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Michigan Seeks License Increases to Boost DNR Funding
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is again proposing higher hunting and fishing license fees as part of her fiscal year 2027 budget, a move she says would generate nearly $30 million to stabilize funding for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Under the proposal, annual resident fishing licenses would increase from $25 or $26 to $30, depending on the current fee schedule cited, while nonresident fishing licenses would jump from about $75 or $76 to $90. Resident deer hunting tags would rise from $20 to $25. The increases are projected to generate approximately $29.4 million for the DNR’s Game and Fish Protection Fund, which supports fish hatcheries, wildlife habitat improvement, conservation law enforcement and hunting and fishing education programs.
DNR spokesman Ed Golder said the department is seeking what he described as a modest increase to offset declining participation and rising operational costs. Michigan has not increased hunting and fishing license fees since 2014. According to DNR officials, revenue from license sales has been falling alongside a national decline in hunting and fishing participation.
The proposal mirrors legislation introduced last year by state Sens. John Cherry, D-Flint, and Jon Bumstead, R-North Muskegon. Whitmer also attempted to raise license fees in her 2026 budget proposal, but lawmakers did not approve the hikes.
Republican lawmakers, particularly from rural districts, have pushed back strongly against the new proposal.
State Rep. Ken Borton, R-Gaylord, previously criticized similar fee increases as punishing residents who enjoy the outdoors. Rep. Cam Cavitt, R-Cheboygan, said he opposes the current proposal, arguing that the DNR should face greater legislative oversight in how it manages existing funds.
State Sen. Michelle Hoitenga, R-Manton, also said she does not support the fee increases, citing frustration among hunters and anglers over DNR and Natural Resources Commission policies. Hoitenga warned that raising costs without clear improvements could further discourage participation in a state that relies on a user-pay model for conservation funding.
DNR officials have publicly expressed concern about the agency’s financial outlook. In January, Wildlife Division Assistant Chief Keith Kintigh told the Natural Resources Commission that the division was “functioning on duct tape and a dream” as inflation drives up costs while license sales decline.
At the same time, lawmakers are considering other hunting-related changes. House Bill 4445 would lift Michigan’s deer baiting ban in the Lower Peninsula by amending the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act. Deer baiting is currently banned in the Lower Peninsula by commission order, though it remains legal in the Upper Peninsula during specific dates with limits on bait quantity and placement.
Supporters of the bill, including Cavitt and Hoitenga, argue that baiting remains widespread despite the ban and that the law should reflect on-the-ground realities. Hoitenga noted she previously advanced legislation to lift the ban in 2018, which was vetoed by Whitmer.
The debate over license fees and deer baiting comes as some northern Michigan counties report declining deer harvest numbers from 2024 to 2025, adding another layer to discussions about participation, policy and conservation funding across the state.
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