Wildlife Department Seeks Public Input for Waterfowl Stamp Design Winners

By Oklahoma Dept of Wildlife Conservation

11-09-2009

Oklahomans can help choose the artwork that will be printed on the 2010-11 Oklahoma waterfowl stamp by dropping by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation’s office at the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks to vote on their favorite entry.

Every year wildlife artists from across the nation submit their rendition of a specified waterfowl species to the Wildlife Department’s duck stamp design contest. In recent years the Wildlife Department has relied on input from the public to help determine the winner, whose work is printed on the Oklahoma waterfowl stamp the following year. This year, artwork was centered on the ringneck duck (Aythya collaris), which is found across North America, including Oklahoma’s wooded ponds and lakes and is known for its ability to plunge deeply into water. A powerful swimmer, the ringneck can forage to depths of 40 feet in search of underwater food.

“This is a great opportunity to be a part of the contest,” said Micah Holmes, information and education supervisor for the Wildlife Department. “This is a stamp for sportsmen, so the sportsmen’s input is important. This is also a great opportunity to visit a unique Wildlife Department field office based out of the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks.”

Duck stamp sales help finance many projects that benefit ducks and geese. Since the duck stamp program began in 1980, thousands of acres of waterfowl habitat have been created through duck stamp revenues.

Along with public input, entries will be judged on anatomical accuracy, artistic composition and suitability for printing.

The winning artist will receive a purchase award of $1,200. In the past, the purchase award has been provided by NatureWorks, a Tulsa-based conservation organization. Additionally, the winner and three honorable mentions will appear in a future issue of Outdoor Oklahoma magazine.

A selection of waterfowl stamp art from previous years is currently on display in the lobby of the Wildlife Department headquarters located at 1801 N. Lincoln, in Oklahoma City.

Prints of previous winning waterfowl artwork can be purchased at http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/oklahomastampprogram.htm .