National Hunting and Fishing Day
September 28, 2024
Event Participants
We had another wonderful national hunting and fishing day event at Elma Conservation Club. Over 100 kids, along with their parents and/ or grandparents, friends and relatives, thoroughly enjoyed the celebration, and the time spent outside, seeing their young family members not buried in a smart phone, texting or posting, playing games or streaming music; rather, the kids were learning how to shoot a bow (archery), crossbow, air rifle, air pistol, and for those age 12 and over, trap shooting. In fact, the only smart phones being used were in the hands of the volunteers from the Erie County Federation, taking pictures and checking the weather! How refreshing!
The most popular activity with the kids, and adults not familiar with angling, was the fishing clinic and testing the newly acquired knowledge at the pond. They spent lots of time with DEC biologist Mike Todd, as he taught them how to identify the various fish that call NY freshwaters their home, how to cast, helped with baiting hooks, and different techniques and presentations. Thank you, Mike! And congratulations for your conservation award from the New York State Conservation Council! Well earned!
We also had NYSDEC ECO Lt. Shea Mathis providing great information, and a drone use demonstration, capturing great aerial pictures and videos, a demo everyone found fascinating. Thank you, Shea!
To an attendee, I heard nothing but awe about the venue – the beauty, the activities offered and the predominantly cordial and helpful nature of the members of Elma Conservation, our host. Thank you Elma Conservation Club!
And, of course, to all the Federation volunteers, and members of the NHFD organizing committee. Without our great volunteers, community outreach through events like these would not be possible, thank you! The high quality outdoors education we deliver at community events such as this is a testament to the long lasting efforts made by those who came before us. I am confident efforts today will deliver the same positive impacts, a continued bright spot for the next generation of Americans in world clouded in confusion, as we continue to keep the promise that we will assure healthier and more abundant fish and wildlife populations, and quality and ample natural habitat, for the generations to yet to come. And congratulations to Bob Avery, chairman of the Federation “Teach Me to Fish” family fishing clinics, for your well-earned conservation award from the Council, as well! Keep up the great work!
Event Volunteers
Thanks to all our volunteers:
The exhibitors and learning stations provide the “meat and potatoes”, and from the Eastern Lake Erie Charter Boat Association to Evans Rod and Gun Club, Hawkeye Bowmen, Erie County Trappers, Southtowns Walleye Association of WNY, Inc., and more, who gave up a Saturday to reach out to the community at large! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and expertise! I only hope more Federation member clubs will follow suit next year.
Thank you all for making this another successful NHFD celebration, 53 years from it’s start! See you next year.