2023 MUCC Passed Resolutions

Resolution #1

Title: Wolf – Dog Conflict Reporting

Submitted by: Steve Dey, Straits Area Sportsmen’s Club
Passed: March 25, 2023 MUCC Annual Convention

Because of the importance of reporting wolf-dog conflicts, MUCC will work with the DNR to add a ‘Wolf-Dog Conflict’ tab to the wildlife viewing section and will work with the DNR to include a “wolf-dog conflict” reporting tool in the DNR smartphone app, which would enable all dog owners who had a wolf-dog conflict to voluntarily report it. MUCC will also work with the DNR to include an option to report “wolf-livestock conflict” on the smartphone app.

Resolution #2

Title: Wake Boat Regulations

Submitted by: Greg Peter, Immediate Past President
Passed: March 25, 2023 MUCC Annual Convention
MUCC to advocate for the elimination of these craft (wake boats) from vulnerable waters and limit their use to depths of greater than 20 feet and further from shorelines, docks, and other riparian uses to greater than 500 feet.

Resolution #3

Title: Establish Turkey Harvest Reporting

Submitted by: Patrick Hogan, Life Member & Zach Snyder, Individual Member
Passed: March 25, 2023 MUCC Annual Convention
That MUCC work with the DNR and the Natural Resource Commission to enact a turkey harvest reporting system, in conjunction with the new DNR app-based reporting system.

Resolution #4

Title: License for Special Needs Individuals

Submitted by: Mike Thorman, Michigan Hunting Dog Federation
Passed: March 25, 2023 MUCC Annual Convention
Michigan United Conservation Clubs to advocate for a system for special needs individuals who cannot pass a hunter’s safety test, as signed off by an appropriate medical professional, to be able to hunt indefinitely with a mentor.

Resolution #5

Title: Easier Access to Michigan Recreational Passports

Submitted by: Bruce Hall, Cass County Conservation Club
Passed: March 25, 2023 MUCC Annual Convention
Michigan United Conservation Clubs will work with the Michigan Legislature and the appropriate state agencies to create a more efficient system to immediately make the Recreational Passport available.

Resolution #6

Title: Game Tracking Dog Use

Submitted by: Erik Schnelle, State Advisory Council President, NDA
Passed: March 25, 2023 MUCC Annual Convention
Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) shall support changes and amendments to tracking dog regulations to encourage the increased use of trained game-tracking dogs and skilled dog handlers whose dogs are controlled at all times and will not enter properties
without permission. If the tracking dog is off lead, a reliable means of tracking dog control should be employed to assure property boundary compliance and must be registered with the Michigan DNR as a tracker and if the handler loses control of the tracking dog and it enters an adjoining property without permission, the handler should adhere to current Michigan game laws governing the legal means of recovering hunting dogs from private property. MUCC shall support for tracking dogs and their handlers to be: registered with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), possess a valid Concealed pistol license, have passed a United Blood Trackers level 1 or greater test. If the dog is off-lead, the dog and handler should successfully complete the new United Blood Trackers off-lead test established in 2022.

Resolution #7

Title: Pontoon Registration Fee/Renewal Fee

Submitted by: Bob Schulz, President, Metro West Steelheaders
Passed: March 25, 2023 MUCC Annual Convention
Michigan United Conservation Clubs shall seek to have MCL 324.80124 be amended so that all motorized watercraft vessels pay the same registration/renewal fees based on length.

Resolution #9

Title: Retention of Bear Points

Submitted by: Zach Snyder, Individual Member, Conservation Policy Board Member
Passed: March 25, 2023 MUCC Annual Convention
Michigan United Conservation Clubs support and advocate through the Natural Resources Commission and Michigan DNR to allow for the retention of a hunter’s accrued preference points when purchasing a leftover bear license.

Resolution #10

Title: State Park Endowment Fund (SPEF) Oversight

Submitted by: Greg Peter, MUCC Past President
Passed: March 25, 2023 MUCC Annual Convention
Michigan United Conservation Clubs will discuss the establishment of a similar governing body for the SPEF to make decisions as to the disbursement of the fund for acquisition, improvement, and restoration (capital expenditures) and not for operations (recognizing that any such project will have a certain % of labor cost and staff time needed above and beyond the normal
operating costs of the Division – a % to be considered by the suggested board as that which is appropriate to the grant proposal).

Resolution #11

Title: Expansion of Michigan Pheasant Release for Hunter Recruitment

Submitted by: Ken Dalton, Individual Member
Passed: March 25, 2023 MUCC Annual Convention
Michigan United Conservation Clubs work with the Michigan Legislature, the Department of Natural Resources, and the Natural Resources Commission to support the expansion of release sites available for public pheasant hunting with the goal of getting more pheasant hunters into the field.

Resolution #12

Title: Green Solar Energy on Private Lands

Submitted by: Erik Schnelle, State Advisory Council President, NDA
Passed: March 26, 2023 MUCC Annual Convention
Michigan United Conservation Clubs work with the State of Michigan and affiliated agencies, Michigan State University, the Michigan Legislature, and other stakeholder groups to develop and implement improved solar zoning, site recommendations, recommend reclamation bond, land-owner education and legislation to ensure that implement solar projects that are truly beneficial to Michigan’s natural resources.

Resolution #13

Title: Natural Resources Commission Meeting Locations

Submitted by: Steve Dey & Gary Gorniak, Straits Area Sportsmen’s Club
Passed: March 26, 2023 MUCC Annual Convention
Michigan United Conservation Clubs will work with the NRC and DNR to have 3 meetings in the Upper Peninsula per year.

Resolution #14

Title: Reaffirm MUCC’s opposition to Camp Grayling expansion

Submitted by: Patrick Hogan, Life Member
Passed: March 26, 2023 MUCC Annual Convention
Michigan United Conservation Clubs seeks Camp Grayling’s full and total compliance with all federal, state and local environmental laws by the Department of Military Affairs. MUCC reaffirms its commitment to opposition to Camp Grayling expansion per resolution BR011089 and opposes any further expansion and MUCC will work with the DNR and National Guard to minimize environmental impact and maximize recreational opportunity and any expansion that may take place will not negatively impact DNR budget. When public lands can no longer be managed as an environmental resource for public recreation, the department be compensated for by some mitigation acceptable to the Natural Resources Commission, legislature, or appropriate public entity.

Resolution #15

Title: Recreational Vehicle Education

Submitted by: Steven Lomonaco, Region 5
Passed: March 26, 2023 MUCC Annual Convention
Michigan United Conservation Clubs work with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Natural Resource Commission and instructors to study the feasibility of combining the snowmobile and off-road vehicle (ORV) education programs and that the consolidation includes the combining of instructional material, the certificate, and the final exam and if the feasibility study supports consolidation action be taken to combine the programs. DNR recreational safety staff work with current ORV and snowmobile instructors to come up with a blueprint of what the new books should look like and what should be on the test.

Resolution #16

Title: Mandatory Deer Harvest Reporting Requirements

Submitted by: Rob Miller, Vice President & Leonard Shaner, Executive Board
Passed: March 26, 2023 MUCC Annual Convention
Following this year of education, a violation be dropped from a misdemeanor crime to a civil infraction. The requirement of sharing your location be changed from exact property to listing the county, town range and section where the successful hunt took place. The time allowed for reporting be changed to 72 hours after the harvest, or 24 hours after returning home from a remote camp with inadequate access to service. Michigan United Conservation Clubs to work with the MDNR, the NRC and/or the Michigan Legislature to support the above changes to this new harvest reporting requirement.

Resolution #17

Title: Add Cormorant Control to the DNR Budget and Implement Cormorant Control

Submitted by: Gary Gorniak, Straits Area Sportsmen’s Club
Passed: March 26, 2023 MUCC Annual Convention
MUCC will work with the Michigan DNR to find the annual funding, a minimum of $250,000.00, and re-implement the very successful United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services program of cormorant control utilizing volunteers.

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