By: Taylor Schmitz, Senior Vice President and COO of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation
Saturday, September 26, 2026, is a special day for America’s 55 million sportsmen and women, and not just because of bugling elk and hunting camps.
On the fourth Saturday of September, every year we celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day. I know what you may be thinking, but this is not one of those cheesy ‘national’ holidays celebrating something mundane. National Hunting and Fishing Day honors our heritage of hunting, fishing, recreational shooting, and trapping, and celebrates the immense difference that sportsmen and women make for conservation. It is a well-deserved acknowledgement of the things that we love the most and is something certainly worth celebrating.
For America’s hunters and anglers, these pursuits are not just a pastime. These traditions are a cherished part of our everyday lives and an important means of providing food for our families. Hunting and angling have provided for and brought families together for generations – taking to the field to enjoy quality time, away from the noise of the world. It seems like that noise grows louder every second, and our sporting pursuits have become a special jewel in a world withdrawn from the outdoors. Sportsmen and women hold a shared commitment to, respect for, and connection with the natural world.
This connection with the outdoors flows through my veins, and I cannot imagine a life without our sporting traditions. As an avid outdoorsman, my hunting heritage is woven deeply into my everyday life and remains one of the most important parts of who I am. This is the case for many Americans – as hunting, angling, trapping, and recreational shooting are deeply rooted customs that families have participated in for as long as they can remember. Often motivated by the possibility of putting clean, healthy meat on the table or fueled by the special connection with the outdoors that comes with hunting and angling, others are newcomers to these outdoor pursuits, trailblazing their own traditions. Regardless of where they come from, their time spent afield, or their reasons for taking to the outdoors, sportsmen and women of all backgrounds make an immense difference.
Our time-honored traditions are a vital economic driver for countless rural communities across the United States. As we pursue the outdoors, commonly in very rural places, we help fuel the economies of rural communities that may not otherwise see much tourism. With more than 50 million Americans hunting and fishing every year, we help create over $200 billion in economic activity and support over 1.5 million jobs. To add to this benefit, we are also the backbone of conservation in America. By funding the conservation efforts that ensure a future for the fish, wildlife, and wild places that everyone gets to enjoy, we have also earned the title of being America’s true conservationists.
For over 85 years, sportsmen and women have played a crucial role in providing the vast majority of conservation funding in the United States through the incredibly successful American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF). This System is unique to the rest of the world and is known as a “user pays – public benefits” System – meaning that the contributions of those paying for use (sportsmen and women) benefits the public at large. The ASCF largely funds America’s state fish and wildlife agencies and their conservation efforts. Through the purchasing of licenses, permits, tags, stamps, and outdoor gear, in addition to donations and contributions to habitat organizations, hunters, anglers, recreational shooters, and trappers contribute billions of dollars each year in conservation funding. This funding is used for things like fish and wildlife management, habitat projects, research, public access projects, and more.
We should be proud that we shoulder the funding of efforts that ensure that fish, wildlife, and their habitats are conserved for years to come. From the contributions of America’s hunters, anglers, recreational shooters, and trappers through the ASCF, state fish and wildlife agencies have received over $89.26 billion in funding. Beyond this extensive financial contribution made by sportsmen and women, America’s hunters, anglers, recreational shooters, and trappers also contribute to conservation in other ways. Sportsmen and women play a direct role in conservation efforts by helping state fish and wildlife agencies manage the size of certain wildlife populations, by reporting critical information about what they see afield or on the water, and by volunteering for habitat management projects, among countless other ways. Private landowners that are passionate about our traditions also know the importance of fostering healthy habitats for wildlife, who know no boundaries or property lines. These landowners spend significant time, money, and energy creating healthy habitats on their land. America’s sportsmen and women share a unique conservation ethic that is ingrained into their DNA and spend a significant amount of time paying attention to what is happening to fish and wildlife, both game-and non-game, and their habitats when afield or on the water. We care deeply and we notice when problems arise, so we are often the first to call for change when and where it is needed. As hunters and anglers, we don’t just contribute to conservation; we are conservation. That is undeniably something that should be celebrated and recognized. National Hunting and Fishing Day seeks to do just that by increasing awareness of and participation in our favorite outdoor pursuits, while also celebrating the contributions to conservation made by sportsmen and women.
National Hunting and Fishing Day was first established by Congress in 1971, through Senate Joint Resolution 117, which requested the President declare the fourth Saturday of September 1972 as National Hunting and Fishing Day. In May of 1972, President Richard Nixon signed Proclamation 4128, designating the observance of National Hunting and Fishing Day to occur the Fourth Saturday in September – sparking a movement and celebration that would continue for decades.
With every passing year, public acknowledgement of the benefits of hunting and angling becomes more important. In a time when the anti-sportsman community constantly attempts to mislead the public about our time-honored traditions, raising awareness about what we do and who we really are, has never so imperative. To help continue the celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Day, the dedicated team of hunters, anglers, recreational shooters, and policy professionals at the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) works every year with the Executive Office of the President and Governors across the country, including members of the nonpartisan Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus (GSC), to help ensure that National Hunting and Fishing Day is formally recognized.
Last year, 45 states issued proclamations in addition to the President’s own proclamation. Just as the first National Hunting and Fishing Day did, last year’s National Hunting and Fishing Day was a widespread recognition of hunters and anglers for their leadership in wildlife and conservation, and several national, state, regional and local organizations hosted related events to celebrate past, present, and future sportsmen and women for their contributions. Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, MO serves as the official home for National Hunting and Fishing Day. Bass Pro Shops across the country host National Hunting and Fishing Day events, and there will likely be an event close to you this year.
In the first ever National Hunting and Fishing Day Proclamation, President Richard Nixon wrote, “I urge all citizens to join with outdoor sportsmen in the wise use of our natural resources and in ensuring their proper management for the benefit of future generations.” That same sentiment has continued to ring true over the last five decades, and with CSF’s advocacy, will continue to right true for decades to come.
National Hunting and Fishing Day will be celebrated on September 26th this year. Many of us will be afield or on the water during that time, which seems like the perfect way to celebrate. As you plan your hunting trips for the fall, consider taking someone new out for their first hunting or fishing trip. You may be molding the next generation of hunters or anglers, and in turn you will help forge a future for conservation. CSF looks forward to working with our partners and our unique network of the GSC to help ensure that sportsmen and women are given the recognition that they so rightfully deserve this September. Whether you’re on the side of a mountain in mule deer country, or wading in a river casting a dry fly, take some time to celebrate on September 26th. You make a difference, and you should be proud of that. Both on September 26th and every other day, too.