Sept. 28 is National Hunting and Fishing Day

Celebration is scheduled at South Cove County Park near Seneca

Oconee County’s South Cove County Park near Seneca will host a family event celebrating National Hunting and Fishing Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28. This free family adventure is open to the public.

National Hunting and Fishing Day is made possible by partnerships with the SCDNR, Oconee County Parks and Recreation, Trout Unlimited, Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service, South Carolina 4-H Shooting Sports, Harry Hampton Memorial Wildlife Fund, Duke Energy and the S.C. Wildlife Federation.

Click here for directions and information, or call South Cove County Park at (864) 882-5250.

The 12th celebration of Upstate National Hunting and Fishing Day will include many activities. These include archaeological displays, archery, air rifles, camouflage games, fly tying and casting, kayaking, fishing on Lake Keowee and much more. All activities are free, and all gear is provided.

Hunters, anglers were earliest supporters of conservation

“National Hunting and Fishing Day remains the most effective grassroots efforts ever undertaken to promote outdoor sports and conservation,” said Angela Viney, chairwoman of the event. “We look forward to this event every year. It is a great opportunity for the community to come and enjoy the great outdoors in a safe, educational environment with family and friends.”

More than 100 years ago, hunters and anglers were the earliest and most vocal supporters of conservation and scientific wildlife management. They were the first to recognize that rapid development and unregulated uses of wildlife were threatening the future of many species.

Led by fellow sportsman President Theodore Roosevelt, these early conservationists called for the first laws restricting the commercial slaughter of wildlife. They urged sustainable use of fish and game. They 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. This is a science-based, user-pay system that would foster the most dramatic conservation successes of all time. Populations of white-tailed deer, elk, antelope, wild turkey, wood ducks and many other species began to recover from decades of unregulated exploitation.

On May 2, 1972, President Richard Nixon signed the first proclamation of National Hunting and Fishing Day. In doing so, he wrote, “I urge all citizens to join with outdoor sportsmen in the wise use of our natural resources and in insuring their proper management for the benefit of future generations.”

By late summer, all 50 governors and over 600 mayors had joined in by proclaiming state and local versions of National Hunting and Fishing Day.

Click here to see the list of National Hunting and Fishing Day events in North Carolina.