MEMPHIS, Tennessee - June 27, 2018 - The new 2018-2019 federal duck stamp goes on sale Friday, June 29. The stamps, which cost $25, are valid from July 1 through June 30, 2019. Purchased by millions of waterfowl hunters, wildlife enthusiasts and collectors every year, duck stamps help raise money to purchase and protect wetlands for ducks, geese and other wildlife species.

"Duck stamps are one of the traditional ways hunters and others invest in wetland and waterfowl conservation,&dquo; said DU CEO Dale Hall. "We encourage everyone, whether they hunt waterfowl or not, to buy one or more duck stamps to help conserve our precious wetland resources. The federal duck stamp is a powerful tool for conservation in the United States. Every year the program raises more than $38 million used to purchase and protect wetlands in the National Wildlife Refuge System. These habitats benefit waterfowl and numerous other species of wildlife. It's an incredibly successful program we should support and be proud of.&dquo;

The artwork for the 2018-2019 stamp was created by Bob Hautman, an artist from Delano, Minnesota. His painting features a pair of mallards. This is Hautman's third federal duck stamp contest win. His art previously appeared on the 1997-1998 and 2001-2002 federal duck stamps.

A recent Ducks Unlimited online film joined the Hautman brothers on a special waterfowling trip to North Dakota. Joe, Jim and Bob Hautman are renowned wildlife artists and perennial winners of the federal duck stamp contest. Watch the film at www.ducks.org/dufilms.

This year&squo;s junior duck stamp features an acrylic painting of an emperor goose, painted by Rayen Kang of John&squo;s Creek, Georgia. More than 3,000 junior duck stamps are sold annually for $5 each to help promote conservation education through art.

The duck stamp, also 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 at 10:30 a.m. Friday, June 29, at Bass Pro Shops, 7000 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover, Maryland.

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/news/180607-First-Day-of-Sale-promo.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.

Media Contact:

Gregg Powers

901-758-3774

gpowers@ducks.org