CPW celebrates National Hunting and Fishing Day on September 26, honoring sportspersons and their contributions to wildlife and habitat conservation
Hunters and anglers play a vital role in conserving wildlife and supporting science-based wildlife management through volunteerism, license fees, and excise taxes on hunting and fishing equipment, helping fund habitat conservation and healthy ecosystems that benefit a wide variety of wildlife species.
September 25, 2026
DENVER — Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) recognizes the contributions of the state’s sportspersons every year by celebrating National Hunting and Fishing Day. Established in 1972, National Hunting and Fishing Day is observed on the fourth Saturday of September each year to honor hunters and anglers for their leadership and essential role in conserving America's wildlife and habitat. National Hunting and Fishing Day coincides with National Public Lands Day each year.
Recently, Governor Jared Polis officially proclaimed September 26, 2026, as National Hunting and Fishing Day in Colorado as a tribute to sportspersons and their yearly contribution of $3.25 billion spent on a broad range of outdoor activities in Colorado. This spending helped fuel the outdoor economy, which comprised 2.6% of Colorado’s GDP in 2023.
Colorado Outdoors Strategy
Colorado's Outdoors Strategy sets a framework for working collaboratively to ensure our outdoors, people, community character, and ways of life endure for generations. The Strategy recognizes sportspersons as foundational partners in wildlife management and habitat conservation, and includes commitments to achieve management objectives for key game species, such as elk, deer, and bighorn sheep, advancing North Star goals on climate-resilient conservation and restoration, and exceptional and sustainable outdoor recreation.
National Public Lands Day
National Public Lands Day is led by the National Parks Service’s official partner, the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF). Hundreds of thousands of volunteers roll up their sleeves to help preserve their public lands together through volunteer projects. This year’s theme is “Caring for Our Shared America” in celebration of our nation’s 250th anniversary.
Hunting and Fishing Fund Conservation
A core tenet of CPW’s mission is to ensure that Colorado's wildlife resources and outdoor recreation opportunities can be enjoyed by future generations. For over 125 years, CPW has dedicated itself to protecting critical wildlife habitats and recreation opportunities, conducting work that could not have been done without financial contributions from hunters and anglers.
The North American Model of Wildlife Conservation (NAMWC) is the cornerstone of modern wildlife conservation across the U.S. This revolutionary model was formed around the turn of the 1900s when sportspeople realized that market hunting was taking an undeniable and potentially irreversible toll on North America's wildlife. Looking toward the future, these visionaries determined that, to ensure the health and longevity of all wildlife, a structured system was needed.
To this day, the NAMWC is the most successful wildlife management model in the world and is largely responsible for the abundance of wildlife in North America. A core principle of the NAMWC is a funding system where sportspersons contribute to wildlife and habitat conservation through the purchase of hunting and fishing licenses and taxes on associated equipment.
In Colorado, hunters and anglers fund more than 70 percent of CPW’s wildlife management programs through the purchase of hunting and fishing licenses, habitat stamps, as well as taxes paid on hunting and fishing equipment, firearms and ammunition. This generates millions of dollars each year for conservation programs that benefit both game and nongame species statewide.
“Hunters and anglers are one of the biggest reasons Colorado enjoys such abundant wildlife,” said CPW Statewide Hunter Outreach Coordinator Bryan Posthumus. “While only roughly 40 species in Colorado are huntable, the fees from hunting and fishing licenses help conserve all wildlife in the state, including threatened and endangered species.”
Learn more about CPW’s conservation efforts here.
National Hunting and Fishing Day is an opportunity to acknowledge all that our sportspeople do for conservation, and in turn, recreation in Colorado. CPW remains committed to connecting people to the great outdoors and dedicating funds to sustain state lands. Learn more about Colorado's Outdoor Principles, a set of seven guidelines for advancing outdoor recreation and conservation.
Please note that National Hunting and Fishing day coincides with National Public Lands Day each year. On Sept. 26, entrance to all National Parks is free of charge, but Colorado State Parks admission will still require a parks pass.
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