The Sportsman Channel to Sponsor
National Hunting and Fishing Day

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Its TV programming slogan is, "Your Passion, Your Lifestyle, Your Channel." Now, through its new sponsorship of National Hunting and Fishing Day, The Sportsman Channel is reminding Americans that sporting passions and lifestyles also channel vital funding into conservation.

The Sportsman Channel's sponsorship supports Wonders of Wildlife museum, the official home and national organizer of National Hunting and Fishing Day.

Congress formalized the annual celebration, set for Sept. 27, 2008, to recognize hunters and anglers for their contributions to conservation. Through license fees and excise taxes, over 34 million hunters and anglers generate $100,000 every 30 minutes for fish, wildlife and habitat programs.

To help Wonders of Wildlife communicate this message nationally, The Sportsman Channel joins two other sponsors, the National Shooting Sports Foundation and Bass Pro Shops.

"We're grateful for The Sportsman Channel renewing a generous sponsorship package that it actually launched last year. Together, we're continuing to build public appreciation for traditional outdoor sports," said Denise Wagner, National Hunting and Fishing Day coordinator for Wonders of Wildlife.

"National Hunting and Fishing Day is exactly the principles The Sportsman Channel was founded upon five years ago," said Michelle Scheuermann, director of communications for The Sportsman Channel. "We exist to help retain and recruit sportsmen and keep the nation's conservation efforts on the forefront."

Through its sponsorship, The Sportsman Channel (www.thesportsmanchannel.com) will promote the annual celebration through all its various media resources, produce a public service announcement for television, host a National Hunting and Fishing Day public celebration at the company's headquarters in southeastern Wisconsin, and create a marketing plan for affiliate stations to use in hosting their own events.

Located in Springfield, Mo., Wonders of Wildlife is the only hunting- and fishing-focused museum that's both affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution and accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association.

For more information, visit www.nhfday.org.

-30-