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Sept. 23, 2020

Randy Zellers Assistant Chief of Communications

LITTLE ROCK – Join the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission in its efforts to increase the number of hunters and anglers in The Natural State by pledging to take a newcomer to the woods or water this National Hunting and Fishing Day, Sept. 26.

National Hunting and Fishing Day is a special day to recognize hunters and anglers for their leadership in conserving America’s wildlife and wild places. First pushed by Congress in 1971, this annual celebration has been one of many ways conservation agencies strengthen their partnership with the public in the continued effort to promote wildlife populations and the ethical pursuit of game species for the benefit of all.Dove Hunt118945.JPG

Unlike systems in which wildlife is owned by individuals who own the land, the North American Model of Conservation observes that wildlife are a public resource available to all. However, there must be a governing agency to ensure wildlife does not face the catastrophic declines seen at the turn of the 20th century. The funding for those agencies is based on hunting and fishing license sales and on excise taxes placed on hunting, fishing and shooting equipment gathered by the federal government and distributed to states according to the users who purchase those licenses and the size of the state.

During a recorded address at the AGFC’s September meeting, Gov. Asa Hutchinson said, “In 2019 over 600,000 hunters and anglers spent $3.8 million a day which went to support the efforts of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. That’s more than $1.4 billion a year going to the state’s economy.”

Chris Colclasure, deputy director of the AGFC, said the dollars contributed by hunters and anglers are used to benefit all species.

Squirrel Hunting81719.JPG “It’s not only the deer, ducks and trout that benefit from this funding, but songbirds, pollinators and nongame species that are in need of conservation as well,” Colclasure said. “Hunters and anglers not only provide the majority of the funding for this conservation work through license and equipment purchases, but they are impactful partners in shaping policy and lobbying for the creation and management of public lands.  As such, sportsmen and sportswomen are the lifeblood of many rural Arkansas economies. Cotter, Mountain Home, Hot Springs and Stuttgart are just a few examples of how outdoors recreation fuels local communities.”

Of course, the best way to celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day is to introduce someone new to these sports and places we love. Many of Arkansas’s hunting seasons will be open for people to experience what the outdoors has to offer. Here are just a few ideas to get you thinking about ways you can bring someone new into the hunting and fishing community: