Canada geese are the centerpiece of this year’s federal “duck stamp,” which went on sale Friday to raise millions of dollars to conserve wildlife habitat.
Images courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
James Hautman of Chaska, Minn., painted the artwork that became this year’s stamp following a contest last fall that attracted 152 entries. The stamp shows three Canada geese flying in formation over a wheat field.
This year’s winning entry is Hautman’s fifth win in the duck stamp competition. Only two other artists have won first place five times — and one of those is Hautman’s brother Joseph.
Since 1934, sales of the stamp — formally called the Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp — have reached $950 million, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is in charge of the stamp. The money has been used to conserve nearly 6 million acres of wetland habitat as part of the national wildlife refuge system around the country. Some 98 percent of the funds from sales of the $25 duck stamp go into the Migratory Bird Conservation fund.
If you have time, check out all of the duck stamps starting with some interesting ones you will find in the 1930s and ’40s in the Federal Duck Stamp Gallery.
“The stamp’s impact goes beyond waterfowl,” said Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke in a news release. “it also helps provide habitat for hundreds of species of wildlife and clean water for our communities. The lands set aside using duck stamp dollars provide opportunities for the American people to enjoy the great outdoors through hunting, fishing and birdwatching, and help ensure this piece of American heritage will endure for generations.”
The stamp is legally required for waterfowl hunters age 16 and older, but the program has grown over the years thanks to stamp collectors and supporters of wildlife conservation. The current duck stamp also provides free admission to any national wildlife refuge.
The duck painting that took second place in last fall’s contest was the creation of Rebekah Knight of Appleton City, Mo., who previously won the National Junior Duck Stamp Contest. Her entry last year was an acrylic painting of a single brant.
The third-place winner was Robert Hautman of Delano, Minn., with his acrylic painting of a pair of Canada geese. Hautman, brother of James and Joseph, previously won the contest in 1996 and 2000.
Judges for this year’s duck stamp were Jan Martin McGuire, an internationally known wildlife artist; Keith Russell, program manager for urban conservation with Audubon Pennsylvania; Dr. Nathan H. Rice, ornithology collection manager at the Academy of Natural Sciences; John P. Booth, executive director of the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art; and Sue deLearie Adair, an artist, birder and avid naturalist.
A gallery of all the contest entries can be viewed on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Flickr page.
A Junior Duck Stamp is chosen each year from entries made by students from across the United States and Puerto Rico. This year’s winner is Isaac Schreiber, 12, of Duffield, Va., who painted a pair of trumpeter swans.
Second place went to Daniel Billings, 16, of Gallatin, Mont., for his oil painting of a wood duck. Rene Christensen, 17, of Nekoosa, Wis., took third place with her graphite rendition of a pair of Canada geese.
The junior contest is part of an educational program about wetlands, waterfowl and conservation efforts. Proceeds from sales of the $5 Junior Duck Stamps are used to support youth education.
A gallery of the “best of show” winners can be seen on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Flickr page.
Both the regular and junior stamps can be purchased at many national wildlife refuges, sporting goods stores and related retailers and through the U.S. Postal Service. For information, check out the “Buy Duck Stamps” website.
