Exploding deer numbers are “causing big problems in suburban and urban areas of Michigan,” and many believe Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s focus on hiking fees for hunters will only make matters worse.

The issue stems from a steady decades long decline in the number of deer hunters in Michigan, which reduces the state’s license revenue while “causing big problems in suburban and urban areas of Michigan, including excessive deer car crashes … deadly car crashes, damage to homes, businesses, the environment, and major crop damage across the state,” WDIV reports.

Michigan ranks second among states for deer collision claims at roughly $130 million in damages annually, as deer-related crashes in recent years hit a decade high.

The situation is forcing communities like Farmington Hills to solicit help from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for possible solutions, while others have diverted taxpayer funds to the use of hired sharp shooters and other control measures.

Last year, the DNR solicited recommendations for better controlling deer numbers, and many stakeholders suggested solutions that revolved largely around expanding access for hunters and efforts to bring more into the field.

Months later, the DNR proposed license fee increases of roughly 50%, a barrier some have suggested could accelerate the decline in hunters, particularly older hunters who comprise the majority, many of whom live on fixed incomes. The DNR-backed legislation introduced during last year’s lame duck session would have cut the senior discount from 60% to 25%.

“Higher fees will discourage people from purchasing licenses and participating in these outdoor activities, which will lead to lower revenues for the DNR and worse conservation outcomes,” House Republicans wrote in a letter to DNR Director Scott Bowen in early December.

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“We urge you to explore alternative funding mechanisms that are honest and do not place the financial burden solely on the shoulders of outdoor enthusiasts,” the letter read. “We are confident the DNR can find a balanced approach that upholds Michigan’s conservation goals without creating financial barriers for residents.”

Strong opposition ultimately killed the bill, though it didn’t stop Whitmer’s DNR from pursing the proposal through the governor’s record $86 million executive budget, which calls for nearly $30 million in increased fees on hunting, fishing and watercraft.

Facing an intense backlash from last year’s legislation and a separate plan to clear cut state forests to raise funds from solar leases, DNR staff have spent the weeks since pleading poverty with predictions of serious consequences for inaction.

While Whitmer’s plan to increase the DNR’s budget by $29 million has not yet come with legislation on the details, the state’s major conservation groups have highlighted a need for a “longer-term” solution to fund the DNR that doesn’t rely nearly entirely on hunters and anglers.

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The vast majority of the DNR’s funding comes from license sales and federal excise taxes on hunting and fishing equipment that are disbursed based on license sales, which generated $63.7 million in 2024.

Republicans who took control of the Michigan House in January understand that increasing those fees will reduce access for hunters amid a deer population boom, and are urging Whitmer’s DNR to address wasteful spending before asking for more.

“I don’t know how much clearer I can make myself; if DNR leadership continues this ridiculous crusade to hike fees across the board – an action that does nothing but punish those who love the outdoors – we are going to zero out their budget,” state Rep. Ken Borton said in a statement when Whitmer introduced her budget in February.

“This is not a threat,” said Borton, a Gaylord Republican who chairs the DNR’s appropriations subcommittee. “This will be their reality if the DNR does not commit to working with us to protect access to the outdoors.”

“If fee increases are so important, the director is going to have to sit in our public meeting and explain exactly why he needs them and why the money he already has – which many would say is grossly misspent – isn’t enough,” he said. “He’s going to have to justify every single dollar they want to spend. If the committee is convinced, it goes into the budget. If not, try again next year.”

Multiple former DNR officials have since contacted Borton to help the lawmaker zero in on known waste, he said during a legislate roundtable at the Michigan Bear Hunters Association’s annual convention earlier this month.

“We’re going to eliminate a lot of nonsense,” he said.