MEMPHIS, Tennessee June 26, 2019 The new 2019-2020 federal duck stamp goes on sale Friday, June 28. The stamps, which cost $25, are valid from July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020.

Purchased by millions of waterfowl hunters, wildlife enthusiasts and stamp collectors every year, duck stamps purchases provide critical funding to purchase and protect wetlands and associated habitat for ducks, geese and other wildlife species.

Duck stamps are a great way for hunters, conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts to invest in wetland and waterfowl conservation, said DU CEO Adam Putnam. Whether you hunt or not, buy one or more duck stamps every year to help conserve our wetlands. The federal duck stamp program raises millions of dollars used to purchase and protect wetland habitat in the National Wildlife Refuge System. These habitats benefit waterfowl and hundreds of additional species of wildlife.

The theme of this years 80th annual Federal Duck Stamp is Celebrating Our Waterfowl Hunting Heritage and features a Wood duck and a decoy created by Scot Storm.

This years Junior Duck Stamp features a Harlequin duck by Nicole Jeon. More than 3,000 junior duck stamps are sold annually for $5 each to help promote conservation education through art.

The duck stamp, more formally known as the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, dates back to 1934. Since then, the program has raised more than $1 billion to help acquire and protect more than 6 million acres of habitat in the National Wildlife Refuge System.

A first day of sale ceremony for the federal and junior duck stamps will be held Friday at Bass Pro Shops, 1935 South Campbell Avenue, Springfield, Missouri, from 10 a.m. to noon. Ducks Unlimited CEO Adam Putnam and DU COO Nick Wiley will attend the ceremony to represent more than a million DU supporters across the country.

Waterfowl hunters age 16 and older are required to purchase and carry a duck stamp while hunting. A duck stamp also provides free admission to national wildlife refuges (NWRs) that are open to the public. Duck stamps are sold at post offices nationwide and at many NWRs and sporting goods stores. Electronic versions of the duck stamp can also be purchased online visit https://www.fws.gov/birds/get-involved/duck-stamp/e-stamp.php for more information.

Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America's continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 14 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. For more information on our work, visit www.ducks.org.