The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will be celebrating 2015 National Hunting and Fishing Day (NHFD) on Saturday, Sept. 26. NHFD was established by the U.S. Congress in 1972 and recognizes hunters and anglers for their contributions to wildlife conservation. The NHFD is an event celebrated in all 50 states annually on the fourth Saturday in September.
“Pioneers of conservation such as Teddy Roosevelt, James Audubon, and Aldo Leopold not only loved our outdoor heritage but helped push forward the North American Model of Wildlife Management, a vision which still guides wildlife management agencies today,” said Ed Carter, TWRA Executive Director. “Through the preservation of public lands and the idea that all wildlife belongs to the people at large, scientific based principles have guided the programs that have produced the healthy and thriving wildlife and fisheries populations that exist today.
“Through the partnership with hunters and anglers, who have provided the funding for these programs, it is only fitting that the entire nation pause and set aside a day to recognize not only the success of these management programs, but also the quality of life that they provide.”
Together with federal aid programs, wildlife conservation efforts are funded mainly by the money sportsmen and women spend on their license fees, as well as the taxes they pay on certain types of outdoor recreational equipment that includes firearms, ammunition, and fishing gear. These funds support conservation programs, habitat acquisitions, and outdoor recreation opportunities in Tennessee and throughout the nation.
Outdoor celebrities Jim and Eva Shockley are this year’s NHFD honorary co-chairs. Craig Morgan, country music entertainer, award winning television host and former soldier from Dickson County, served in the role last year.
