Get all your fishing information here, including rules and regulations, license info, the weekly fishing report and much more. Use the link above to visit the fishing home page, or go directly to your area of interest below:
Get all your hunting information here, including hunting season dates, rules and regulations, and much more. Use the button above to visit the hunting home page, or go directly to your area of interest below:
Information on DNR shooting and archery ranges, rules and regulations, resources to get started and more. Use the button above to visit the target shooing and archery home page, or go directly to one of the pages below:
Find snowmobile trail permit info, maps, rules and regulations and more. USE THE BUTTON ABOVE TO VISIT THE SNOWMOBILE HOMEPAGE or go directly to you area of interest below:
Want to find tasty morel mushrooms in the forest? Click the box above for tips and tricks to fill your basket.
Find cross-country ski, ice fishing , snowmobiling info and much more.
Find facility info, overnight info, an event calendar and much more.
Find a great trail experience near you - whether you want to hike, bike, snowmobile or ride an ORV. From long, paved linear trails to rugged forest terrain, Michigan offers trail opportunities for all abilities and interests.
Visitor Centers across the state provide education programs, field trips, archery, fishing, trails and much more. Click the box above to see all our locations, or click the individual location below.
We administer grants that enable our local partners to promote the lifestyles we all enjoy by providing recreational opportunities, enhancing wildlife habitat and ensuring public safety. Visit the grants home page by clicking on the button above, or view a specific area of interest below:
Recreational Safety and Hunter Education
Learn about Michigan's diverse range of fish, plants, trees, reptiles, amphibians, insects and mammals. Click the box above to see all species, or click the species group below.
DNR educators across the state provide fun, educational activities, programs and workshops year-round for adults, families and kids. Click the box above to see all our offerings, or click the program below.
DNR educators provide classroom lessons, field trip opportunities, professional development and experiential programs to teachers around the state. Click the box above to see all our offerings, or click the program below.
DNR forest resources professionals maintain healthy forests, manage wildfire, maintain responsible harvesting certifications and improve wildlife habitat. Click the box above to learn more about Michigan's state forests.
All DNR-related boards, committees, and advisory groups
Find seasonal, part-time and full-time job openings with the DNR
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Dave Anthony is currently retired and most recently owned Northern Sun Winery. He was previously Director of Community Development and Government Affairs for the Hannahville Indian Community. Anthony served as a Democratic member of the Michigan House of Representatives representing the Escanaba area for four terms from 1992 to 1998. Anthony was also the U.P. regional representative for the former United States Senator Carl Levin. He previously served on the board of directors of the Delta County Economic Development Corp., the Michigan Wine Collaborative, the UP State Fair Board, and the DNR Western UP Citizens Advisory Council. Recommended by Sen. Ed McBroom and Jeremy Hosking.
David Cozad, a life-long resident of Michigan from Bay City, was appointed to the Natural Resources Commission by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in March 2021.
David holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Alma College and a Master of Science degree in aquatic biology from Central Michigan University. He is President of Mainstream Resources, an environmental consulting firm founded in 1982 which specializes in the design, implementation and monitoring of aquatic ecosystem restoration projects.
His professional pursuits have been diverse and span both the public and private sectors. David served as Director of Environmental Affairs and Community Development for Bay County from 1993-1996. As well, David was co-founder of Restoration Dredging and served as its President from 2001 to 2015.
When he's not in the field working, you'll likely find David upland bird hunting, fishing, cross country or downhill skiing, hiking, floating Michigan's rivers or participating in numerous volunteer natural resource conservation projects sponsored by grass roots organizations.
Pete Eardley is a lifelong resident of Michigan from Grand Rapids. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from Michigan State University. Pete and his wife Anne live in East Grand Rapids. Recently retired, Pete founded Charter Industries in 1991, a furniture parts distribution company and sold a majority of it in 2018. Pete also founded Cavallo, a software company in Grand Rapids which he still owns and is Chairman of the Board. Currently Pete and his wife Anne own and operate Oak Heart Lodge, a philanthropic fly-fishing lodge for disabled veterans.
A lifelong outdoorsman Pete enjoys hunting and fishing while supporting several conservation groups focused on improving waterways while preserving farmland and wilderness.
Dan Kildee is the President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint. Dan served as a Member of the U.S. Congress from 2013-2025, representing Michigan’s 8th and previously Michigan’s 5th congressional district. He served on the Ways and Means Committee and the Budget Committee. He also co-chaired the bipartisan Congressional PFAS Task Force to more urgently clean up toxic PFAS chemicals.
Prior to being elected to Congress, Kildee co-founded and served as President of the Center for Community Progress, a national nonprofit organization, where he was one of the nation’s leading voices on urban land reform and revitalization. He also founded Michigan’s first land bank - the Genesee County Land Bank—which is responsible for over $100 million in redevelopment in the city of Flint.
Dan previously served as a Genesee County Commissioner and as County Treasurer. He also previously served as a member of the Flint Board of Education.
Dan is a graduate of Central Michigan University. He is married to Jennifer Kildee and has three adult children and two grandchildren. He enjoys hunting, fishing, cycling, golf, and is an avid drummer.
Jim LaPorte has deep business and management experience inside and outside Native America. His investment experience includes entertainment, energy, construction and startup ventures. Jim managed more than 1,000 employees while overseeing the expansion of multiple Native American gaming and entertainment businesses. A member of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Jim sits on various boards, including the economic development arm of the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians in Michigan. Jim oversees Bright Path’s investor relations group. He also leads the fund’s community outreach initiatives.
As a native of Gladstone, Michigan, David had the good fortune of experiencing childhood in the woods and waters of the UP. Ice fishing on Little Bay de Noc and spending time at camp on the Stonington Peninsula with his family and friends instilled a special appreciation for the recreational and cultural pursuits that are enabled by our state's tremendous natural resources as well as the significant economic imprint of the outdoor recreation industry. In 1955, David's grandfather, Lloyd, helped to found Bay de Noc Lure Company in his father's blacksmith shop in Gladstone. David's father, Dave, carries the tradition of the family business forward by maintaining the same craftsmanship and manufacturing process of the original design lures that are a staple in anglers' tackle boxes. David worked part-time at "the shop" starting at age 14, bending "Do-Jiggers" and buffing "Swedish Pimples," with plenty of knuckles skinned at the buffing wheel.
This upbringing had some influence in David's career pursuits in natural resources law and policy. After serving as a legislative aid to House Speaker Craig DeRoche, David joined Michigan United Conservation Clubs in 2008 to manage the organization's legislative affairs as it refocused its efforts on advocacy at the state and federal levels. In this experience, he was able to be a part of several exciting initiatives and collaborations, including legislation to eliminate the minimum hunting age and create a mentored youth hunting program (Public Acts 109 and 120 of 2011 "The Hunter Heritage Bill"), create a new funding mechanism for state parks (Public Acts 32-35 of 2010 "The Recreation Passport"), and authorize DNR utilization of volunteers on state game areas (Public Act 65 of 2011) and Congressional advocacy to support funding of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and protect the Great Lakes from Asian carp.
In 2011, David returned back to the UP with his wife, Tracy. From 2011-2012, he worked with Trout Unlimited and a variety of conservation organizations and land-based industry companies through his venture with 3rd Coast Strategies, LLC.
David joined Governor Rick Snyder's team in August 2012 to serve as Director of the Governor's Northern Michigan Office based in Marquette. In this capacity, he served as the region's primary ambassador for the Governor and collaborated with northern Michigan business, education, and community leaders to achieve strategic priorities for the region and Snyder Administration. In 2014, he assumed additional duties as Deputy Legal Counsel, overseeing state-tribal affairs, gaming, and serving as the Governor's liaison to federally-recognized tribal governments located within Michigan. In this role he worked closely with the DNR, DEQ and MDARD on natural resources policy matters, including government to government consultation with tribal governments under the Great Lakes and Inland Consent Decrees.
David earned is B.A. at Michigan State University and J.D. and Michigan State University College of Law, where he received the Jurisprudence Achievement Award in both Wildlife Law and Land Use Planning Law. He is a fellow of the Michigan Political Leadership Program at Michigan State University's Institute for Public Policy and Social Research. He was a charter member of the board of directors for Invest UP, a privately-supported regional economic growth organization in the UP, and is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, Marquette County Bar Association, Economic Club of Marquette County, Noquemanon Skijor Club, Michigan United Conservation Clubs, Escanaba River Association, Fred Waara Chapter of Trout Unlimited, and Connect Marquette.
John W. Walters of Gaylord was appointed to the Natural Resources Commission by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, with his term beginning February 2, 2023. John previously served on the NRC, but left to take a new job in Salida, Colorado in 2020. He and his wife missed Northern Michigan and returned home in the spring of 2022.
John works for Palmer Donavin, based in Columbus, Ohio. The company distributes wholesale building materials throughout the Midwest. John works from his home office as the Territory Sales Manager, selling their product line to retail lumberyards in Northern Michigan. John has been in the residential building materials industry since 1988.
As John was growing up, his parents, Bill and Irene Walters, and his Boy Scout Master Bill Lee, taught him about the outdoors and respecting Michigan’s natural resources. They emphasized, “Leave it better than how you found it.” He was raised hunting, fishing, and appreciating the great outdoors. John is an Eagle Scout with a Bronze Palm.
John earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Northern Michigan University in 1987.
John loves to fly fish all year for trout, which is what invigorated his passionate involvement in conservation. He has served as the state chairman of Michigan Trout Unlimited and president of the Headwaters Chapter of Trout Unlimited. He also served as a board member of Anglers of the Au Sable and was most recently vice-president. He served as chairman of the Pigeon River Country State Forest Advisory Council from 2010 to 2018. John has also served on the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Rural Development Fund Board.
John and his wife, Sue, who are each other’s closest hunting and fishing partner reside in Gaylord. Married since 1992, the couple has two German Shorthair Pointers, George, and Winston. They spend much of their time on the river chasing trout, in the woods hunting upland birds and deer, or snowshoeing throughout the winter in northern Michigan.
