Some holidays come with cake. Some come with fireworks. National Hunting and Fishing Day comes with muddy boots, tangled fishing line, early alarms, and the strong possibility that somebody will retell the story of “the one that got away.”
Every year on the fourth Saturday in September, National Hunting and Fishing Day celebrates two of America’s favorite ways to get outside. Admittedly, there are probably easier ways to spend a Saturday morning than waking up before sunrise, pulling on waders to step into cold water, or sitting quietly in the woods waiting for something to show up.
And yet, millions of U.S. residents willingly do exactly that.
For the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Conservation Investment, the holiday recognizes the outdoor traditions at the heart of our conservation work and celebrates the people who make hunting and fishing part of their lives.
For more than eight decades, the Office of Conservation Investment has partnered with manufacturers and state fish and wildlife agencies to conserve, research, restore, and manage fish and wildlife and their habitats for current and future generations.
The foundation for that work began with two landmark laws: the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act, passed by Congress in 1937, and the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act, passed in 1950.
Together, these acts established a partnership that is now a cornerstone of America’s conservation work.
Manufacturers fund conservation and access through federal excise taxes on firearms, ammunition, archery equipment, and fishing tackle. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Office of Conservation Investment administers these funds, which are apportioned to state fish and wildlife agencies for conservation, habitat management, restoration, and opportunities for people to enjoy the outdoors.
Hunters and anglers are part of the partnership, too. They purchase licenses, stamps and tags, generating revenue that state fish and wildlife agencies use as a match for these federal excise tax funds.
The system works because each partner contributes to a shared investment in wildlife and wild places.
State fish and wildlife agencies bring local knowledge and on-the-ground conservation expertise. Federal partners provide coordination, technical guidance, and support. Industry partners help fund the system. Hunters and anglers support conservation through license fees and provide the connection between conservation and the outdoor experiences these investments help sustain. It is a partnership that has lasted for generations.
National Hunting and Fishing Day is a celebration of the system and people who make hunting and fishing possible. It is also an annual invitation to get outside. Pull on your muddy boots and head for the water or woods, knowing that you are part of a tradition much bigger than a single Saturday in September. Behind your outdoor experience is a partnership working to ensure people have places to go outdoors and healthy wildlife and habitats waiting for them when they get there.
So set that alarm. Check your gear. Bring sunscreen. Pack snacks. And if one gets away, don't worry. You have time to make it considerably larger before you tell the story.
