Victor Skinner

Negotiations continue in Lansing over a Fiscal Year 2027 budget with Republicans and Democrats offering vastly different approaches to funding the DNR.
While proposals from Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Senate Democrats heed calls from DNR officials to “right-size the costs of hunting and fishing in Michigan” with license fee increases to generate about $29.4 million in additional revenue, the budget approved by House Republicans rejects license increases and instead aims to cut the DNR’s law enforcement budget by $19 million, and wildlife management by $6.7 million.

Michigan veterans with a service-connected disability could receive free or discounted lifetime hunting and fishing licenses under legislation recently introduced in both chambers of the state legislature.
The bills would create a tiered structure for lifetime licenses that align with the severity of a veteran’s disability, ranging from no cost to $100 for veterans rated 30-49% disabled.

Michigan Department of Natural Resources officials presented the Natural Resources Commission with a budget overview in January, with a specific focus on the Game and Fish Protection Fund.
The GFP fund, which represents about 16% of the DNR’s roughly $540 million budget at about $87.7 million in fiscal year 2026, covers the operations of the DNR’s wildlife, fisheries and law enforcement divisions.