July 2024 NRC Preview

Justin Tomei • July 8, 2024

Deer regulations for the 2024 hunting season will be decided at this week’s Natural Resources Commission (NRC) meeting.   

After months of work by the Deer Management Initiative (DMI), Department of Natural Resources (DNR), and NRC some regulatory changes may be adopted.   

The meeting will be held at Lansing Community College West Campus, beginning at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, July 11, 2024.  

Wildlife Conservation Order #6 of 2024, deer regulations, is eligible for action, though an unknown number of commissioner amendments will be forthcoming.  

MUCC offered written comments to the commission at the June meeting.    

At this point it is difficult to assume what the final order may look like. The NRC met in June during a “work session,” and began fleshing out some amendments, but no official action could be taken at that meeting. A full recording of the meeting can be found on MUCC’s Facebook page .  

Also on the agenda, for information, is Wildlife Conservation Order #7 of 2024 , Federal Duck Stamp Modernization. This order amends the wildlife conservation order (WCO) to match new federal rules for duck stamps. The new rules make the stamp valid from the date of purchase (after July 1, 2024) through June 30, 2025. The regulatory language matches the new federal rules.   

For action, this month is Wildlife Conservation Order #5 of 2024 , which creates a voluntary program for fall turkey hunters to use paperless kill tags.   

Land Use Order of the Director #4 of 2024 remains up for information this month, this land use order allows for the use of certain e-bikes on certain state-owned trails.   

There are no land transactions on the agenda.   

Under the director’s report there will be presentation of various awards, presentations from DNR staff on the duck stamp WCO, an update on the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, and DNR responses to commissioner amendments to deer regulations.   

The meeting will be streamed on MUCC’s Facebook page as technology allows.   

To ensure our natural resources remain protected and managed thoughtfully and our outdoor heritage defended, join Michigan United Conservation Clubs today:  http://bit.ly/JoinMUCC .      

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