| September 30, 2024 (Washington, D.C.) – On Saturday September 28, the nation honored America’s 55 million sportsmen and women for their immense contributions to funding conservation and our nation’s economy and the active role they play in conserving America’s natural resources. Since being established by Congress in 1971 and first celebrated a year later, National Hunting and Fishing Day (NHFD) has brought recognition to our time-honored traditions for over 50 years. NHFD occurs the fourth Saturday of September and seeks to not only acknowledge sportsmen and women, but also to encourage participation in sporting pursuits in a world increasingly withdrawn from the outdoors.
In celebration of NHFD, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) worked with the Executive Office of the President and Governors across the country, including the 30 members of the nonpartisan Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus (GSC), to formally recognize National Hunting and Fishing Day. To honor America’s sportsmen and women from coast to coast, 44 states issued gubernatorial proclamations in addition to President Joe Biden’s proclamation, which stated “Americans who hunt and fish have immense appreciation for our environment. They know that when we take care of the natural world, we ensure that all generations to come will also have the opportunity to hunt, fish, and enjoy the great outdoors. Passing down this tradition is especially important to rural communities, where hunting and fishing are time-honored pastimes, and to Tribal Nations, where hunting and fishing remain central to their cultures and livelihoods.”
Reflecting on the importance of the day, CSF President and CEO Jeff Crane said, “For over 85 years, American sportsmen and women have been the backbone of conservation. The impact we make is nothing short of significant, and we will always answer the call to protect and promote America’s outdoor heritage, our incredible fish and wildlife resources, and the habitats in which they live. National Hunting and Fishing Day is a well-deserved recognition of the immense conservation, economic, and cultural impacts sportsmen and women have on America.”
Sportsmen and women play a crucial role in providing the vast majority of conservation funding in the United States through the incredibly successful and world-renowned American System of Conservation Funding (ASCF). From the financial contributions of hunters, anglers, recreational shooters, trappers, and supportive industries, state fish and wildlife agencies have received over $78 billion in funding, which goes directly towards wildlife management efforts that benefit everyone, not just sportsmen and women. National Hunting & Fishing Day celebrates these contributions and seeks to increase awareness of and participation in our favorite outdoor pursuits, remaining the most prominent movement ever undertaken to promote outdoor sports and conservation.
NHFD also brought together sportsmen and women from across America to celebrate the rich tradition of hunting, sport shooting and fishing through organized local, state and national events aimed at introducing new audiences to the outdoors. Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, MO again served as the official home for National Hunting and Fishing Day along with Bass Pro Shops across the country hosting National Hunting and Fishing Day events.
For more information on National Hunting and Fishing Day, please visit www.NHFDay.org, and for a list of the proclamations that were issued this year please visit National Hunting and Fishing Day – Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation. |
