Bass Pro Shops Sponsors National Hunting and Fishing Day

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - North America's leading retailer of hunting, fishing, camping and boating equipment is also this country's foremost corporate supporter of conservation.

Bass Pro Shops is so much more than stores, catalogs and websites that offer the outdoor gear dream adventures are made of. It's also a company that invests in efforts to conserve our natural resources. From wildlife and fisheries conservation to introducing young people to the outdoors to cultivate the next generation of natural resource stewards, Bass Pro Shops is supporting the conservation community at national and local levels.

One way that Bass Pro Shops works on behalf of conservation is by continuing to sponsor National Hunting and Fishing Day (NHF Day).

National Hunting and Fishing Day is set-aside for sportsmen to celebrate those conservation efforts. Each year, NHF Day is set to take place on the fourth Saturday in September. This year NHF Day falls on Sept. 26.

"Bass Pro Shops is a great supporter of NHF Day," said Misty Mitchell, national coordinator, National Hunting and Fishing Day. "If it wasn't for their support of conservation efforts, sportsman would be without an abundance of natural resources. Their support of NHF Day goes beyond what is expected. Bass Pro Shops is always seeking to become the leader in the conservation community."

Led by sportsman President Theodore Roosevelt, early conservationists urged sustainable use of fish and game, created hunting and fishing licenses, and lobbied for taxes on sporting equipment to provide funds for state conservation agencies. These actions were the foundation of the North American wildlife conservation model, a science-based, user-pay system that would foster the most dramatic conservation successes of all time.

Each year sportsmen and women are funding more projects that enable more public access areas to be open. Through license sales and excise taxes on equipment, hunters and anglers pay for most fish and wildlife conservation programs. On average, hunters spend $1,638 every year on the sport. Portions of these funds are allocated to support conservation.

National Hunting and Fishing Day is dedicated to celebrating those efforts. Bass Pro Shops has been very supportive and goes above and beyond its ability to voice their values as an organization for the sportsman.

"National Hunting and Fishing Day is not only a perfect opportunity to celebrate the great sports of hunting, fishing and shooting, but to also pay tribute to the sportsmen and sportswomen who play a critical role in wildlife conservation. We are honored to be a partner in this signature day," said Martin MacDonald, Bass Pro Shops director of conservation.

The list of sponsors for National Hunting and Fishing Day 2015 includes Wonders of Wildlife, National Shooting Sports Foundation, Yamaha, Bass Pro Shops, Realtree, Smith and Wesson, Gunbroker.com, Keep America Fishing, Ducks Unlimited, Scout, Limit Out Productions, Cabela's, National Wild Turkey Federation, National Rifle Association and Izaak Walton League.

For more information, visit www.nhfday.org.