Simply buying a hunting or fishing license supports conservation. Sportsmen and women across the country, including members of the Izaak Walton League, need to share that message in their communities. The League is again sponsoring National Hunting and Fishing Day and encourages all our members to get involved and help grow the outdoor sports we love.

National Hunting and Fishing Day events provide opportunities for people across the country to learn more about outdoor sports and conservation, frequently through hands-on activities related to hunting, shooting, fishing, archery, and more. The event takes place each year on the fourth Saturday in September. This year it falls on September 26, 2015.

“The League is proud to sponsor National Hunting and Fishing Day,” says Scott Kovarovics, IWLA Executive Director. “Many of our 240 chapters will host events to introduce youth and families to hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities. These events help Americans understand the essential role hunters and anglers play in supporting and funding conservation and outdoor recreation opportunities nationwide.”

Most Americans don’t know that hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts support wildlife conservation when they take to the field or stream. Through licenses, permits, and special taxes on firearms, ammunition, and fishing tackle, hunters and anglers generate $100,000 every 30 minutes — that’s totaling more than $1.75 billion each year — for fish, wildlife, and habitat conservation. No one contributes more to conservation than America’s sportsmen and women. National Hunting and Fishing Day is set aside to celebrate those conservation efforts and involve more people in these outdoor traditions.

Visit www.iwla.org/NHFD for more information on how to plan your own event. You can also read one chapter’s National Hunting and Fishing Day success story in this magazine.

Hunt. Shoot. Fish. Share the pride.