National Hunting and Fishing Day

NHFD Celebrations Are Everywhere

Posted on: Monday, 22 September 2008, 21:00 CDT
By Will Elliott

Outdoors enthusiasts could use a good cloning program this coming weekend to get to all events scheduled for National Hunting and Fishing Day (NHFD) celebrations in the area.
Saturday is the official NHFD day, but many groups hold events Saturday, Sunday or both days to commemorate this outdoors showcasing event begun in 1972.

Michael Waddell serves as national chairman of the 2008 NHFC event, joining the ranks of Terry Bradshaw, Tom Seaver, George Bush, Louise Mandrell, Travis Tritt, and Jeff Foxworthy, the celebrity who headed the 2007 doings.
Locally, Livingston County Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs lassos longevity laurels for its NHFD two-day event, held each of the 37 years since 1972.

Activities go from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Region 8 Headquarters grounds at 6274 East Avon-Lima Road (Routes 5 and 20) just east of Avon.

Ample free parking and a shuttle service gives visitors easy access. Parking on Oak Openings Road east of the headquarters makes things easy any time both days. This family-oriented event includes a duck decoy contest at noon Saturday and Woodman Lumberjacks demos throughout the day.
Both days offer participation in trap shooting, archery, fly casting, and canoeing. Other events include demonstrations, vendors of all kinds of outdoors gear, exhibits, and food. For more specific questions on events for exhibitors and visitors, call Randy Nemecek at (585) 226-5371 or Paul Griffen at (585) 382-3681.
The New York Power Authority's (NYPA) Wildlife Festival draws the greatest number of NHFD attendees at NYPA Power Vista facilities in Lewiston.


Activities are set for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Niagara County Federation of Conservation Clubs president John Butcher said this 23rd annual session of a NHFD celebration allows families "to learn more about the great outdoors and the importance of becoming involved with conservation activities."
Those activities are numerous at the Wildlife Festival. WKBW meteorologist Mike Randall will show his other talents as a magician, puppeteer and storyteller. NYSDEC officials will have an interactive fishing game for kids. U.S. Fish and Wildlife personnel will show and tell visitors about aquatic bugs. The Central and WNY Chapter of Safari Club International will have a display of wildlife mounts and let kids participate in a cork gun shoot.
Naturalist Paul Schnell, a festival regular with his display and discussions of raptors, will introduce Bron-yr-Aur, a 24-year-old golden eagle with a 6-foot wing span. Schnell recently acquired this eagle for the Desert Museum in Oregon.

Other regular presenters returning to the festival this year will be Jeff Musial from Nickel City Reptiles and Exotics, and Carmen Presti of Primate Sanctuary. There will be interpretive programs from Hawk Creek Wildlife Center, Buffalo Zoomobile, Aquarium of Niagara, Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve, and NYS Dept. of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation on area hiking options.
Stick around later Sunday afternoon and check out the announcements of winning entries in the Greater Niagara 2008 Fish Odyssey, a great source for fish stories and prospects for fall fishing forays.

For all Wildlife Festival info, go to nypa.gov.
Before heading to the Wildlife Festival, turkey hunters, callers and all interested in deer-farm management have an opportunity to participate in or view the Fourth Annual Buckeye Scents Turkey Calling Contest at the Erway Farm on Saturday.
Registration begins at noon at 4200 Willow Road in Wilson, for a contest starting at 3 p.m. Visitors can view the many whitetail deer and other game animals before and during the contest. Divisions for Open, Amateur, and Friction Only also include young callers.

The Youth Division includes ages 12-16; Poults are all kids ages 11 and younger. All kids 16 and younger will receive a free membership in Jakes, a National Wild Turkey Federation level for youths. For more details on this calling contest, check with Pam Lederhouse (791-3151).

NHFD is held on the same weekend as National Public Lands holds its celebrations. Allegany National Forest will mark the occasion with a cleanup and restoration project at the Buckallons Recreation Area boat launch site Saturday morning.
Outdoors folk interested in assisting with bettering the environment can help with a control project to remove trash and non- native species. Work begins at 9 a.m., followed with a potluck lunch at noon. For more details, call April Moore at (814) 728-6168. For all U.S. Forest Service volunteer project info, go to publiclands.org.

You may not meet up with Michael Waddell, but many clubs, federations, and governmental groups have Hunting and Fishing Day programs set for this weekend. All highlight the resources and the efforts professionals and volunteers devote to enhance hunting and fishing pursuits. For NHFD listings nationally, go to nhfday.org.