# Federal Duck Stamp

The Federal Duck Stamp, formally known as the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, is an adhesive stamp issued by the United States federal government that must be purchased prior to hunting for migratory waterfowl such as ducks and geese. 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, with 98% of the proceeds of each sale going to the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund.
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 preserve the wetlands. On March 16, 1934, Congress passed, and President Roosevelt signed, the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act, popularly known as the Duck Stamp Act.

## Overview

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. Currently, the federal stamp and more than half of the state stamps are issued by July. Many are issued on the first day of the new year, and a few at the last minute in September or early October.
The annual federal duck stamp had a face value of $1 in 1934, jumped to $2 in 1949, and to $3 in 1959. In 1972 the price increased to $5, then up to $7.50 in 1979, $10 in 1987, $12.50 in 1989 and to $15 in 1991. In 2015 the price of federal duck stamp rose to $25. For every $15 stamp sold, the federal government retained $14.70 for wetlands acquisition and conservation, with just 30 cents to overhead. Most state conservation stamps have a face value of $5. 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. Most state agencies sell their stamps at face value. However, some also charge a premium to collectors buying single stamps, to help cover overhead costs. Some states also produce limited editions for collectors.

## Types

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. Hunters use the tabs to list their name, address, age and other data. Some states use only serial numbers to designate their hunter type stamp. State stamps are therefore referred to as either collector stamps or hunter type stamps. Most dealers will distinguish between these types on their price lists. Separate albums exist for both types and are available from most dealers.
Plate blocks or control number blocks are designations given to a block of stamps, usually four, with a plate or control number present on the selvage. Such a block is usually located in one or all four corners of a pane. Federal stamps prior to 1959 plus the 1964 issue are collected in blocks of six and must have the selvage on two sides. The Federal Junior Duck Stamp Program is a non-profit program sponsored by the Federal Government and designed to promote interest in conservation and wetlands preservation among students in grades K to 12. The program includes a conservation and education curriculum that helps students of all ages. It focuses on wildlife conservation and management, wildlife art and philately. All proceeds from sales support conservation education.
Governor's editions have been issued by several state agencies as a means of raising additional income. These stamps are printed in small quantities, most fewer than 1,000. 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. These are usually available at a premium, generally twice the price of normal singles. Hand-signed or autographed stamps are issued in very small quantities and are scarce to rare. Governor's editions are valid for hunting by all issuing states, but none would be used for that purpose, however, as it would destroy the mint condition and lower the value of the stamp.

## Federal Duck Stamp contest

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. 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 wins respectively.
The contest remains the only art competition of its kind sponsored by the U.S. Government. A panel of noted art, waterfowl, and philatelic authorities is appointed by the Secretary of the Interior to judge each competition. Winners receive no compensation for their work, other than a pane of stamps carrying their design. Winning artists may sell prints of their designs, which are sought after by hunters, conservationists, and art collectors.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service mails contest regulations to interested artists each spring. Artists may choose their own medium and designs may be in black-and-white or full color and must measure 10 inches wide by 7 inches high.
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 Federal Duck Stamps

Federal Duck Stamp artists and featured species :
| Permit Year | Face Value | Species featured | Artist | Notes |
| 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. Weber | First design chosen by public contest |
| 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 | $2.00 | Canada goose | Leslie C. Kouba | |
| 1959 | $3.00 | Mallard | Maynard Reece | First multi-color design (black, blue, and yellow) |
| 1960 | $3.00 | Redhead | John A. Ruthven | |
| 1961 | $3.00 | Mallard | Edward A. Morris (1917–2009) | |
| 1962 | $3.00 | Northern pintail | Edward A. Morris | |
| 1963 | $3.00 | Brant | Edward J. Bierly | |
| 1964 | $3.00 | Nene | Stanley Stearns | |
| 1965 | $3.00 | Canvasback | Ron 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. Bierly | First intaglio/offset printed Stamp |
| 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 | $5.00 | Wood duck | David A. Maass (1929– ) | |
| 1975 | $5.00 | Canvasback | James P. Fisher (1912–1990) | |
| 1976 | $5.00 | Canada goose | Alderson Magee (1929– ) | |
| 1977 | $5.00 | Ross's goose | Martin R. Murk (1928– ) | |
| 1978 | $5.00 | Hooded merganser | Albert Earl Gilbert (1939– ) | |
| 1979 | $7.50 | Green-winged teal | Lawrence K. "Ken" Michaelsen (1936– ) | |
| 1980 | $7.50 | Mallard | Richard W. Plasschaert (1941– ) | |
| 1981 | $7.50 | Ruddy duck | John S. Wilson (1939– ) | |
| 1982 | $7.50 | Canvasback | David A. Maass | |
| 1983 | $7.50 | Northern pintail | Phil V. Scholer (1951– ) | |
| 1984 | $7.50 | American wigeon | William C. Morris (1945– ) | 50th anniversary |
| 1985 | $7.50 | Cinnamon teal | Gerald Mobley (1938– ) | |
| 1986 | $7.50 | Fulvous whistling duck | Burton E. Moore, Jr. (1935– ) | |
| 1987 | $10.00 | Redhead | Arthur G. Anderson (1935– ) | First printing from intaglio sleeve |
| 1988 | $10.00 | Snow 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 |
| 1992 | $15.00 | Spectacled eider | Joseph "Joe" Hautman | |
| 1993 | $15.00 | Canvasback | Bruce Miller (1952– ) | |
| 1994 | $15.00 | Red-breasted merganser | Neal R. Anderson | |
| 1995 | $15.00 | Mallard | James Hautman | |
| 1996 | $15.00 | Surf scoter | Wilhelm Goebel (1960– ) | |
| 1997 | $15.00 | Canada goose | Robert "Bob" Hautman | |
| 1998 | $15.00 | Barrow's goldeneye | Robert Steiner (1949– ) | First pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) issue |
| 1999 | $15.00 | Greater scaup | James Hautman | |
| 2000 | $15.00 | Mottled duck | Adam Grimm (1978– ) | |
| 2001 | $15.00 | Northern pintail | Robert Hautman | |
| 2002 | $15.00 | Black scoter | Joseph Hautman | |
| 2003 | $15.00 | Snow goose | Ron Louque | |
| 2004 | $15.00 | Redhead | Scot Storm | |
| 2005 | $15.00 | Hooded merganser | Mark Anderson | |
| 2006 | $15.00 | Ross's goose | Sherrie Russell Meline | |
| 2007 | $15.00 | Ring-necked duck | Richard Clifton | First printing using only offset |
| 2008 | $15.00 | Northern pintail | Joseph Hautman | |
| 2009 | $15.00 | Long-tailed duck | Joshua Spies | |
| 2010 | $15.00 | American wigeon | Robert Bealle | |
| 2011 | $15.00 | Greater white-fronted goose | James Hautman | |
| 2012 | $15.00 | Wood duck | Joseph Hautman | |
| 2013 | $15.00 | Common goldeneye | Robert Steiner | |
| 2014 | $15.00 | Canvasback | Adam Grimm | |
| 2015 | $25.00 | Ruddy duck | Jennifer Miller | |
| 2016 | $25.00 | Trumpeter swan | Joseph Hautman | |
| 2017 | $25.00 | Canada goose | James Hautman | |
| 2018 | $25.00 | Mallard | Robert Hautman | |
| 2019 | $25.00 | Wood duck | Scot Storm | |
| 2020 | $25.00 | Black-bellied whistling duck | Eddie LeRoy | |
| 2021 | $25.00 | Lesser scaup | Richard Clifton | |
| 2022 | $25.00 | Redhead | James Hautman | |
| 2023 | $25.00 | Tundra swan | Joseph Hautman | |
| 2024 | $25.00 | Northern pintail | Chuck Black | |
| 2025 | $25.00 | Spectacled eider | Adam Grimm | |

## Issuance

Duck stamps are now issued by the United States government and all state governments. Many foreign countries, including Canada, Australia, Mexico, Russia and the United Kingdom have also issued duck stamps.
The issuing authorities within the various governments that release duck stamps are usually conservation and wildlife departments. These programs must be created by some form of legislation for the resulting stamps to be accepted as a valid governmental issue. Labels featuring ducks also are issued by various special interest groups, such as Ducks Unlimited and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Their issues are referred to as "society stamps." These items technically are not duck stamps because the fee structure and disposition of funds are not legislated. However, society stamps are very collectible and often appreciated. Funds raised by these organizations are also used for waterfowl and conservation efforts. Valid organizations and societies of this type perform a major service to conservation by their donations and efforts, and they merit public support.

## In popular culture

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.