Art for Conservation; The Waterfowl Stamp Story
The purpose of the Massachusetts Waterfowl stamp is to fund the acquisition and protection of wetland areas essential to migratory waterfowl for breeding, resting and feeding. The breeding grounds of the Maritime Provinces of Canada produce most of Massachusetts' migratory waterfowl. In order to support conservation efforts in Canada, MassWildlife has an agreement with Ducks Unlimited, Inc (DU), an international non-profit conservation organization which, in cooperation with various governmental and other non-governmental organizations, develops and manages waterfowl habitat projects in both the United States and Canada. $1.00 of the Waterfowl stamp goes to DU soley for habitat management and waterfowl conservation projects in the Maritime Provinces in Canada. $3.00 goes to the North American Waterfowl Management Plan.
Waterfowl hunters are required to purchase a stamp in order to hunt waterfowl, thus providing the majority of funding. Collectors also purchase stamps. Other conservationists purchase stamps, and the resulting prints which are produced, as a way to contribute to waterfowl and wetland conservation. Since the stamp's inception in 1974, over $1,000,000 of stamp sales have been generated.
The Massachusetts Waterfowl stamp is unique in that it is the only waterfowl stamp series in the country that requires decoys as the annual stamp design. Stamp designs must be of working decoys-ducks, geese or shorebirds-and the decoys must have been made by known or unknown deceased Massachusetts carvers. This requirement celebrates both the art of decoy carving- an integral part of Massachusetts' migratory bird hunting heritage -- as well as the artwork of the contestant!
ENTRIES FOR THE 2008 WATERFOWL STAMP COMPETITION MUST BE RECEIVED IN THE MASSWILDLIFE WESTBORO OFFICE BY JUNE 30.
- Date and location of the judging are yet to be determined
- The winning artist will be notified by telephone on that date. Runners-up will be notified by mail.
- All qualifying entries will be held for display to the public through the end of September and will be returned as soon as possible thereafter.
- Please be sure your artwork is properly protected for mailing as the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife will not be held responsible for any damage incurred in the return mailing.
- Also contestants are hereby notified of the advisability of obtaining adequate property insurance coverage for their respective entry. The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife will not so insure the entries it receives.
- The Division of Fisheries and Wildlife is not responsible for damage in the mails or loss by fire or theft.
- If you wish to pick up your entry, please notify the MassWildlife Westboro Office (508) 389-6300.
SPECIES NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE 2008 WATERFOWL STAMP CONTEST
- 2007 Goldeneye Drake
- 2006 Long billed curlew
- 2005 Long tailed (Oldsquaw) Drake
- 2004 Drake Wood Duck
- 2003 Greenwing Teal Drake
ARTISTS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE 2008 WATERFOWL STAMP CONTEST
- 2007 Winner-Matthew Schulz
- 2006 Winner-Randy Julius
- 2005 Winner Don Little
This stamp will commemorate the art of decoy making in Massachusetts. The drawing or painting must be of a decoy by a known or unknown, deceased Massachusetts maker and will be judged on attractiveness, faithfulness to the original and suitability for reproduction in color on a small stamp.
The following rules apply to this contest::
- SUBJECT Models are to be of a WORKING (not decorative) decoy of a duck, goose, or shorebird made by a known or unknown deceased, Massachusetts decoy maker
- Decoy(s) should be free of any repainting or restoration which alters sex or species.
- Artists are urged to research the history of the decoy they plan to use, carefully, and to document the origins of the bird as best as possible to confirm that the decoys are of Massachusetts origins.
- The painting or graphic must be the creation of the artist taken from a decoy, neither copied nor duplicated from previously published art nor drawings in any medium. An entry submitted in a prior contest which was not selected may be resubmitted at the artist's discretion.
- There shall be no scroll work or lettering on the picture; no anchors, lines or other background materials. The name of the decoy maker and a brief typed history should be attached on a separate sheet of paper containing NO REFERENCE TO THE ARTIST'S NAME or to the COLLECTION housing the decoy as this could lead to identification of the artist during the judging.
- PRESENTATION Drawings or paintings may be in oil, watercolor or any other medium or combination on a white background. Colors and highlights may be modified at the artist's discretion to provide better contrast or a more attractive design.
- The painting must be on a white background. If the artist desires, he or she may include a swatch of a preferred background color for the stamp in the event the picture is selected. The Division will consider, but not be bound by, the artist's background color selection.
- The overall picture shall be horizontal, 8 ½" x 12", in a mat 14" x 18" and no thicker than ½". The artwork should be protected by a removable covering of acetate or cellophane.
- The artist's name, plus the title for the decoy drawing should be lettered on the back along with return address and telephone number in a space no larger than may be covered with a 3 x 5 card. This information will be covered and will not be available to verifiers or judges during their examination of the artwork.
- The artist must provide a color photograph of the decoy to assist judges in determining the accuracy of the reproduction. The photograph shall include a twelve-inch ruler as a size indicator.
- PROCESS-- No artist may submit more than two designs.
- Entries must be mailed or delivered to: Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Field Headquarters, One Rabbit Hill Road Westboro, Massachusetts 01581 Attn: Waterfowl Stamp Contest
- All entries will be reviewed by a panel of verifiers prior to the contest date. They will be examined to determine that the subject is truly a Massachusetts made working decoy of a species which has not been depicted on a waterfowl stamp in the past five years. Artists will be notified in advance of the judging if there is any question about the validity of their entry. Artists will have the opportunity to submit to the verification panel additional information about the decoy. Following review, the decision of the verifiers is final.
- The judges will strive to obtain variety in the series and for what is in their estimation the best renditions of working decoys.
- Once an artist has won the competition, he/she will not be eligible to enter for the next three (3) years. This regulation went into effect in 1994.
Questions? Comments? Contact: MassWildlife at Mass.Wildlife@state.ma.us
Note: The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife (MassWildlife) provides external links to the websites of entities mentioned on this page as a public service. The Division does not exercise control over the content of these websites. A link's presence here should not be construed as an endorsement of its contents by MassWildlife.
Date Last Updated: March 16, 2007