Hunting Legacy Initative

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The State of Michigan has seen a steady decline in hunters for several years despite the passion for hunting in Michigan.  A lost of over 200,000 hunters in the last thirty years has been reported for the state. This decline causes an unbalance in our local habitats and environments where there is an abundance of several animal populations.

To curb this decline, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources eliminated the minimum age for hunters and promoted free hunter safety classes for anyone born after 1960 taught by trained local volunteers.  However, volunteers can only give so much of their time in today's economy. Many volunteer instructors hold a couple classes a year in their local area.  Creating disparity in how often classes are available and where they are located. 

In December of 2025,  the State of Michigan passed a  new law allowing hunter safety to be taught in schools once again as a elective course. Rep. Curt VanderWall of Ludington sponsored the bill saying:  “In Michigan, hunting isn’t just a pastime, it’s a tradition. Protecting this sport across the state starts with training young, aspiring hunters.” At last, a new hope! Instructors, like us, were excited to get classes set up for our local schools.  Despite our efforts, we were turned down by the schools. 

While the new law is exciting, The State of Michigan requires DNR certified instructors to teach hunter safety education programs but schools require teaching staff to have teaching degrees. Most DNR certified instructors do not have teaching degrees as they are just volunteers from all walks of life. Some schools cited lack of funding to hire DNR certified instructors even if they could teach without a teaching degree. So, how do we provide hunter safety education programs in schools then?