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LANSING, Mich. — State Sen. Kevin Daley on Tuesday co-sponsored legislation introduced to continue Michigan’s pheasant hunting licensure program through Jan. 1, 2031. Michigan small game hunters once shot over a million pheasants per year, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Pheasant hunting was once so popular across the state that schools would be closed for the season’s traditional opening day. In recent years, however, Michigan pheasant hunters harvest less than 60,000 roosters annually.

In support of the bill, Sen. Kevin Daley, representing Lum, expressed his enthusiasm for the program, stating, "Michigan has a rich history of pheasant hunting, and it has been wonderful to see this great pastime flourish again under the success of the licensure program." He highlighted the significance of the program in introducing young individuals to hunting and its role in revitalizing the sport while aiding in the conservation of land for pheasant populations to thrive once more. Daley emphasized, "Bagging small game like pheasants is a great way to introduce young people to hunting, and the licensure program has helped both to revitalize this sport and conserve land for pheasant populations to thrive again."

The proposed Senate Bill 803 aims to extend the sunset date of Michigan’s pheasant hunting licensure program from Jan. 1, 2026, to Jan. 1, 2031. This extension seeks to further support the flourishing of the pheasant hunting tradition in Michigan.

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