Dollars for Ducks...and ibis, coots, loons, curlews, harriers, rainbow trout, salamanders, frogs, beavers, moose and butterflies

by Mac Blewer

Hunting season is here and with it comes the opportunity for citizens to channel dollars towards ducks and other wildlife. Although duck hunting may not be one of your pursuits, buying federal Duck Stamps and Wyoming Conservation Stamps for habitat/wildlife conservation is a tremendously worthy cause which has helped many wetlands-dependent species over the years.

Hunters and non-hunters alike can do their part to help conserve wildlife habitat by purchasing federal Duck Stamps ($15 each) and Wyoming Conservation Stamps ($5 each). So go out and purchase some of these philatelic beauties at your local license-selling agent, post office, sporting goods store, Wyoming Game and Fish Department office or National Wildlife Refuge and save some of our web-footed friends’ habitat!

Some of the proceeds from federal Duck Stamps are channeled into the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund to restore wetlands and purchase habitat for inclusion in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Wildlife Refuge System. Proceeds from the sale of Duck Stamp reproductions are also deposited into the Fund.

Revenues generated by federal Duck Stamps have conserved more than five million acres of waterfowl habitat, raised more than $500 million and ensured the survival of innumerable wetlands-dependent species across the country. More than a third of North American birds, 100% of freshwater fish and nearly half of our threatened and endangered species depend on healthy wetlands for their survival. Purchase of a Duck Stamp will also buy you admission into all National Wildlife Refuges for that year.

A Bit of History
In the late 1920s, a number of American conservationists became concerned with severe population declines among several waterfowl species. To offset this loss, Congress passed the Migratory Bird Conservation Act in 1929, directing the U.S. Department of the Interior to acquire wetlands and preserve them as wildlife habitat.

In the early 1930s, President Franklin Roosevelt appointed Jay (Ding) Darling as chief of the Bureau of Biological Survey, the predecessor to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Darling, a nationally known political cartoonist for the Des Moines Register and a prominent conservationist and hunter, first came up with the notion of the duck stamp. In 1934 his idea was officially endorsed through passage of the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act, also known as the Duck Stamp Act.

The law requires that each waterfowl hunter 16 years old and older buy one stamp each year. Over the years, other conservationists, outdoor recreationists and art enthusiasts have also bought stamps voluntarily, further enhancing the agency’s wetlands conservation efforts.

Wyoming Conservation Stamps
In 1984, Wyoming’s Game and Fish Department embarked on a similar conservation initiative, the "Conservation Stamp" Program. Every person who is licensed to hunt or fish in Wyoming, with a couple of exceptions, must purchase one stamp each year. Each stamp costs $5. Monies from the sale of these stamps are deposited into the Wildlife Trust Account. Although the body of this account may not be spent, the interest accrued is used to support many Department programs, including habitat maintenance and improvements, conservation education and non-game conservation projects.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Wyoming Game and Fish Department both hold stamp-art competitions and shows at various locations throughout the year. Citizens are encouraged to submit artwork for consideration.

Buying Duck and Conservation Stamps
To purchase federal Duck Stamps, visit your local post office, license-selling agent or nearest National Wildlife Refuge. Some chain stores such as K-Mart and Wal-Mart sometimes stock them as well. For more information on Duck Stamps, contact the USFWS Duck Stamp Office, 1849 C St. NW, Suite 2058, Washington, DC 20240, call (202) 208-4354 or 1-888-534-0400 or fax (202) 208-6296.

To order Wyoming Conservation Stamps, visit your local license-selling agent or Wyoming Game and Fish Department office. For more information about the Conservation Stamp program or future stamp art competitions, contact Mary Link at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, WY Conservation Stamp Art Competition, 5400 Bishop Blvd., Cheyenne, WY 82006-0001, call (307) 777-4541 or 1-800-LIV-WILD, fax (307) 777-4610, web address http://gf.state.wy.us/php/top40.htm or email at mlink@missc.state.wy.us