Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is opening the gates for public input on the future of W.J. Hayes State Park, a sprawling 658-acre gem in Lenawee County packed with lakes, trails, and prime hunting grounds. Through an online survey running until April 3, folks can weigh in on the new general management plan, with DNR’s Debbie Jensen stressing how these voices will shape the draft. A summer public meeting will follow to hash out the details. This isn’t just bureaucratic busywork—it’s a golden opportunity for outdoorsmen, hunters, and 2A enthusiasts to steer state park policy before it’s set in stone.

For the 2A community, Hayes State Park is more than a scenic spot; it’s a frontline battleground in the ongoing tug-of-war over public land access. Michigan state parks like Hayes already permit firearms carry under the state’s concealed pistol license laws and constitutional carry provisions, but management plans can subtly shift priorities toward recreation-only zones that crimp hunting seasons, expand no-firearm buffer areas around playgrounds, or prioritize anti-gun NGOs in advisory roles. We’ve seen this playbook in other states—California’s parks choked with restrictions, while pro-2A strongholds like Texas keep ’em wide open. Imagine if the plan greenlights more family camping but sidelines rifle ranges or archery fields; your next deer stand could vanish. This survey is your chance to push back: advocate for explicit protections for lawful carry, expanded hunting access (Michigan’s 700,000+ hunters thank you), and resistance to urban eco-activists who view armed citizens as interlopers.

Don’t sleep on this—hit that survey at michigan.gov/dnr (search Hayes State Park plan) and flood it with pro-2A priorities. Reference Michigan’s robust self-defense laws (MCL 750.227) and the park’s hunting heritage to make your case ironclad. If we rally now, Hayes stays a 2A haven; otherwise, it risks becoming another nanny-state no-go zone. Get involved, stay vigilant—our public lands depend on it.