Michigan dnr > wildlife viewing guide > ecology: hunting, fishing and wildlife conservation

Biodiversity | Succession |  Food Web  | Conservation |  Carrying Capacity | Habitat  |  Endangered Species |
The Great Lakes | Wetlands

The following pages provide brief introductions to some very important ecological concepts. By reviewing these fun, interactive pages (and testing your skill and knowledge with a quiz or two), you can gain a clearer understanding of the natural world and the wildlife that lives there.

Hunting, Fishing, and Wildlife Conservation

Hunting and fishing have played a big role in Michigan’s history. For centuries, native Americans relied on Michigan’s fish and wildlife for food. With the dawn of European settlement, French voyageurs and other fur traders made their livings by hunting and trapping. The Great Lakes have supported commercial as well as sport fishing for more than a century. Today, hunters and anglers flock to Michigan to sample a wide variety of sporting opportunities.

In the past, market hunting and overfishing threatened to damage Michigan fish and wildlife populations. Today, hunting and fishing are carefully regulated to protect the resource, and fish and wildlife populations are carefully monitored and managed by professional biologists.

Who pays the bills?
In Michigan and across the country, hunters and anglers pay for the majority of fish and wildlife conservation efforts, a tradition dating back to the beginning of the 20th century. They pay for it through the sale of hunting and fishing licenses and stamps, and through special excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, and archery and fishing equipment. The tax programs alone have raised more than 2.2 billion dollars for wildlife conservation since their inception in 1937. This money has been used for the conservation of all wildlife—not just species that are pursued by hunters and anglers.
 

When carefully regulated and scientifically managed, hunting and fishing pose no threat to fish and wildlife populations. In fact, because of license sales and tax revenues, they actually benefit these populations. For hundreds of years people have enjoyed hunting and fishing in Michigan, and there are few places that can rival Michigan in the diversity and abundance of opportunities available. With continued sound management, this proud heritage can be passed on for many more generations to come.

For more information on hunting, see the Michigan DNR’s hunting web page
For more information on fishing, see the Michigan DNR’s fishing web page