JENISON, Mich. — It's no secret that Michigan is a haven for everything outdoors, but some changes could be coming for hunters, fishers and even boaters in the future.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced her state budget for 2026 last month that includes more than $208 million in proposed higher taxes and fees. Some of those proposals would increase fees in the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for hunting, fishing and boating licenses. It's something employees and patrons at The Outdoorsmen Pro Shop in Jenison welcome.
Like many Michiganders, you'll usually find Nolan Hitt somewhere outside.
"Probably since as long as I can remember, yeah, I've been hunting and fishing my whole life. I think it's a part of who a lot of people from Michigan are," said Hitt Tuesday.
Come fiscal year 2026, however, Hitt and other outdoorsmen could see changes in the form of higher license fees from the DNR.
"It won't deter me just because I've been doing it my whole life and I'm going to continue, might make me a little upset when that time of year comes around to buy licenses," Hitt said.
For resident adults, the proposal would increase the base fee for small game hunting from $11 to $17. Resident minors would see an increase from $6 to $10, and nonresidents would see an increase from $151 to $165.
It would cost residents $115, up from $76, to purchase combination hunting and fishing licenses. That would increase from $266 to $275 for nonresidents.
An all-species fishing license would cost residents $40 instead of the $26 it is right now. The fee would increase from $76 to $90 for nonresidents and would rise from $11 to $30 for seniors.
1993 was the last time that motorboat license fees increased. The fees currently range from $14 to $448 depending on the size of the boat. The proposal would change the range from $24.17 to $773.57.
"I realize that with the rising costs of everything, the DNR will need to increase their revenue stream to support their infrastructures, to help maintain and promote habitat for both water and land. So, I realize that it's important, that ... need to raise fees," Hitt said. "I think, for especially the hunting licenses, it would be easier to kind of accept the fee increases if we were able to see some more legislation, or be able to have our voices heard. And what legislation gets passed in regards to hunting."
The last time hunting fees went up in Michigan was in 2014.
"It's been a long time, right? So it's overdue, especially considering prices of other things over time, those are one thing that I have not seen increase for a lot of time," said Outdoorsmen Pro Shop employee Joshua Geerts.
Geerts said he welcomes the proposed changes.
"In my opinion, and others' opinions that I speak with, our outdoorsmen all over the state, there are things that the DNR don't do that they used to do, and there are things that they don't do [that] they should do, but it all costs money."
He believes some of the state's outdoor spaces are in dire need of maintenance.
"Just popularity, you know, between the Internet and how connected people are through social media and the resources we have now on mapping through applications on our phones and the Internet. People are finding places that they may not have known about before, and just not leaving it the way that they found it," Geerts said. "Seen some very, very beautiful places kind of gone downhill."
It's something he hopes will change if these proposals are approved.
"That's a hard thing, whether or not that comes from licensed revenues, whether that comes from parking passes at state parks, wherever that comes from. Either way, it would be a good thing to see change," said Geerts. "People do notice, and they feel that they're paying more but not getting a benefit from it. If that makes sense, they're not seeing a change. So, if they can see it, that'd be good."
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