Maryland Artist Wins Duck Stamp Contest

Robert Bealle an artist from Waldorf, Maryland, took top honors at the 2009 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest. Bealle’s painting of an American wigeon (shown here) will be made into the 2010-2011 Federal Duck Stamp, which will go on sale in late June 2010 according to Tennessee's Chattanoogan .

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service produces the Federal Duck Stamp, which sells for $15 and raises about $25 million each year to fund wetland habitat acquisition for the National Wildlife Refuge System.

The paper reports, "Of the 224 entries in this year's contest, eight entries made it through to the final round of judging in the two-day art contest, the oldest and most prestigious wildlife art competition in America. Scot Storm of Freeport, Minn., placed second with his acrylic painting of a pair of wood ducks, and Jeffrey Mobley, of Tulsa, Okla., took third place with an acrylic painting of a gadwall."

The term duck stamp is a shortened term for the message "Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp," which appears on the face of the federal duck stamp.

According to Wikipedia, "The use of the word 'duck' is inaccurate, since all waterfowl, including geese, swans, brant, and more are intended to benefit from the sale of duck stamps."

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