Special celebrations take place during Major League Baseball (MLB) games throughout the season. They include Veteran’s Day, Father’s Day, July 4 and Memorial Day, among others. Some honor special people or causes. Jackie Robinson Day, for example, commemorates the race barrier being broken on the playing field. Then there’s an honorary salute to Roberto Clemente, another for African American heritage, even Star Wars and dozens more.
The list is lengthy, sometimes controversial and in the past has rarely—perhaps never before 2025—included the critical role hunting and fishing play in conservation. There are more than 14.4 million hunters and 39.9 million fishermen nationwide, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. They contribute $144 billion to the U.S. economy annually and the excise taxes they voluntarily paid just last year on outdoor-related purchases came to a staggering $1.2 billion—cash already helping to managing the nation’s outdoors.
Major League Baseball’s (MLB) Atlanta Braves celebrated those facts in 2025 when it held a Hunting & Fishing Night in Truist Park. It’s back by popular demand for 2026. It takes place on Aug. 29 and ticket sales are helping fund conservation efforts in the state.
The special night—apparently the only one on the MLB calendar—is sponsored by Georgia-based Realtree, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Atlanta Braves. This year it’s already shaping up to be bigger and better.
Purchase tickets through the official Georgia Natural Resources Foundation ticket link and a portion of every sale directly supports the Georgia Natural Resources Foundation. Those funds help the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ mission to sustain, enhance, protect and conserve Georgia’s natural, historic, and cultural resources for future generations.
Interactive exhibits and hands-on activities that night, hosted by Georgia DNR, include live animal encounters, fishing and wildlife education, conservation exhibits, family-friendly outdoor activities, giveaways and more. The first 15,000 fans through the gates will receive a limited-edition Realtree APX camo Atlanta Braves jersey featuring the iconic No. 10 Chipper Jones name and number.
Precisely why teams other teams ignore the facts is uncertain. MLB rosters are full of sportsmen today. Chipper Jones, a Baseball Hall of Fame member who played for the Braves, is an avid hunter, for example.
It’s not just baseball turning a cold shoulder to the facts. Good luck finding a similar celebration in any other professional sport.
The National Hockey League, however, is an exception. The St. Louis Blues held a Hunting and Fishing Night on Oct. 21, 2025. The Missouri Department of Conservation, Pheasants Forever, Quail Forever, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Ducks Unlimited and the National Wild Turkey Federation were part of the festivities.
We’ll keep you posted if it returns this year.
