Greetings fellow club members. I want to say thank you to those of you who have approached me with conservation-related questions. “Hey, Dave. What’s up with ___ ?” I’ll tell you what I know, I may tell you my opinion, and if I don’t know, I’ll look into it and get back to you. Please keep those conservation comments and questions coming my way. Here are a few things I’ve been paying attention to this month.

Bill passed to increase Michigan Hunting and Fishing license fees – That headline sort of gets your attention, doesn’t it? That headline was everywhere for a few days this month when the Michigan Senate passed a bill to increase the cost of all hunting and fishing licenses. The problem is that the bill would still need to be passed by the Michigan House of Representatives and Matt Hall, the Speaker of the House, says it’s dead on arrival. He will not even bring it to the floor for a vote. He said, “It’s never going to happen as long as I’m speaker”. I believe him.
However, there hasn’t been an increase in these fees in over 10 years and the 2026 state budget has resulted in a net decrease in DNR funding. I wouldn’t be surprised to see it come up again, but it will probably be a year or two down the road.

Open fields doctrine – There is much discussion in the Michigan House regarding what’s known as the “open fields doctrine”. This practice allows law enforcement officers (like the DNR) to traverse private property without the need for a warrant. Opponents describe it as an overreach by law enforcement that tramples on the constitution. Proponents say it’s an important tool for investigating things like illegal baiting or poaching. What do you think?

Cougars in Michigan – Remember about 10 or 15 years ago when people in the U.P. would say they saw a cougar and the DNR seemed reluctant to confirm the sightings as cougars? Things have definitely changed, mostly because of the proliferation of trail cameras. Last year, the Michigan ON R confirmed 23 cougar sightings and this year is on track to exceed that. Biologists estimate there are now more cougars in Michigan than since they were extirpated in the late 1800’s. Even more exciting news is that two baby cougars were observed in the U.P. in March of this year, indicating local, natural reproduction. Have you ever seen a cougar in the wild? Have you ever seen one in Michigan?

Feral Hogs – Have you seen videos of wild hogs in Texas and other southern states? It is remarkable and scary what they can do to a landscape. They have become a significant problem in many southern states and eliminating them has become a priority for many state conservation agencies. They exist in Michigan as well, and there’s a new development in the legal status of these animals at private game ranches. The Michigan ON R has declared feral hogs (also referred to, incorrectly, as “Russian Boars”) an invasive species. Now, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued an order requiring that all private operations in Michigan with these hogs must eliminate them by next summer, July 29, 2026. If you see wild hogs in Michigan, the DNR requests you report the sighting. There is no closed season on wild hogs. I suggest you shoot them and turn them into food.

Special guests at OCSC General Membership meeting, Wednesday, 10/29/2025 – I’m excited to announce that we will welcome Mike Mitchell, the current (interim) CEO of MUCC to our October General Membership meeting. Our MUCC Region 8 representative, Len Shaner, and OCSC member and member of the MUCC 2025-2026 Conservation Policy Board, Taylor Renton, will also be in attendance. Please be prepared to ask them some great questions!

Kind regards,
Dave Budnick
OCSC rep to MUCC
(248) 978-3454
davebudnick@comcast.net
davebudnick.com