpse of their dance or hear their distinctive call.
Slow down to appreciate the stately stroll of a pair of Canada geese as they come back home for the summer and see what's changed since they've been gone.
Watch the skies at dawn and dusk for swirling back clouds of birds as kettles of turkey vultures rise out of or settle into their nightly roost site.
In bold yellows, blacks and whites, flocks of warblers stand out when they land to rest and recharge. Watch for wooded or shrubby thickets where they'll stop to grab some bugs or berries before heading out again
Whether it's on muddy conservation managed wetlands, spring soaked river floodplains, or farm fields left wet and mucky after the last rain, it's a great time to spot shorebirds stopping for a quick bite before moving on further north.
With 5.5 million acres of wetlands, Michigan is a summer destination for many species of waterfowl. Watch for puddle ducks on our quiet inland lakes and marshes and diving ducks along the Great Lakes shoreline.
Below are just a few ideas of prime bird watching locations:
Scattered across the southern Lower Peninsula, the "Wetland Wonders" are managed to provide waterfowl habitat for nesting and migration and for the benefit of other wetland wildlife.
Lakeport State Park, Brockway Mountain, Mackinac Island State Park, Mackinaw City, Whitefish Point
Tawas Point State Park, Port Crescent State Park, Belle Isle, Sterling State Park, Sleeper State Park, Bay City State Park, Leelanau State Park, Fisherman's Island State Park, Fort Wilkins Historic State Park, McLain State Park
