Friday, February 6, 2009

National Shooting Sports Foundation to Sponsor NHF Day

SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI-The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) founded the National Hunting and Fishing Day concept in 1971 to encourage sportsmen and sportswomen to introduce newcomers to traditional outdoor activities and to celebrate the contributions made by hunters, shooters and anglers to protect wildlife and wild places. Today, 38 years later, NSSF continues to be one of the annual celebration's greatest supporters.

NSSF, the trade association for the shooting, hunting and outdoor industry, has announced major sponsorship for National Hunting and Fishing Day 2009.

"NSSF is proud to continue its longstanding sponsorship of National Hunting and Fishing Day," said Stephen L. Sanetti, NSSF president and CEO. "It's well documented that today's youth are less active outdoors, so we'd like to ask all sportsmen and sportswomen to continue the great NHF Day tradition of introducing newcomers to outdoor activities so that today's youth can discover the joy of time spent in America's woods and fields and on its waters."

This year's NHF Day celebration is set for Saturday, September 26. NSSF's sponsorship supports Wonders of Wildlife museum in Springfield, Mo., the official home of National Hunting and Fishing Day. The museum directs national programs and campaigns to build public awareness of the connections between hunting, angling and conservation.

"Through licenses, permits and special taxes, hunters and anglers generate $100,000 every 30 minutes-totaling more than $1.75 billion per year-for fish, wildlife and habitat. No one contributes more for conservation," said Denise Wagner of Wonders of Wildlife.

At NSSF's urging, Congress established National Hunting and Fishing Day to recognize hunters and anglers for their leadership in fish and wildlife conservation. Every U.S. President from Richard M. Nixon to George W. Bush, as well as numerous governors and mayors, have issued formal proclamations commemorating the day.

Rising country music star Luke Bryan is the honorary chairman for NHF Day 2009. The growing list of sponsors for National Hunting and Fishing Day includes Wonders of Wildlife, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Bass Pro Shops, The Sportsman Channel, Realtree, GunBroker.com, Hunting Heritage Trust, Cabela's, Boone and Crockett Club, Smith & Wesson, Field & Stream/Outdoor Life, Woolrich, Yamaha, Safari Club International and SCI Foundation. For more information, visit www.nhfday.org.

Press release found at The Outdoor Wire

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