Service Announces 2011 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest Will Be Held in Shepherdstown, West Virginia

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today that the 2011 Federal
Duck Stamp Art Contest will be held at the agency’s National Conservation
Training Center in Shepherdstown, W. Va., on October 28 and 29. This is
the first time in the contest’s 61-year history that the event has been
held in West Virginia.

The winning design chosen during the contest will be made into the
2012-2013 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, or “Duck
Stamp,” the cornerstone of one of the world’s most successful conservation
programs.

“Having this prestigious contest at the National Conservation Training
Center provides a unique opportunity to build on the long history of
wildlife conservation and outdoor recreation in our country,” said Jay
Slack, Director of the Service’s training center. “Never has it been more
important to conserve and restore wetland habitat, especially as we search
for methods to minimize the effects of climate change, for waterfowl and
the multitude of other species that depend on wetlands.”

The $15 Federal Duck Stamp is a vital tool for wetland conservation, with
98 cents of every dollar generated going to purchase or lease wetland
habitat for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Since the stamp’s
inception, sales have helped to acquire nearly six million acres of
wildlife habitat at hundreds of refuges in nearly every state.

The Federal Duck Stamp art contest is the only art competition of its kind
sponsored by the federal government. Since the first open contest was held
in 1949, thousands of wildlife artists from throughout the nation have
submitted art to the annual contest. While the winner receives no money
from the federal government, the winning artist may benefit from the
increased visibility and sale of prints and artwork.

The first Federal Duck Stamp was designed in 1934 by Iowa native and
editorial cartoonist J.N. “Ding” Darling, who was the director of the
Bureau of Biological Survey, forerunner to the Fish and Wildlife Service.
It sold for $1. The stamp currently sells for $15, and more than 1.5
million people buy Duck Stamps annually.

Every waterfowl hunter age 16 or older is required to buy a Federal Duck
Stamp. In addition, the stamps are highly sought after by collectors,
conservationists and wildlife art aficionados. A current Federal Duck
Stamp also provides free admission into any refuge open to the public.
There are 550 National Wildlife Refuges spread across all 50 states and
U.S. territories, offering unparalleled wildlife oriented recreational
opportunities, including hunting, fishing, bird watching and photography.

For information about the Federal Duck Stamp Program and about the 2011
Federal Duck Stamp Contest, go to: http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps. You can
also check out the Federal Duck Stamp on Facebook: by going to
http://www.facebook.com and searching “Federal Duck Stamp.”

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others
to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats
for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information on
our work and the people who make it happen, visit http://www.fws.gov.

The National Conservation Training Center is the home of the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service and a leader in environmental sustainability. The center
provides quality training tailored to support Service employees and
conservation partners in the accomplishment of the agency’s mission. For
more information about NCTC or our green practices, visit
http://nctc.fws.gov.

Check out Ozark Fly Sales

Waterfowl reservations under two systems this year

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Hunters at Eagle Bluffs, Grand Pass and Otter Slough

Conservation Areas will test the new Quick Draw system starting Oct. 29.

JEFFERSON CITY—Duck hunters who plan to hunt at Grand Pass, Eagle Bluffs and Otter Slough conservation areas (CAs) are reminded that the drawing procedure for these areas has changed and will be handled with the experimental Quick Draw system this year.

Quick Draw is an online-only drawing system. Grand Pass CA will be the first area to test the new system, because it is in the North Zone, where duck season opens first. Applications to hunt during the first three days of the 2010 duck season will open at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 22 and close at 3 p.m. Oct. 25. Results will be available after 12:01 a.m. Oct. 26. Successful applicants can receive reservation notices by e-mail or text message if they provide contact information. They also can check the results online.

Eagle Bluffs and Otter Slough CAs are in the Middle Zone, so applications for drawings the first three days of the season at those areas will run from 12:01 a.m. Oct. 29 and close at 3 p.m. Nov. 1. Results will be available after 12:01 a.m. Nov. 2.

After the initial drawing in each zone, Monday drawings will award reservations for the following Friday through Monday. Applications will be open from Monday through Thursday to assign reservations for the following Tuesday through Thursday.

All three areas will assign handicap-accessible blinds through Quick Draw. The trial will not affect youth hunts, which will be handled as in the past.

This year’s limited trial of Quick Draw will enable the Conservation Department to evaluate whether the system achieves its goal of making hunting more convenient and accessible to more hunters. Depending on how well it works, the system could be modified and expanded to other state-managed wetland areas. More information about Quick Draw is available at http://bit.ly/a5wp1q.

If you applied to hunt on any of the Conservation Department’s other managed wetlands through the traditional reservation system, you can visithttp://bit.ly/bCjKgH to learn if you drew a reservation. You need your Conservation ID number, which is printed on hunting and fishing permits, to check your application.

-Jim Low-

Missouri Game Farms

MDC offers wingshooting workshops for game-bird hunters

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JEFFERSON CITY Mo – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will offer free workshops throughout the state to help migratory and upland game-bird hunters improve their shooting skills, especially with non-toxic shot. Topics will include ammunition and choke selection, improving shooting skills, improving range and distance-estimation skills, shotgun patterning and general information on the latest non-toxic shotgun ammunition.

Participants will need to bring a hunting shotgun, choke tubes if applicable, non-toxic shotgun ammunition to pattern, eye and ear protection and a stool or chair. Clay targets and 12- and 20-gauge non-toxic practice ammunition will be provided for range practice.

Workshop participation is limited, so pre-registration is required. Lunch arrangements differ at each site, so inquire when registering.

Dates, locations and contact information for regional workshop are:

Sept. 11 -- University of Central Missouri Range, Warrensburg

Contact Mark Miller: 660-530-5500

Sept. 18 -- Charles A. Green Conservation Area, Ashland

Contact Jeff Cockerham: 573-884-6861

Sept. 17-19 -- Jay Henges Shooting Range, High Ridge

Contact Jake Hindman: 636-938-9548

Sept. 26 -- Missouri Western State University, St. Joseph

Contact T.J. Peacher: 816-271-3100

Sept. 24-26 – August A. Busch Memorial Conservation Area Shooting Range, Weldon Spring

Contact Eric Edwards: 636-441-4554

Oct. 2 -- 63 Gun Club, Macon

Contact Jeff Cockerham: 573-884-6861

Oct. 8-10 – Andy Dalton Shooting Range, Bois D’Arc

Contact Michael Brooks: 417-742-4361

Oct. 15-17 -- Fort Leonard Wood

Contact Larry Lindeman: 417-256-7161

Oct. 22-24 – Duck Creek Conservation Area, Puxico

Contact Dee Dockins: 573-290-5730

For more information on hunting seasons, permits and other related information, visit www.missouriconservation.org.


MISSOURI PUBLIC HUNTING