Northern Pintails nab 2008 Federal Duck Stamp

Joe Hautman of Plymouth, Minn., won the 75th Anniversary Federal Duck Stamp Contest with his acrylic painting of two Northern Pintails. Judges chose Hautman's painting from 247 entries, and the pintails will appear on the 2008-2009 Migratory Bird Conservation and Hunting Stamp -- aka Duck Stamp -- which will go on sale in late June 2008.

Hautman previously won the contest in 1992 and 2002. His brothers also won the competition multiple times. Hautman and his family were at the ceremony on Sanibel Island, Fla., when Secretary of the Interior Dick Kempthorne announced the winning entry.

Harold Roe of Sylvania, Ohio, won second place with his acrylic painting of a Green-winged Teal (top left). Scot Storm of Freeport, Minn., placed third with his acrylic of two Mallards (bottom left).
Stamp sales fund the purchase of wetlands and grasslands for national wildlife, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service says it generates about $25 million every year.

All waterfowl hunters age 16 and older are required to purchase and carry the current Migratory Bird Conservation and Hunting Stamp - commonly known as the Duck Stamp - but conservationists, stamp collectors and others also purchase the stamp in support of habitat conservation. Ninety-eight percent of the proceeds from the $15 Duck Stamp go to the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, which supports the purchase of acres of wetlands for inclusion into the National Wildlife Refuge System.

To date, Duck Stamp funds have been used to acquire habitat at hundreds of refuges, in nearly every state in our nation. There are 548 national wildlife refuges spread across all 50 states and U.S. territories. A current Duck Stamp can be used for free admission to any national wildlife refuge open to the public. Refuges offer unparalleled recreational opportunities, including hunting, fishing, bird watching and photography.