Washington Migratory Bird Stamp and Print Program Celebrates 15 Year Anniversary
Don Kraege, Waterfowl Section Manager

The Migratory Waterfowl and Wetland conservation Stamp and Artwork legislation was signed into law on May 10, 1985. This legislation established a Washington “duck stamp” required to hunt migratory waterfowl, and an artwork program designed to generate revenue using the image on the stamp. The first Washington duck stamps were sold in 1986 for $5. In spite of inflation that should have raised the stamp cost to over $8, the price has remained at $6 since 1991.

Stamp revenue is dedicated to habitat enhancements on WDFW lands and private lands, acquisition of migratory bird habitat, program administration, and monitoring. Artwork revenue is dedicated to contracts with individuals or nonprofit organizations for enhancement of migratory bird production habitat. Over the past 15 years, the program has been responsible for habitat improvements on almost 20,000 acres of land throughout the state, including funding for acquisition or expansion of four wildlife areas, construction of wetland projects on 15 wildlife areas, and habitat enhancements on 5,000 acres of other lands. Examples of these projects can be seen on the WDFW web page at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/duckstmp.htm.

Stamps and prints are traded by collector’s nation wide. WDFW mails collector stamp information to over 3,000 addresses annually. Older mint condition stamps now sell from $7 to $15, but a few older stamps with errors are now worth $1,200-$1,500. A nine-member citizen committee established by the original legislation selects artwork each year. This committee has provided crucial support and guidance for the program since its inception. Artwork subjects have ranged from a harlequin duck by Robert Bateman (1988), to a puppy (1992), to a Japanese style painting of a pintail (1990). The citizen committee also reviews program expenditures, which are also audited each year by the State Auditor’s Office.

In 1998, the duck stamp legislation was changed to include all migratory game birds (waterfowl, coots, snipe, doves, band-tailed pigeons). Habitat enhancement projects have been developed for the additional species, including cover crops for doves in eastern Washington and mineral site enhancements for band-tailed pigeons in western Washington. Starting in 2001, hunters can request that a stamp be mailed to them after they buy a migratory bird hunting authorization through the new WILD licensing system. It is our goal to maintain the tradition of this program into the future and continue the success of past efforts in conservation of our migratory game bird resources.