The great outdoors is part of our state’s heritage, and hunting is a tradition that brings families together with experiences and memories, supports jobs in our communities, and helps people put food on the table. There are many avid sportsmen and women throughout our area, including myself, who want to protect conservation efforts and local economies in Michigan.

The North American model of conservation is unique. We depend on the sales of licenses to fund our conservation efforts and ensure ecosystems are healthy. Therefore, hunters and fishermen are solely responsible for these efforts!

It’s important to keep licensing costs low so we aren’t pricing out those who want to participate in these great recreational pastimes. However, we must also be mindful that effectively maintaining wildlife populations, lands, and amenities requires resources. Some traditional revenue streams, including standard hunting licenses and federal dollars, may not fully meet long-term conservation needs or the particular needs of a particular wildlife population that hunters are interested in.

My bill that was recently advanced with bipartisan support through the Michigan House would create and administer a special Director’s Hunt “auction” utilizing the “Pure Michigan” hunting license, which may be auctioned by any authorized sportsmen organization. This license includes an elk hunting license, a bear hunting license, a spring and fall turkey hunting license, an antlerless deer hunting license and the first pick at a managed waterfowl hunt area. This plan creates an alternative conservation funding mechanism that would not require significant fee increases on hunters, which has been attempted as part of the current budget process.

The money raised by the auction of the licenses will be deposited into the Wildlife Accounts, consistent with our Constitution. Additionally, the auctioning organization would retain the same commission that a retail outlet would get on the sale of licenses. This would help our local clubs and communities as they work towards the same goal of conservation. I’m pleased to have the support of Safari Club International, the Congressional Sportsmen Foundation, and others with this proposal.

Currently, several states use auction or raffle systems for highly sought-after hunting tags or licenses, and Michigan can stay competitive as a destination for hunters if this were to become law. According to state statistics, Michigan’s hunting industry generates nearly $9 billion in economic impact every year and supports over 135,000 livelihoods. Restaurants, hotels, processors, taxidermists, equipment shops, and many other local businesses directly benefit when hunting and outdoor tourism are viable in our state.

“Pure Michigan” was originally put in place as a slogan to highlight our state’s natural beauty, from our Great Lakes coastlines and dunes, to rolling plains and far-reaching forests. Part of that beauty is a regal buck walking stoically through fall foliage, or a trout glistening just beneath the surface of a steady stream. My legislation works to ensure our great outdoors continues to offer these scenes to people going forward, and I am happy to see it move a step closer to being signed by the governor.