National Hunting and Fishing Day spotlights the tradition of hunting, target shooting and fishing and celebrates conservation efforts of sportsmen and women everywhere. For 2021, social media superstars Dude Perfect are honorary chairs for annual celebration.
Celebrated on the fourth Saturday of every September, National Hunting and Fishing (NHF) Day is the largest, most effective grassroots movement ever undertaken to promote outdoor sports and conservation.
The annual event recognizes hunters and anglers for their decades-long leadership in funding wildlife and conservation efforts through self-imposed excise taxes and license fees. Since 1939, programs have collectively raised $65.1 billion for habitat restoration and public lands access so that all Americans can enjoy abundant wildlife and wild places.
The official home of National Hunting and Fishing Day is Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri. Created by conservationist and Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris, the 350,000-square-foot experience celebrates those who hunt, fish and act as stewards of the land and water. Voted as America’s Best Aquarium by USA TODAY readers, the attraction welcomes millions of visitors annually and educates them about the critical role hunters and anglers play in conservation.
“National Hunting and Fishing Day is a day to recognize sportsmen and women for their dedication to conservation,” said Johnny Morris, noted conservationist and founder of Bass Pro Shops. “Without their efforts, so many of wildlife and special places we enjoy today would no longer be around. Today and every day, we salute them.”
Wonders of Wildlife is inviting sportsmen and women everywhere to get outdoors during the weekend and share stories about why hunting and fishing matters to them using the hashtag #NHFDay.
The Sept. 25 media event at the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum will feature voices from across the industry including outdoor retailers, conservation organizations and some of the biggest names in hunting and fishing, including social media superstars Dude Perfect.
Known for their viral videos that have seen more than 9 billion views worldwide, the devoted sportsmen have been named NHF Day’s honorary chairs for 2021.
Past honorary chairs for NHF Day include George Bush, Hank Williams Jr., Arnold Palmer, Bill Dance, Luke Bryan and Chris Janson. Dude Perfect will add their names to this impressive lineup by using their platform of 50 million fans and social media subscribers to promote NHF Day’s mission of inspiring the next generation to get outdoors and take up hunting, fishing and shooting sports.
“We enjoy hunting and fishing not only because we love outdoor adventure, but because hunters and anglers are America’s true conservation heroes – raising $100,000 every thirty minutes for wildlife and wild places,” said Tyler Toney, Dude Perfect co-founder. Their past viral Hunting Stereotypes and Fishing Stereotypes videos have amassed more than 150 million views on YouTube alone.
Official partners for the 49th annual National Hunting and Fishing Day include Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Wonders of Wildlife, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Federation, Izaak Walton League of America, Yamaha, Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Hook & Barrel Magazine. For information on becoming an official partner, visit www.nhfday.org.
Enacted by Congress in 1971, the federally-recognized holiday brings together sportsmen and women from across America to celebrate the rich tradition of hunting, target shooting and fishing through organized local, state and national events aimed at introducing new audiences to the outdoors. NHF Day’s official home is at the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium in Springfield, Missouri.