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
Search is currently unavailable. Please try again later.
The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer.
Week 9 marked the halfway point of our stay at the Michigan State Police Training Academy facility in Lansing. After the challenges we faced throughout the week, meeting that milestone felt like even more of an accomplishment.
Photo caption: Recruits and water safety instructors pose for a final “plunge” to celebrate the end of water safety training.
As always, our week started Sunday at 1800. With no tests to review from the prior week, a brief meeting with our academy staff was all that was required before we began our normal nightly routine.
Monday morning began at 0600 with a run around the MSP drive track, followed by chow (breakfast) at 0715. For both of our morning and afternoon blocks of instruction, we had David Greydanus, retired MSP inspector. We finished reviewing scenarios on firearm violations and dove into public order crimes (acts that disrupt the peace and order of society). Following dinner, we were back in the tank (swimming pool) for two hours of water safety training with Cpl. Jason King, one of our water safety instructors. I found this block of water safety to be especially important because it was the first time we entered the water in our uniforms and duty belt. For me, this wasn’t a new experience as I routinely trained this way while serving in the U.S. Coast Guard. However, it highlights the reality of the job and being prepared to help in any circumstance.
Photo caption: A recruit enters the tank area during an intense scenario and must navigate through commotion while effectively identifying the situation.
First thing Tuesday morning, we were in the tank for physical training. Afterwards, survival tactics claimed our first four-hour lesson block, during which we learned the proper techniques for safely removing our flashlight from our gun belt and using it, all while staying alert. After a break for chow, it was more water safety. We focused on reviewing and practicing all the skills we had learned so far. (Little did we know they would come in handy much sooner than we’d thought). We broke for dinner and reported to the classroom for two more hours of water safety. Our instructors briefed us on a water emergency scenario, then we were called to the tank two at a time to apply our skills.
Photo caption: During a scenario in the tank, a recruit utilizes their water safety skills by diving below and behind a water safety instructor, who is acting as a passive drowning victim, to find a safe way to secure the instructor.
Wednesday PT consisted of the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards physical fitness test, which must be passed to be certified as a law enforcement officer in Michigan. This test consisted of a vertical jump, pushups, situps, and a one-half mile shuttle run. We will take the test multiple times before we graduate to ensure we’re in good, physical shape. We all improved on our scores from when we tested at the beginning of the academy, showing that all the hard work put in during morning PT is well worth it. For our morning class, we practiced more survival tactics and subject control. This time, instead of static drills with each other, the instructors put on protective gear and challenged us with a more intense scenario in which we had to utilize what we learned and effect an arrest on a resistant subject.
Photo caption: Recruits operated a conservation officer patrol truck for the first time while practicing traffic stops. As fully licensed law enforcements officers, COs can conduct traffic stops for speeding, reckless or suspicious driving, such as swerving, and more.
Following our break for lunch, our next class focused on stopping vehicles and occupant control. This was probably my favorite class of the week because it was the first in which we were behind the wheel of a patrol truck. We were taught how to use the emergency lights and vehicle positioning during traffic stops. After dinner on Wednesday, we normally have weekly testing, but since we didn’t have an exam scheduled we used the time to study and prepare for the next day.
Photo caption: During a scenario in the tank, a recruit pulls a water safety instructor, who is acting as a passive drowning victim, through deep water towards the side of the tank.
Thursday morning PT was a circuit, consisting of two minutes of wall balls, rower, planks and carrying plates, followed by an inside run around the lower level of the MSP facility. Following chow, we reported to the classroom for our biggest challenge yet – the final water safety scenario. Like Tuesday’s scenario, we were briefed on a water emergency and reported to the tank, this time by ourselves. We ran (literally) into a similar but much more intense version of Tuesday’s situation. I was the third recruit to be called. Once we completed the scenario, we waited in the locker room for others in the class to finish. As I waited, I remember the look of accomplishment on everyone’s face as one by one we all passed. That afternoon, we resumed our lesson on stopping vehicles and occupant control. We practiced more on vehicle positioning and learned how to conduct a felony traffic stop.
Photo caption: A recruit must remove a water safety instructor from the tank. The water safety instructor is acting as an unconscious swimmer who has to be rescued.
Overall, I believe this week was the most challenging so far with the conclusion of water safety training. Although this week’s challenges were individual, we all came together to encourage and support each other. I feel no matter what challenges we will be faced with in the future, we will be able to accomplish them as a team.
