Anniversaries are always a good time to take stock. Saturday, September 24, marks the 50th anniversary of National Hunting and Fishing Day. Were it not for two important conservation laws, there might not be much to celebrate in the out-of-doors today. The Wildlife Restoration Act (Pittman-Robertson) became law in 1937, requiring firearms and ammunition manufacturers’ excise taxes on select goods to fund conservation. Congress added archery gear to the mix 50 years ago. The Sport Fish Restoration Act (Dingell-Johnson) did the same for fishing tackle, coming along in 1950. The two laws combined have done more for conservation and fishing and hunting than one can fully comprehend.
