HARRISBURG, PA \u2013 Pennsylvania will celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, to recognize the significant contributions of hunters and anglers to wildlife conservation efforts across the Commonwealth. Pennsylvania is proud to have more than 1.1 million licensed anglers and 850,000 licensed hunters.<\/p>\n
The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) annually observe Hunting and Fishing Day to recognize the generations of hunters and anglers who have contributed to the state\u2019s rich conservation legacy. These efforts have played a crucial role in maintaining and enhancing the work being done in both agencies on behalf of a diverse array of wildlife and their habitats.<\/p>\n
Governor Josh Shapiro signed a proclamation<\/a> recognizing Hunting and Fishing Day in Pennsylvania to highlight the important role of sportsmen and sportswomen in conserving wildlife and natural resources. The Governor currently serves as the Democratic Co-Chair of the Governors Sportsmen\u2019s Caucus (GSC) \u2013 one of three caucus programs under the Congressional Sportsmen\u2019s Foundation (CSF)<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Governor\u2019s proclamation notes that more than two million hunters and anglers have generated more than $125 million for conservation efforts in our state. It also acknowledges hunters and anglers as being among the first conservationists and applauds their efforts in providing healthy and sustainable natural resources through the purchase of their hunting and fishing licenses.<\/p>\n \u201cPennsylvania\u2019s hunters and anglers have long understood that our outdoor traditions come with a responsibility to give back,\u201d said Derek Eberly, Director of the Governor\u2019s Advisory Council for Hunting, Fishing, and Conservation. \u201cThrough their stewardship, contributions to conservation, support for sound wildlife management, and commitment to public access, they help care for the Commonwealth\u2019s woods, waters, fish, and wildlife. National Hunting and Fishing Day celebrates that legacy, welcomes new participants, and inspires the next generation to carry it forward.\u201d<\/p>\n Currently, the PGC manages more than 300 state game lands, which span more than 1.5 million acres in 66 counties. The agency manages 480 species of wild birds and mammals, as well as their habitats, while promoting hunting and trapping to current and future generations.<\/p>\n Last year, Governor Shapiro signed historic bipartisan legislation<\/a>, Act No. 36<\/a>, into law, repealing Pennsylvania\u2019s ban on Sunday hunting \u2014 expanding opportunities and strengthening wildlife conservation efforts while growing rural economies across the Commonwealth.<\/p>\n \u201cPennsylvania\u2019s hunting heritage remains as strong as ever, thanks to our hunters and conservationists who are in our woods and fields every year,\u201d said Steve Smith, PGC Executive Director. \u201cWe have a lot to celebrate because Pennsylvania is a top hunting state in the nation. Our total license numbers continue to rank second, only behind Texas. We ranked first in deer harvest density in 2024, and second in overall harvest, again only behind Texas. Our agency places high value on the many contributions of our hunters. We are looking forward to the hunting seasons ahead, which include even more Sunday hunting opportunities. We wish all hunters a safe, fun, and successful license year ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in 2022, estimated approximately 6.4 million hunting trips are taken each year in Pennsylvania. Of those, 2.1 million are estimated to take place on public land, with a third of them (700,000, or possibly more) occurring on State Game Lands.<\/p>\n According to the American Sportfishing Association, recreational fishing provides a $5.7 billion total economic impact, as well as 32,280 jobs related to fishing, and contributes $304 million to state and local taxes.<\/p>\n “Pennsylvania\u2019s year-round fishing opportunities and the variety of ways to enjoy the outdoors are second to none,” said Tim Schaeffer, PFBC Executive Director.\u00a0 “Whether you enjoy casting a line on your favorite wild or stocked trout stream, motoring or paddling on our beautiful rivers and lakes for big bass, testing your skill with steelhead or muskies, or the solitude of ice fishing on a frozen lake in winter, there is truly something for everyone.\u00a0 Pennsylvanians are passionate about their long-standing fishing traditions, and this commemoration serves to motivate us even more to protect, conserve, and enhance our aquatic resources every day of the year.”<\/p>\n House Resolution 610<\/a>, sponsored by Rep. Mike Armanini, also recognizes National Hunting & Fishing Day in PA to celebrate hunters and anglers and recognize them for their support of responsible management of wildlife and natural resources.<\/p>\n The public is invited to attend the Game Commission\u2019s Hunting and Fishing Day event on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, located at 100 Museum Road, Stevens, PA. Attendees can participate in a number of activities, including pellet gun shooting, archery instruction, on-site fishing, Touch a Truck, as well as hunting dog and deer processing demonstrations. The event is free and open to the public. Visit pa.gov\/pgc<\/a> or call 717-733-1512 for more information about the event.<\/p>\n National Hunting and Fishing Day, established in 1972, celebrates and recognizes the nation\u2019s outdoor heritage and the critical role hunters, anglers, and recreational shooters play in conservation. Federal excise tax dollars on hunting, fishing, and shooting equipment are allocated as grants to state fish and wildlife agencies to benefit wildlife, their habitats, and outdoor opportunities. Each purchase of this gear contributes directly to conservation efforts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"HARRISBURG, PA \u2013 Pennsylvania will celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2026, to recognize…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":294703,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[28,30,29],"class_list":["post-294702","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-pennsylvania","tag-pennsylvania","tag-pennsylvania-headlines","tag-pennsylvania-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/294702","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=294702"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/294702\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/294703"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=294702"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=294702"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=294702"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}