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.

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.

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. Funds raised from sales of duck stamps go to the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund. As of 2024, it has been used to purchase or lease more than at 264 national wildlife refuges. Duck stamps are issued each year, valid from July 1 to the following June 30. The annual federal duck stamp had a face value of $1 in 1934, jumped to $2 in 1949, and to $3 in 1959; it is now $25.

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. In 1949, the first duck stamp contest was opened to the public.

In most states, hunters are required to purchase both a federal and state stamp before hunting waterfowl. Funds generated from state stamps are designated for wetlands restoration and preservation, much like the federal funds, but with a more localized purpose. 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.

Duck stamp contest

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. Brothers Joe and Jim Hautman have individually surpassed Reece's record with six and seven wins respectively. 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.

List of duck stamps +Federal Duck Stamp artists and featured speciesPermit YearFace ValueSpecies featuredArtistNotes1934$1.00MallardJay Norwood "Ding" DarlingFounded the National Wildlife Federation two years later in 19361935$1.00CanvasbackFrank W. Benson1936$1.00Canada gooseRichard E. Bishop1937$1.00Greater scaupJoseph D. Knap (1875–1962)1938$1.00Northern pintailRoland H. Clark1939$1.00Green-winged tealLynn Bogue Hunt (1878–1960)1940$1.00American black duckFrancis L. Jacques1941$1.00Ruddy duckEdwin R. Kalmbach1942$1.00American wigeonAiden Lassel Ripley (1896–1969)1943$1.00Wood duckWalter E. Bohl (1907–1990)1944$1.00Greater white-fronted gooseWalter A. Weber1945$1.00Northern shovelerOwen J. Gromme (1896–1991)1946$1.00RedheadRobert W. "Bob" Hines1947$1.00Snow gooseJack Murray (1889–1965)1948$1.00BuffleheadMaynard Reece1949$2.00Common goldeneyeRoger E. Preuss (1922–2007)1950$2.00Trumpeter swanWalter A. WeberFirst design chosen by public contest1951$2.00GadwallMaynard Reece1952$2.00Harlequin duckJohn H. Dick1953$2.00Blue-winged tealClayton B. Seagears (1897–1983)1954$2.00Ring-necked duckHarvey Dean Sandstrom (1925–2013)1955$2.00Blue gooseStanley Stearns (1926–2013)1956$2.00Common merganserEdward J. Bierly (1920–2004)1957$2.00Common eiderJackson Miles Abbott1958$2.00Canada gooseLeslie C. Kouba1959$3.00MallardMaynard ReeceFirst multi-color design (black, blue, and yellow)1960$3.00RedheadJohn A. Ruthven1961$3.00MallardEdward A. Morris (1917–2009)1962$3.00Northern pintailEdward A. Morris1963$3.00BrantEdward J. Bierly1964$3.00NeneStanley Stearns1965$3.00CanvasbackRon Jenkins (1932– )1966$3.00Tundra swanStanley Stearns1967$3.00Long-tailed duckLeslie C. Kouba1968$3.00Hooded merganserClaremont Gale Pritchard (1910–1975)1969$3.00White-winged scoterMaynard Reece1970$3.00Ross's gooseEdward J. BierlyFirst intaglio/offset printed Stamp1971$3.00Cinnamon tealMaynard Reece1972$5.00Emperor gooseArthur M. Cook (1931–1993)1973$5.00Steller's eiderLee 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. Maass1983$7.50Northern pintailPhil V. Scholer (1951– )1984$7.50American wigeonWilliam C. Morris (1945– )50th anniversary1985$7.50Cinnamon tealGerald Mobley (1938– )1986$7.50Fulvous whistling duckBurton E. Moore, Jr. (1935– )1987$10.00RedheadArthur G. Anderson (1935– )First printing from intaglio sleeve1988$10.00Snow gooseDaniel Smith1989$12.50Lesser scaupNeal R. Anderson (1948– )1990$12.50Black-bellied whistling duckJames "Jim" Hautman1991$15.00King eiderNancy Howe (1950– )First woman Stamp artist1992$15.00Spectacled eiderJoseph "Joe" Hautman1993$15.00CanvasbackBruce Miller (1952– )1994$15.00Red-breasted merganserNeal R. Anderson1995$15.00MallardJames Hautman1996$15.00Surf scoterWilhelm Goebel (1960– )1997$15.00Canada gooseRobert "Bob" Hautman1998$15.00Barrow's goldeneyeRobert Steiner (1949– )First pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) issue1999$15.00Greater scaupJames Hautman2000$15.00Mottled duckAdam Grimm (1978– )2001$15.00Northern pintailRobert Hautman2002$15.00Black scoterJoseph Hautman2003$15.00Snow gooseRon Louque2004$15.00RedheadScot Storm2005$15.00Hooded merganserMark Anderson2006$15.00Ross's gooseSherrie Russell Meline2007$15.00Ring-necked duckRichard CliftonFirst printing using only offset2008$15.00Northern pintailJoseph Hautman2009$15.00Long-tailed duckJoshua Spies2010$15.00American wigeonRobert Bealle2011$15.00Greater white-fronted gooseJames Hautman2012$15.00Wood duckJoseph Hautman2013$15.00Common goldeneyeRobert Steiner2014$15.00CanvasbackAdam Grimm2015$25.00Ruddy duckJennifer Miller2016$25.00Trumpeter swanJoseph Hautman2017$25.00Canada gooseJames Hautman2018$25.00MallardRobert Hautman2019$25.00Wood duckScot Storm2020$25.00Black-bellied whistling duckEddie LeRoy2021$25.00Lesser scaupRichard Clifton2022$25.00RedheadJames HautmanFirst Stamp since 2006 to use intaglio engraving, as a security element2023$25.00Tundra swanJoseph Hautman2024$25.00Northern pintailChuck Black2025$25.00Spectacled eiderAdam Grimm 2026$25.00BuffleheadJames Hautman

In popular culture

In the 1996 Coen brothers film Fargo, the protagonist Marge Gunderson's husband Norm Gunderson (played by John Carroll Lynch) is a painter whose submission wins the duck stamp contest.

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."

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

References

External links

Duck Stamps | U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Duckstamp.com, a vendor