August 26, 2026
WHEREAS, Michigan has a rich and storied tradition of hunting and angling, that dates back further than the state itself and carries forward to this day; and,
WHEREAS, Hunting and angling continue to be an integral component of the cultural fabric of communities throughout the state, and over recent years have offered a growing number of participants an opportunity to connect with nature on a personal level while simultaneously providing food security, a sense of self-sufficiency, and both mental and physical health benefits; and,
WHEREAS, Michigan’s sportsmen and women were among the first conservationists to support the establishment of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to conserve fish, wildlife and their habitat, and through their license fees helped fund state efforts to provide for healthy and sustainable natural resources; and,
WHEREAS, Upon realizing that license fees alone were insufficient to restore and sustain healthy fish and wildlife populations, sportsmen and women supported self-imposed excise taxes on firearms and ammunition, fishing tackle and motorboat fuels to raise additional conservation funds; and,
WHEREAS, To this day, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources is funded, in part, by sportsmen and women, through this American System of Conservation Funding - a “user pays – public benefits” approach that is widely recognized as the most successful model for funding fish and wildlife management in the world; and,
WHEREAS, Last year alone, Michigan’s sportsmen and women generated $102 million through this System to support the conservation efforts of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources; and,
WHEREAS, 1.7 million hunters and anglers support the state’s economy through their spending, contributing to the $15 billion spent on outdoor activities in Michigan last year; and,
WHEREAS, According to the most recent data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, on the national level sportsmen and women spent more than $41 billion on hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting, which does not include spending on items such as trips and travel, or license fees that were necessary for their participation. This spending helped fuel the outdoor economy, which comprised 2.1% of Michigan’s GDP that same year; and,
WHEREAS, National Hunting and Fishing Day was established in 1972 to celebrate and recognize hunters and anglers for their immense contributions to fish and wildlife conservation, and to our society;
NOW THEREFORE, I, Gretchen Whitmer, governor of the State of Michigan, do hereby proclaim September 26, 2026 as Hunting and Fishing Day in Michigan, a day to be set aside in celebration of Michigan’s sportsmen and women; recognize the many and varied social, cultural, economic, and ecological benefits of our time-honored traditions of hunting and angling.
