The Duck Stamp Story

The Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (the "Duck Stamp") is an easy, cost-effective way for hunters, birders, environmental educators, and other conservationists to contribute to the protection of natural habitat for the benefit of migratory birds and other wildlife. Money collected from sales of the Stamp goes directly into a fund set aside specifically for expansion of the federal National Wildlife Refuge system.

For more information on duck stamps visit the site of the Friends of the Migratory Waterfowl Stamp or the National Duck Stamp Collectors Society.

The Hautman Brothers have been recognized as America's foremost artists in this highly competitive field. As a result of their unprecedented success in government-sponsored conservation stamp design contests, they have become well known not only in the art world, but also in the sporting world, among bird lovers, in stamp collecting circles, and in wildlife conservation groups across the country. In addition, through donations of prints and artwork to conservation programs such as Ducks Unlimited and Delta Waterfowl the artists have helped to raise millions of dollars for wildlife and their habitat.

At last count, the three Hautman brothers have seen their art featured on over 50 state and federal conservation stamps. Jim, Bob and Joe are the only brothers ever to win the prestigious Federal Duck Stamp Contest. Between them they have won fifteen of the annual Federal contests.

Visit the "studiopages" of Jim, Bob, or Joe for more information on the artists and their current projects.

J.N. "Ding" Darling designed the very first federal Duck Stamp in 1934. Beginning in 1949, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has sponsored a stamp-design contest featuring wildlife artists from across the country– the only juried art competition sponsored by the federal government. The winning art is then used on the following year's stamp.

The stamp has recently been the subject of books such as "The Duck Stamp Story by Bob Dumaine & Eric J. Dolin, "The Wild Duck Chase by Martin J. Smith, and the movie "The Million Dollar Duck" a film by Brian Golden Davis.