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HB 5956

Natural resources: wildlife; requirement to register and report deer pelts; eliminate. Amends secs. 42504 & 42505 of 1994 PA 451 (MCL 324.42504 & 324.42505).

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Greg Alexander and 25 co-sponsors

The bill removes deer pelts from required reporting while keeping and tightening reporting for other fur-bearing animals and protected birds/animals.

bill electronically reproduced 05/12/2026
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Bill Summary · HB 5956

Overview

HB 5956 (2025-2026, Michigan) amends the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act to modify reporting requirements for wildlife pelts and related products. The bill retains existing reporting duties for furs, hides, and pelts of fur-bearing animals (excluding deer) and for plumage, skins, or hides of protected game birds and game animals, but it eliminates the requirement to report deer pelts. It also changes the timing, method, and notarization/registration details of these reports.

Main purpose and intent

  • To adjust reporting obligations for licensees under the natural resources law, specifically regarding fur-bearing animals, game birds, and game animals.
  • To eliminate the requirement to report deer pelts, reducing reporting for that category while maintaining (and tightening in some respects) reporting for other species and products.

Key provisions and changes

  • Section 42504 (open-season reporting):
    • Deadline: Within 10 days after the close of open seasons for fur-bearing animals, game birds, and game animals.
    • Responsibility: Individuals holding a license under this part must report the number and kinds of furs, hides, or pelts of each fur-bearing animal (excluding deer) and the plumage, skins, or hides, or parts thereof, of protected game birds and game animals in possession on the last day of the open season.
    • Form and submission: Reports must be notarized and sent by registered mail.
    • Deletion: No reporting requirement for deer pelts on the last day of the deer open season.
  • Section 42505 (monthly business reporting):
    • Deadline: By the 10th day of each month.
    • Responsibility: Each person licensed to do business under this part must report the number and kinds of raw furs, hides, or pelts of fur-bearing animals (excluding deer pelts) and the plumage, skins, or hides, or parts thereof, of protected game birds and game animals purchased or sold during the preceding month, including the names and addresses of purchasers and sellers.
    • Form and submission: Reports must be on blanks furnished by the department, notarized, and sent by registered mail.
    • Deletion: No reporting requirement for deer pelts purchased or sold during any month.

Who/what is affected

  • Affected parties: Individuals licensed under the relevant part of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act who possess, purchase, or sell fur-bearing animal pelts, furs, hides, and related plumage/skins, excluding deer, and who deal with protected game birds and game animals.
  • Excluded category: Deer pelts are no longer required to be reported under the monthly and end-of-season reporting provisions.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Reporting windows:
    • End-of-season bulk report within 10 days after the close of open seasons.
    • Monthly transactional report within the 10th day of each month for prior-month activity.
  • Documentation requirements:
    • Reports must be notarized.
    • Submissions must be mailed via registered mail.
  • Form requirements:
    • End-of-season and monthly reports use department-provided blanks/forms.
  • Notable change:
    • Deer pelts are explicitly exempted from both end-of-season and monthly reporting requirements.

Potential impact

  • Administrative burden: For non-deer wildlife products, the bill maintains a formal, notarized, registered-mail reporting regime, which may continue to impose time and administrative costs on licensees.
  • Data implications: The state will continue to collect detailed transaction and possession data for fur-bearing animals (excluding deer) and for protected birds/animals, aiding wildlife management and enforcement.
  • Deer pelts: The removal of deer pelts from reporting could reduce regulatory reporting requirements for deer-related trade, potentially affecting data collection on deer pelts and related markets.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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