By Jim Bloch
You might still be able to lobby a legislator, clean up a beach or hire a guide to hunt upland birds, but it won’t be through the Michigan United Conservation Clubs.
The MUCC Board of Directors has voted to dissolve the 89-year-old organization.
The group made the announcement on its website May 6.
“For nearly 90 years, MUCC has served as a unified voice for conservation in Michigan, championing hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts through advocacy, education and partnerships with state agencies and the broader conservation community,” the board said in a statement posted on www.mucc.org . “Despite the deep commitment of its members, partners and supporters, MUCC has face sustained financial challenge that have impacted its long-term sustainability. Following careful evaluation of the organization’s financial condition and available options, the board determined that an orderly dissolution represents the most responsible course of action.”
MUCC worked in the state through its eight regions, two in the U.P. and six in the Lower Peninsula. St. Clair County was in Region 8 along with Macomb, Oakland, Livingston, Wayne, Lenawee and Monroe counties. The Perch Point Conservation Club, the Lake St. Clair Walleye Association and the Oakland county Sportsmen Club were among the Region 8 members.
“The dissolution process is expected to be completed by mid-June 2026 and will proceed in accordance with applicable federal and state laws governing nonprofit dissolution, including the orderly wind-down of operations, satisfaction of all obligations and distribution of any remaining assets consistent with MUCC’s charitable purpose and 501(c)(3) requirements,” the board said.
“A change by MUCC in recent years to the dues structure has resulted in less overall dues revenue coming into MUCC,” explained Dave Budnick, Oakland County Sportsman Club representative to MUCC, in an update on the OCSC website. The change “resulted in lower annual dues for large clubs (like OCSC) and higher annual dues for smaller clubs.” The number of individual members, who pay $35 per year to the MUCC, had also declined.
In the months leading up to the dissolution, the MUCC terminated a number of staff members, instituted a permanent work from home policy for remaining staff, canceled its lease on its Lansing headquarters and suspended the publication of its Michigan Out-of-Doors magazine.
Still, the collapse of the organization appears to have been nearly as sudden as Spirit Airlines. A May 2 photo on the MUCC website shows volunteers helping to plant jack pines in the Grayling Forest Management Unit in Crawford County. Another, taken at the end of April, shows volunteers removing trash from woodlands in Kalkaska County.
The MUCC said it was the largest statewide conservation organization in the country, with 70,000 hunters, anglers, trappers and conservationists and 200 affiliated local clubs around the state.
“Our clubs range from all walks of life, united by their shared commitments to conserving Michigan’s natural resources and defending out rights to hunt, fish and trap,” the organization said.
The group played key roles in the passage of Michigan’s Bottle Bill and the creation of the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund. More than 3,000 of its members have been active in habitat restoration and protection efforts around the state.
“The MUCC extends its sincerest gratitude to its members, partners, donors and supporters for their longstanding commitments to its mission,” the board said.
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
