Celebrate America By Channeling Your Inner Rugged Individualist

“If you give a man a fish, he will eat for a day, but if you teach a man how to fish, he will eat for life.”

In a time when collectivism presents a false illusion of warmth, I choose to embrace rugged individualism through my outdoor pursuits.

Rugged individualism has been a net-positive to America and, by extension, conservation efforts. It’s rooted in the frontier ideals of self-sufficiency, personal responsibility, hard work, determination, and minimal to no government dependency. President Herbert Hoover first popularized the term in an October 1928 campaign speech, where he articulated that rugged individualism, especially the pioneer spirit that typified the 19th century, was foundational to America’s “unparalleled greatness.” Popular TV shows like Yellowstone and Landman have made the American West cool again. But it’s America’s farmers, ranchers, hunters, and anglers who keep this philosophy alive.

As a daughter of socialist escapees, I had my first taste of rugged individualism through fishing trips and family vacations to National Parks. My father, an avid fisherman, successfully hooked me into the sport by age 12. From there, I took this oft-cited proverb to heart:

“If you give a man a fish, he will eat for a day, but if you teach a man how to fish, he will eat for life.”

There are exceptions to this rule, but most anglers I’ve met and interacted with are self-reliant and independent. Fishing, of course, is more than the catch; it’s what Scottish author John Buchan described as the pursuit of what’s elusive but attainable - the same belief America’s pioneers clung to when settling out West.

When I turned 19, I went on my first recreational shooting trip to national forest lands in California. Although I never hated firearms, I had limited experience handling them. I knew that in the hands of responsible people, firearms were a tool for self-defense purposes and for hunting. By spending more time at the range, befriending industry folks, and examining my own family’s experiences with firearms disarmament by the Soviets, I became a gun owner and advocate. The Second Amendment allows us to be ruggedly individual and not susceptible to the “centralization of government” that President Hoover warned about in his aforementioned speech. Moreover, gun and ammunition purchases fund the majority of conservation efforts that support wildlife conservation, habitat restoration, hunter education, and public target shooting ranges under the Pittman-Robertson Act. Last year, 68% of monies generated by Pittman-Robertson, a popular law even among gun owners, came from firearms and ammunition purchases.

In my late 20’s, I decided to complete the outdoor trifecta and pick up hunting. Boasting Eastern European roots, I always enjoyed eating strange cuts of meat. But like shooting sports, I didn’t have any proximity to hunting. Compared to fishing, there are more barriers to entry and higher costs associated with this pastime. But that wasn’t a deterrent. I was motivated by the allure of sourcing my own organic wild game meat and belonging to a like-minded community.

In 2016, I shadowed a beagling trip for rabbits where no firearms were involved. A year later, I obtained my hunter education certification and successfully harvested several upland birds, including a consequential rooster pheasant.

Sadly, fewer Americans go hunting today, despite its innumerable benefits to wildlife conservation. The COVID-19 pandemic era, however, invited a resurgence of outdoor activities – including hunting – as Americans desired to escape lockdowns. People also went hunting and fishing to overcome food insecurity issues wrought by grocery store shortages.

My mom constantly worried about me picking up “manly” activities like fishing, shooting sports, and hunting intimidating potential male suitors. Nevertheless, I reassured her that I can be “ruggedly individual” while retaining my feminine qualities. With the loneliness epidemic’s current stranglehold on American society, it’s imperative to seek refuge in the Great Outdoors to strengthen friendships, make lifelong memories, and learn practical skills.

That’s why the Trump administration, in line with America250, is actively improving access to public lands. On November 25th, 2025, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced his agency would modernize public lands access on agency lands with America-First pricing and digitizing America the Beautiful park passes, for instance. In January 2026, Secretary Burgum unveiled Secretarial Order 3447 to prioritize hunting and fishing on DOI lands and waters–a reversal of Biden-Harris policies that de-emphasized these activities.

Spending time outdoors instills great habits and is enjoyable. But it’s equally good for your physical and mental well-being. Living in and around green spaces is associated with improved mental health and lower stress levels. Being by the water also induces a mildly-meditative, calming state that leads to “reduced stress, improved focus, creativity, and well-being” under the Blue Mind Theory.

The Hoover Institution said a reawakening of rugged individualism is possible today if it’s to be “more than a John Wayne cowboy of the West or a robber baron of the East.”

As a conservative conservationist, I will channel my inner rugged individualist better in honor of America250. Join me in opting outside in 2026.

Gabriella Hoffman is director of the Independent Women’s Center for Energy and Conservation, an award-winning outdoor writer, and host of the District of Conservation podcast.