HARRISBURG, Pa. (September 24) – The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) and Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) are pleased to join with other fish and wildlife conservation agencies across the country to recognize Saturday, September 25, 2021 as National Hunting and Fishing Day!
"It's hard to imagine Pennsylvania without the full slate of hunting, trapping and fishing opportunities it provides," said Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans. "It's part of the very fabric of our Commonwealth, and on National Hunting and Fishing Day, we all can reflect on the importance of conservation and celebrate spending time in the Great Outdoors. With millions of acres of public land to hunt and trap, and 86,000 miles of streams and 4,000 lakes and ponds to fish, opportunity is around every corner. And with hunting opportunities ramping up, there's no better time to take part."
"Pennsylvania is second-to-none when it comes to year-round fishing opportunities and the variety of ways to enjoy the outdoors," said Tim Schaeffer, PFBC Executive Director. "There is truly something for everyone, whether you enjoy casting a line on your favorite wild or stocked trout stream, motoring or paddling on our beautiful rivers and lakes for big bass, testing your skill with steelhead or muskies, or the solitude of ice fishing on a frozen lake in winter. Pennsylvanians are passionate about their long-standing fishing traditions, and this day serves to motivate us even more, to protect, conserve, and enhance our aquatic resources for future generations to enjoy."
To commemorate National Hunting and Fishing Day, Burhans and Schaeffer recorded a joint video message, which will be shared on each agency's website and social media platforms. The video can also be seen here.
A proclamation from Governor Tom Wolf recognizing Hunting and Fishing Day in Pennsylvania stated that "Hunting and angling offer participants an opportunity to connect with nature on a personal level while simultaneously providing food security, a sense of self-sufficiency, and both mental and physical health benefits."
The Governor's proclamation also recognized that "To this day, the Game Commission and Fish and Boat Commission are funded primarily by sportsmen and women, through this American System of Conservation Funding: a user pays-public benefits approach that is widely recognized as the most successful model of fish and wildlife management in the world."
Wolf credited the state's hunters, trappers, and anglers as being among the first in the nation to support the establishment of fish and wildlife conservation agencies and pioneering a self-imposed federal excise tax on hunting, fishing, and boating equipment to raise additional conservation funds. The proclamation recognized that more than 1.4 million Pennsylvania hunters and anglers contribute to the state's economy through more than $1.5 billion in annual spending, and support more than 24,000 jobs, creating $181 million in state and local taxes.
The PGC and PFBC makes it easy for individuals and families to get involved in hunting and fishing through a wealth of programs, educational resources, and tools for connecting with local lands and waters available at www.pgc.pa.gov and www.fishandboat.com.
To purchase a Pennsylvania hunting or fishing license, customers can visit either the PGC or PFBC website to connect to the HuntFishPA licensing system (huntfish.pa.gov) or visit more than 700 retail license issuing agents.
National Hunting and Fishing Day was established by Congress in 1971. For more information, visit www.nhfday.org.
Video and soundbites to accompany this news release are available:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/hAXEtN8fmoA
Google Drive: https://youtu.be/hAXEtN8fmoA
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Media Contacts:
Travis Lau
Pennsylvania Game Commission
(717) 705-6541
trlau@pa.gov
Mike Parker
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
(717) 585-3076
michparker@pa.gov