Federal Duck Stamp

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The first United States duck stamp, issued August 14, 1934 1stDuckStamp.jpg
The first United States duck stamp, issued August 14, 1934

The Federal Duck Stamp, formally known as the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, is an adhesive stamp issued by the United States Department of the Interior that must be purchased prior to any waterfowl hunting. It is also used to gain entrance to National Wildlife Refuges that normally charge for admission. It is widely seen as a collectable and a means to raise funds for wetland conservation. [1]

Contents

Duck stamps are issued by the United States government and all state governments. Many other countries, including Canada, Australia, Mexico, Russia and the United Kingdom have also issued duck stamps. [2]

Overview

President Herbert Hoover signed the Migratory Bird Conservation Act in 1929 to authorize the acquisition and preservation of wetlands as waterfowl habitat. The law, however, did not provide a permanent source of money to buy and conserve the wetlands. On March 16, 1934, Congress passed, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed, the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act, popularly known as the Duck Stamp Act. [3] [4] The first Federal Duck Stamp, designed by Jay Norwood Darling in 1934 at President Franklin D. Roosevelt's request, depicts two mallards about to land on a marsh pond. In subsequent years, other noted wildlife artists were asked to submit designs. [5] In 1949, the first duck stamp contest was opened to the public. [5]

Duck stamps are issued once a year. In most states, hunters are required to purchase both a federal and state stamp before hunting waterfowl. Waterfowl hunting seasons vary, but most begin in September or October, so naturally, stamps are needed prior to opening day of the hunting season. The annual federal duck stamp had a face value of $1 in 1934, jumped to $2 in 1949, and to $3 in 1959. New Hampshire has the lowest price at $4; North Carolina is the highest at $27. Funds generated from state stamps are designated for wetlands restoration and preservation, much like the federal funds, but with a more localized purpose. [1] About 10 states issue two types of stamps, one for collectors and another for hunter use. Collector stamps are usually in panes of 10 or 30 without tabs. Hunter type stamps are usually issued in panes of five or 10, many with tabs attached. Governor's editions have been issued by several state agencies as a means of raising additional income. They have a face value of approximately $50, and are imprinted with the name of the state governor. Governors also hand-sign a limited number of stamps. [6]

The duck stamp contest

Mallards on stamp from 1935. 1935DuckStamp.jpg
Mallards on stamp from 1935.

The first contest in 1949 was open to any U.S. artist who wished to enter. Sixty-five artists submitted 88 design entries that first year. The number of entries rose to 2,099 in 1981. Maynard Reece from Arnolds Park, Iowa, won the competition a record five times, winning in 1948, 1951, 1959, 1969 and 1971. [2] Brothers, Joe and Jim Hautman have individually surpassed Reece's record with six wins respectively. [7] Each year prospective contestants are provided with a list of eligible species to choose as their subject. The eligible species for the 2024 contest were Brant, Northern Shoveler, Greater Scaup, Spectacled Eider, and Hooded Merganser. [8]

List of duck stamps

Federal Duck Stamp artists and featured species [9]
Permit YearFace ValueSpecies featuredArtistNotes
1934$1.00 Mallard Jay Norwood "Ding" Darling Founded the National Wildlife Federation two years later in 1936
1935$1.00 Canvasback Frank W. Benson
1936$1.00 Canada goose Richard E. Bishop
1937$1.00 Greater scaup Joseph D. Knap (1875–1962)
1938$1.00 Northern pintail Roland H. Clark
1939$1.00 Green-winged teal Lynn Bogue Hunt (1878–1960)
1940$1.00 American black duck Francis L. Jacques
1941$1.00 Ruddy duck Edwin R. Kalmbach
1942$1.00 American wigeon Aiden Lassel Ripley (1896–1969)
1943$1.00 Wood duck Walter E. Bohl (1907–1990)
1944$1.00 Greater white-fronted goose Walter A. Weber
1945$1.00 Northern shoveler Owen J. Gromme (1896–1991)
1946$1.00 Redhead Robert W. "Bob" Hines
1947$1.00 Snow goose Jack Murray (1889–1965)
1948$1.00 Bufflehead Maynard Reece
1949$2.00 Common goldeneye Roger E. Preuss (1922–2007)
1950$2.00 Trumpeter swan Walter A. WeberFirst design chosen by public contest [10]
1951$2.00 Gadwall Maynard Reece
1952$2.00 Harlequin duck John H. Dick
1953$2.00 Blue-winged teal Clayton B. Seagears (1897–1983)
1954$2.00 Ring-necked duck Harvey Dean Sandstrom (1925–2013)
1955$2.00 Blue goose Stanley Stearns (1926–2013)
1956$2.00 Common merganser Edward J. Bierly (1920–2004)
1957$2.00 Common eider Jackson Miles Abbott
1958$2.00Canada goose Leslie C. Kouba
1959$3.00MallardMaynard ReeceFirst multi-color design (black, blue, and yellow) [11]
1960$3.00Redhead John A. Ruthven
1961$3.00MallardEdward A. Morris (1917–2009)
1962$3.00Northern pintailEdward A. Morris
1963$3.00 Brant Edward J. Bierly
1964$3.00 Nene Stanley Stearns
1965$3.00CanvasbackRon Jenkins (1932– )
1966$3.00 Tundra swan Stanley Stearns
1967$3.00 Long-tailed duck Leslie C. Kouba
1968$3.00 Hooded merganser Claremont Gale Pritchard (1910–1975)
1969$3.00 White-winged scoter Maynard Reece
1970$3.00 Ross's goose Edward J. BierlyFirst intaglio/offset printed Stamp [12]
1971$3.00 Cinnamon teal Maynard Reece
1972$5.00 Emperor goose Arthur M. Cook (1931–1993)
1973$5.00 Steller's eider Lee LeBlanc (1913–1988)
1974$5.00Wood duckDavid A. Maass (1929– )
1975$5.00CanvasbackJames P. Fisher (1912–1990)
1976$5.00Canada gooseAlderson Magee (1929– )
1977$5.00Ross's gooseMartin R. Murk (1928– )
1978$5.00Hooded merganserAlbert Earl Gilbert (1939– )
1979$7.50Green-winged tealLawrence K. "Ken" Michaelsen (1936– )
1980$7.50MallardRichard W. Plasschaert (1941– )
1981$7.50Ruddy duckJohn S. Wilson (1939– )
1982$7.50CanvasbackDavid A. Maass
1983$7.50Northern pintailPhil V. Scholer (1951– )
1984$7.50American wigeonWilliam C. Morris (1945– )50th anniversary [13]
1985$7.50Cinnamon tealGerald Mobley (1938– )
1986$7.50 Fulvous whistling duck Burton E. Moore, Jr. (1935– )
1987$10.00RedheadArthur G. Anderson (1935– )First printing from intaglio sleeve [14]
1988$10.00Snow goose Daniel Smith
1989$12.50 Lesser scaup Neal R. Anderson (1948– )
1990$12.50 Black-bellied whistling duck James "Jim" Hautman
1991$15.00 King eider Nancy Howe (1950– )First woman Stamp artist [15]
1992$15.00 Spectacled eider Joseph "Joe" Hautman
1993$15.00CanvasbackBruce Miller (1952– )
1994$15.00 Red-breasted merganser Neal R. Anderson
1995$15.00MallardJames Hautman
1996$15.00 Surf scoter Wilhelm Goebel (1960– )
1997$15.00Canada goose Robert "Bob" Hautman
1998$15.00 Barrow's goldeneye Robert Steiner (1949– )First pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) issue [16]
1999$15.00Greater scaupJames Hautman
2000$15.00 Mottled duck Adam Grimm (1978– )
2001$15.00Northern pintailRobert Hautman
2002$15.00 Black scoter Joseph Hautman
2003$15.00Snow gooseRon Louque
2004$15.00RedheadScot Storm
2005$15.00Hooded merganserMark Anderson
2006$15.00Ross's gooseSherrie Russell Meline
2007$15.00Ring-necked duckRichard CliftonFirst printing using only offset [17]
2008$15.00Northern pintailJoseph Hautman
2009$15.00Long-tailed duckJoshua Spies
2010$15.00American wigeonRobert Bealle
2011$15.00Greater white-fronted gooseJames Hautman
2012$15.00Wood duckJoseph Hautman
2013$15.00Common goldeneyeRobert Steiner
2014$15.00CanvasbackAdam Grimm
2015$25.00Ruddy duckJennifer Miller
2016$25.00Trumpeter swanJoseph Hautman
2017$25.00Canada gooseJames Hautman
2018$25.00MallardRobert Hautman
2019$25.00Wood duckScot Storm
2020$25.00Black-bellied whistling duckEddie LeRoy
2021$25.00Lesser scaupRichard Clifton
2022$25.00RedheadJames HautmanFirst Stamp since 2006 to use intaglio engraving, as a security element [18]
2023$25.00Tundra swanJoseph Hautman
2024$25.00Northern pintailChuck Black
2025$25.00Spectacled eiderAdam Grimm
2026$25.00BuffleheadJames Hautman [19]

In September 2021 comedian John Oliver said on Last Week Tonight that he had commissioned and submitted five humorous entries into the contest. These were later auctioned off, fetching nearly $100,000 which was donated to the Federal Duck Stamp program. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a statement in response, saying "The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is excited Last Week Tonight with John Oliver is supportive of wildlife and wetland conservation." [20]

A 2016 documentary, The Million Dollar Duck, tells the story about the contest and some of the contestants.

References

  1. 1 2 Chappell, L. A. (2002). Duck stamps: identification & value guide. Collector Books. Paducah, Ky: Collector Books. ISBN   978-1-57432-265-1.
  2. 1 2 Dolin, Eric Jay; Dumaine, Bob (2000). The duck stamp story: art, conservation, history. Iola, WI: Krause Publications. ISBN   978-0-87341-814-0.
  3. ↑ MacCaddin, Joe, ed. (1988). Duck stamps and prints: the complete federal and state editions. New York: Levin. ISBN   978-0-88363-688-6.
  4. ↑ "Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp Act". U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. 16 March 1934. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  5. 1 2 "Federal Duck Stamp | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service". FWS.gov. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  6. ↑ Smith, Martin J. (2012). The wild duck chase. New York: Walker & Company. ISBN   978-0-8027-7952-6.
  7. ↑ Outdoors, Grand View (2022-10-05). "Artist Joe Hautman Wins 2022 Federal Duck Stamp…". Grand View Outdoors. Retrieved 2022-11-29.
  8. ↑ "Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest information" (PDF). U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. 2024.
  9. ↑ Snee, Charles (3 June 2022). "2022 federal duck stamp with engraved security feature to debut June 24". Linn's Stamp News. Amos Media. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  10. ↑ "Minnesota Artist James Hautman Wins 2025 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service". www.fws.gov. 2025-09-19. Retrieved 2025-09-19.
  11. ↑ Mendenhall, Matt (5 October 2021). "John Oliver's commissioned duck art raises $100,000 for conservation". Bird Watching Daily. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
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