State Rep. Ken Borton today joined Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Director Scott Bowen in calling for Michigan hunters and fishermen, along with other outdoor enthusiasts, to be more engaged with the legislative process. Bowen recently criticized House Republicans for protecting Michigan residents from significant fee increases being pushed by the DNR. 

During the latest Natural Resources Commission meeting, Bowen called for the Legislature to raise sportsmen license fees in order to fund the DNR. Bowen went further, throwing complaints at the state House for alleged “inaction” and calling for individuals to engage lawmakers. 

“Director Bowen is right; we’d all be better off if more outdoorsmen engaged with state officials on issues that matter to them,” said Borton (R-Gaylord). “But after that, Director Bowen and I disagree on everything else. His assumption that hunters and fishers want to pay more to do the thing they love is as ridiculous as expecting Michigan boaters to pay a surcharge because the Great Lakes are pretty. It’s just not realistic. I sincerely hope that people across Michigan hear the director’s call and come to Lansing in droves. I’ve heard from these hunters and fishermen, and they do not want fee increases. Director Bowen is spiraling, and it just proves how woefully out of touch he and his department actually are. 

“The DNR routinely mismanages its funding, and the director wants to fix it by squeezing more money out of our already declining number of sportsmen. It’s outrageous. This has nothing to do with ecological protection or wildlife preservation.” 

Borton continued by highlighting the need for sportsmen to share their thoughts with their state representatives. 

“Whether the director approves of it or not, we’re working in the House to protect the rights of Michigan’s sportsmen,” Borton said. “In my time in Lansing, I’ve never had a single person call and ask me to make them pay more to hunt or fish. The DNR needs to find a sensible way to generate funding that doesn’t put the burden on our sportsmen.”