SPRINGFIELD, MO – Ever wonder what it takes to make our lands better for future sportsmen? It’s simple: Hard work, great organizations and a call to conserve. One such organization – Ducks Unlimited (DU) – has partnered with National Hunting and Fishing to further the conservation efforts of sportsmen everywhere. National Hunting and Fishing Day (NHFD) is slated for Sept. 28.
DU is known for their conservation efforts to ensure future sportsmen and women can have the same outdoor opportunities past generations have enjoyed, and NHFD is set aside a special day for all sportsmen to celebrate those efforts.
“Ducks Unlimited is committed to conserving critical waterfowl habitat across North America, and the success of this mission would not be possible without DU’s army of volunteers, the majority of whom are hunters, anglers and outdoorsmen,” said DU CEO Dale Hall. “We are honored to support National Hunting and Fishing Day and to commemorate the important contributions of sportsmen to America’s economy and outdoor heritage.”
NHFD is dedicated to raising awareness of conservation on public lands across the country, and the support of DU is a great example of an organization stepping up to lend a unified voice for conservation.
“Ducks Unlimited is a force when it comes to conservation,” said Misty Mitchell, director of Conservation for Wonders of Wildlife. “They play a vital role in restoring our wetlands and enhancing waterfowl habitat throughout North America. We are more than pleased to have them on as supporters of NHF Day.”
This year Bill Dance will be the honorary chair for NHFD. Dance comes from a long line of conservationist and has been known for his willingness to help others with their conservation endeavors.
Dance learned early on while fishing with his granddaddy in rural middle Tennessee that conservation is a way of life that everyone should embrace. Dance vividly recalls he and his granddaddy on the banks of the river catching shell crackers as big as a saucer. Once his granddaddy had enough for a mess, the two would leave the rest for seed. Dance didn’t understand at the moment, but later in life it all made perfect sense.
Dance follows a long line of great Honorary Chairmen that has included: Hank Williams Jr., Jeff Foxworthy, Tony Stewart, Boone Pickens, Louise Mandrell, The USA Shooting Team, Arnold Palmer, Wade Boggs and Luke Bryan. Each has a storied past of supporting hunting, fishing and conservation efforts to preserve our national heritage.
“I may have grown up in a small Tennessee town, but that didn’t mean I had a blind eye toward conservation,” said Bill Dance. That small town and my relationship with my folks and my grandparents shaped my conservation mind. NHF Day is more than a day set aside for sportsmen. To me, NHF Day is a day to reflect about the past conservation pursuits and an opportunity to step forward to expanding what we know. I want my great, great grandkids to enjoy the type of experiences that I had when I was a little one. It is the right thing to do.”
The growing list of sponsors for NHF Day 2013 includes: NSSF, Realtree, GunBroker.com, Ducks Unlimited, North American Fishing Club, Sportsman Channel, Yamaha, Bass Pro Shops, Smith and Wesson, North American Hunting Club, Izaak Walton League of America and Limit Out Productions.
For more information about NHF Day, visit www.nhfday.org.
Contact: Kevin Jarnagin
Blue Heron Communications
(800) 654-3766
Kevin@blueheroncomm.com
Ducks Unlimited set to sponsor National Hunting and Fishing Day
