OLYMPIA – The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is hosting a National Hunting and Fishing Day celebration on Saturday, Sept. 22. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sun Valley Shooting Park, 1452 Suntargets Road, Moxee, in South Central Washington

“This family-oriented event, just 30 minutes outside Yakima, is a great way to introduce youth and newcomers to target shooting, hunting, fishing, and conservation activities,” said David Whipple, WDFW hunter education division manager.

National Hunting and Fishing Day, formalized by Congress in 1971, was created by the National Shooting Sports Foundation to celebrate the conservation successes of hunters and anglers.

Governor Jay Inslee also recently recognized the economic and conservation significance of hunting and fishing in Washington in a proclamation.

Youth, 17 years of age and younger, who attend the event with an accompanying adult can shoot WDFW firearms, archery equipment, and air rifles. Agency staff, WDFW hunter education instructors, and Master Hunters, as well as conservation organization volunteers will be on hand to teach shooting safety and provide instruction and guidance.

For those interested in fishing, participants can catch and keep trout and learn to cast a line with spinning reels. “Going fishing is a great way to get outside, relax, and spend time with your friends and family,” said Steve Caromile, WDFW warmwater fish program manager. “It also gives us the opportunity to mentor others to be good stewards of our state’s natural resources.”

The event also features:

• Free shooting safety gear for the first 500 youth attendees.

• Door prize drawings.

• Fun learning activities, such as how to hunt turkey, basic knot tying, making plaster casts of animal tracks and Japanese-style (Gyotaku) fish prints.

• Displays and information from numerous conservation organizations.

The free event is hosted by WDFW’s Hunter Education Division and Volunteer Program. It is sponsored by WDFW, hunter education instructors, Master Hunters, the Washington Hunter Education Instructor’s Association, the Mule Deer Foundation, and grant funding from Friends of the National Rifle Association.