2021 Deer Hunting Rules Open for Comment

While deer hunting regulations for the 2020 season were finalized in July, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is already starting the process for 2021.  Potential changes are meant to simplify deer hunting regulations and remove barriers to participation in deer hunting. Once public input has been gathered through this process, it will be sent…

Read More

New Deer Regulations Passed at July NRC Meeting

The Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) took action on deer regulations at their July meeting, just in time for rules to be printed in the Michigan Hunting Digest for the fall 2020 hunting seasons. The new rules include an extended firearm season in the southern Lower Peninsula and added flexibility for harvesting an antlerless deer. …

Read More

Proposed Regulations Reveal NRC Transparency Issues

A slough of amendments were proposed to deer regulations at the June Natural Resources Commission (NRC) meeting and could pass without a thorough vetting. With three new commissioners joining the NRC in July and regulations impacting 600,000 Michigan hunters on the table, we deserve greater transparency.  As of right now, amendments could be made to…

Read More

NRC Tables Deer Regulations, Requests Revisions at June Meeting

The Natural Resources Commission (NRC) tabled 2020 deer regulations and is seeking a revision to proposed hunter orange requirements before their July meeting.  The NRC met virtually on Thursday, June 11 to consider a number of agenda items. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) hosted the meeting, and a recording can be viewed using…

Read More

MUCC Advocates for Expanding Hunting and Fishing Access

The United States Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) is considering an expansion of hunting and fishing opportunities on National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) lands, starting in the 2020-21 seasons.  Under the National Wildlife Refuge System Improvement Act, all system lands are closed to hunting and fishing unless explicitly opened by the Secretary of Interior. This…

Read More

Fall 2020 Deer Regulations Up for Action

The Natural Resources Commission (NRC) will take action on deer regulations, including hunter orange on blinds, doe tags and season changes at their next meeting.  NRC members will meet virtually at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 11 to weigh a number of agenda items that will impact Michigan hunters next fall. The Michigan Department of…

Read More

U.S. Senate Takes Up Historic Public Lands Package

The United States Senate will act on the Great American Outdoors Act (S. 3422) next week, which would permanently fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and address infrastructure concerns on public lands.  LWCF has only been funded at full capacity (~$900 million) one time since it was first passed in 1964, and federal…

Read More

Michigan House Considers New Commercial Guiding Rules

Last week, members of the Michigan House Committee on Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation approved three bills regarding commercial hunting and fishing guide rules.  Currently, Michigan has limited rules for commercial guides. This allows convicted poachers, trespassers or other bad actors to guide hunters and anglers into Michigan’s outdoors, leaving customers vulnerable. This proposed legislation…

Read More

eNRC 2.0, Deer Regulations

May NRC Meeting, Deer Regulations

Written by Charlie Booher, MUCC Policy Intern The Natural Resources Commission (NRC) is slated to take up deer regulations and small game and upland bird rules at the May meeting.  The meeting will take place virtually on May 14, and a full agenda for the day can be found here. The Department of Natural Resources…

Read More