Presidential Documents

49305 

Federal Register 

Vol. 74, No. 185 

Friday, September 25, 2009 

Title 3— 

The President 

Proclamation 8421 of September 22, 2009 

National Hunting and Fishing Day, 2009 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

From atop Pikes Peak to the shores of the James River, Americans celebrate 

the great abundance and utility of our natural resources. Since our Nation’s 

founding, hunters and anglers have cherished these unparalleled natural 

gifts and marveled at their untamed beauty. National Hunting and Fishing 

Day recognizes the contributions of millions of Americans who continue 

to engage in these ageless pursuits. 

Following in the centuries-old footsteps of the pioneers who walked before 

them, hunters and anglers have played a key role in the conservation and 

restoration of numerous species and their natural habitats. They not only 

understand their pivotal role as stewards of the land, but also seek to 

pass on this honored tradition to future generations. 

As our citizens continue to enjoy our Nation’s natural resources, we must 

remember that this privilege brings great responsibility. Not long ago, hunting 

threatened the extinction of the American Bison, an enduring symbol of 

the American West. Today, their population has recovered because of the 

cooperative efforts of conservationists and hunters. Many species, however, 

still require our protection. We can no longer look to our wilderness, as 

some once did, as land full of unlimited bounty and surplus. Recognizing 

the need for conservation, our hunters and anglers have worked hard to 

manage local ecosystems where wildlife remain, as well as to protect those 

areas where they are slowly re-establishing viable populations. 

Our national character, always evolving, finds its foundation in those timeless 

American ideals of freedom, fairness, and self-sustainability. Today’s hunters 

and anglers bring this spirit to life in the forests and streams they visit. 

If not for America’s great hunters and anglers, like President Theodore 

Roosevelt and Aldo Leopold, our Nation would not enjoy sound game management; a system of ethical, science-based game laws; and an extensive 

public lands estate on which to pursue the sports. On National Hunting 

and Fishing Day, we celebrate their contributions to our natural environment 

and our national heritage. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States 

of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution 

and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 26, 2009, 

as National Hunting and Fishing Day. I call upon the people of the United 

States to recognize this day with appropriate programs and activities. 


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49306 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 185 / Friday, September 25, 2009 / Presidential Documents 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-second 

day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of 

the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and 

thirty-fourth. 

[FR Doc. E9–23435 

Filed 9–24–09; 2:15 pm] 

Billing code 3195–W9–P 


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