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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
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