Representatives of the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, the Senate Game and Fisheries Committee, the Governor’s Youth Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing and Conservation, along with several respected statewide sportsmen’s organizations, will hold a news conference marking National Hunting and Fishing Day at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 23, in the East Wing Rotunda of the State Capitol in Harrisburg.

A series of informational booths will be in the East Wing Rotunda from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. to highlight the importance hunting, trapping, fishing and boating and the related activities supported by the two independent state agencies have had on and continue to provide to the state’s cultural heritage, outdoors recreation and economy. Among the groups scheduled to have a booth at the event are the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, the United Bowhunters of Pennsylvania and the Quality Deer Management Association.

In 1970, the first to suggest an official “day of thanks” to sportsmen was Ira Joffe, owner of Joffe’s Gun Shop in Upper Darby, Delaware County.  Gov. Raymond Shafer adopted Joffe’s idea and created “Outdoor Sportsman’s Day” in the state.

With determined prompting from various sportsmen, the concept soon emerged on the national level when, in early 1972, Congress unanimously passed legislation authorizing a National Hunting and Fishing Day.  On May 2, 1972, President Richard Nixon signed the first proclamation of National Hunting and Fishing Day, and soon after, all 50 governors and more than 600 mayors had joined in by proclaiming state and local versions of National Hunting and Fishing Day.

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