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Elizabeth Slown, 505-248-6909/363-9592

Craig Springer, 505-248-6867

Tishomingo Hatchery and Refuge Celebrate National Hunting and Fishing Day, Sept 16

Learn to score deer antlers or get hands-on lessons in turkey calling from the experts.  Watch Labrador retrievers take hand-signal and whistle commands fetching, hear bass fishing pros tell their secrets to success, and get tips on nature and wildlife photography.  Learn to bow-fish and fly-fish, paddle a kayak, and if you're lucky, you can take home an 8-foot Bass Raider boat.

It's a day filled with fun, hands-on activities at the Tishomingo National Fish Hatchery and Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge, all in celebration of the 35^th National Hunting and Fish Day, to be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 16. Morning events kick off at Tishomingo National Fish Hatchery, and Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge plays host to the afternoon events. Both sites are located near Tishomingo, Oklahoma.

"What a good time this will be for anyone of any age with any inkling to get outdoors' to hunt, fish, look at birds, or ply a paddle on still waters," said Kris Patton, manager of the Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge.  "There's going to be a lot of knowledgeable people there to share what they know, and what a great way for families to check out something new and have a good time doing it."  

The event starts at the National Fish Hatchery with an opening ceremony and presentation of the colors at 8 a.m.  Then you can partake in hands-on fly casting seminars taught by certified Master Casters from the Federation of Fly Fishers. The Oklahoma Fish Stickers will show you how to bow-fish. Pro bass angler Kitsy Cunningham will tell her fall fishing secrets. See live giant alligator gar - the second-largest freshwater fish in North America.  Thirty randomly drawn people will win a fishing rod and tackle and then try to catch the most channel catfish in a speed-fishing contest that runs from 10:30 to 11 a.m.   The first-place winner will take home an 8-foot Bass Raider boat.

At 11:30, activities move to the Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge where the Johnston County Historical Society will provide BBQ and hotdog lunches for $5 or less.  The afternoon events include a kid's turkey calling contest, a casting contest, retriever demonstrations, guided nature walks, hands-on instruction using steel shot including demos by Oklahoma's native son and future Olympian, Jon Michael McGrath.  You can shoot arrows at 3-D targets as part of the Archery in Schools program.  View a display of wildlife art and you can also learn to make your own art with a camera in a wildlife photography clinic put on by pro photographer Bill Horne.   

Call 580-384-5463 for a brochure and complete listing of events, and the whole host of area businesses and conservation groups that will be in attendance. KKAJ Radio will broadcast live from the event.

To reach the Hatchery for events from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., follow Highway 377/99 north from Tishomingo, then turn west on Highway 7 and follow it for six miles to the hatchery.

To reach the Refuge for the events beginning at 11:30 a.m., follow Highway 78 to the eastern edge of town. Turn south on Refuge Road at the high school (watch for sign). Follow Refuge Road 3 miles to headquarters.

National Hunting and Fishing Day Celebration is sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Wonders of Wildlife Museum. The event is being held on the 35th anniversary of National Hunting and Fishing Day which was established to recognize the contributions hunters and anglers have made to wildlife conservation in the United States. More than half of the 545 National Wildlife Refuges support hunting and fishing programs; nearly all of the 69 National Fish Hatcheries raise various game fishes.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. Visit the Service's website at http://www.fws.gov.

- http://www.fws.gov/southwest-

Morning Schedule of Events, Sept 16, 2006

8 to 11 a.m. 

Tishomingo National Fish Hatchery

8:00 Presentation of Colors, Boy Scouts of America
8:00 Register for Speed Fishing Contest, Bass boat first prize give-away

8:05 Welcome and Opening Remarks (Special Guests and Dignitaries)

8:30 Displays and Demonstrations begin

The following displays and demos run concurrently from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. when the Speed Fishing Contest will start.  All of the day's events will be simulcast on KKAJ Radio.

Pro Angler Kitsy Cunningham tells her fall fishing secrets from the Bass Raider boat to given away in the Speed Fishing Contest. 

ODWC Mobile Aquarium

Casting Lessons for Kids, ODWC

Live Bass fishing seminar in the BASS Tub

Fly fishing lessons in Pennington Creek, Federation of Fly Fishers

Bow-fishing demos, Oklahoma Fish Stickers

Gigantic Alligator snapping turtle on display and radio-tracking, OSU

Seven-foot-long alligator gar on display, second-largest freshwater species in North America

Sierra Club, Oklahoma Chapter
Watson Taxidermy 

Fish, Deer, Turkey Mountings
Fish Passage Projects and National Fish Habitat Plan, USFWS
Fire Protection for Home and Land,  U.S. Forest Service
Whirling Disease Initiative - State of Montana
Aquatic Nuisance Species, USFWS
FISH HER

 Display of Clothing and Supplies for Outdoor       Women

Gander Mountain and Sportsman's Warehouse displays, gifts and coupons

Partners for Fish & Wildlife, private lands conservation, USFWS
Chickasaw National Recreation Area display

Concessions by Southeastern Oklahoma State University's Wildlife and the Johnston County Historical Society

Speed Fishing Contest for huge channel catfish caps the morning events at the National Fish Hatchery starting at 10:30 a.m. when 30 registrants age 12 and older will be randomly drawn to compete for the first-place prize, an 8-foot Bass Raider boat used by Kitsy Cunningham that morning.  Registration starts at 8:00 a.m.  Lucky contestants win a rod-and-reel combo to fish with; fishing starts at 10:45 and ends at 11 a.m. 

Most Fish Caught determines the winner!

Afternoon Schedule of Events, Sept 16, 2006

11:30 to 5 p.m. 

Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge

Lunch provided by the Johnston County Historical Society, cost $5 and less

(All displays and demos run concurrently unless otherwise noted)

Deep Fork Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers at work, Headquarters Boat Ramp, 1:00 p.m.

Kelly Mason, Pro/Am Anglter Fall fishing techniques 2:00 p.m.

Guided Nature Walks with Dr. Doug Wood on the Craven Nature Trail on the hour at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 and 4:00 p.m.

Kayaking and Paddling Excursions, Deck's Pond, hosted by TREES, the Tishomingo Refuge Ecology and Education Society, on the hour at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00 and 4:00 p.m.

Waterfowl Skills Course, ODWC, Rain Crow Pond, shoot steel shot with Jon Michael McGrath

Deer and Hog Attractant Blocks, Larry Paris

Art contest, judged by TREES

Turkey Calling lessons and Youth Calling Contest, NWTF

Antler scoring, ODWC

Six Old Geezers Fishing Lake Texoma, Casting Contest for Kids, Pavilion Area

Shoot at 3-D Archery Targets, ODWC Archery in Schools, Bowhunter Preservation Alliance, Archery Trade Association

Wildlife Photography with Professional photographer Bill Horne (bring your camera).