Governor Declares Saturday Hunting and Fishing Day in Minnesota

(KNSI) – Governor Tim Walz has declared Saturday Hunting and Fishing Day in Minnesota.

Saturday is National Public Lands Day, the first day of Take a Kid Hunting weekend and the start of Minnesota’s waterfowl hunting season.

“Minnesota has a rich tradition of hunting and angling, and a bright future promoting these traditions to the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts,” reads the proclamation issued by Governor Walz. “Hunters have played a critical role in preserving our state’s public lands – from wildlife restoration and wetland preservation, to forest management and environmental protection.”

Last year, Minnesota’s 2,075,692 licensed hunters and anglers generated almost $104 million to support the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources conservation efforts, which manages the state’s 5.6 million acres of public land.

National Hunting and Fishing Day was established in 1972 by President Richard Nixon to promote outdoor sports and conservation. Take a Kid Hunting Weekend was established in 1990 by the Minnesota Legislature to encourage adults to share Minnesota’s hunting heritage with youth. National Public Lands Day was created in 1994 to promote stewardship of public lands and is the largest single-day volunteer effort to restore and enhance public lands.

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