The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) has announced the rules and timeframe for the 2019 Louisiana Waterfowl Conservation Stamp, or Louisiana Duck Stamp, competition. Northern shoveler will be the featured species in this year’s competition.
Announcing the contest in February instead of June this year and into the future will allow competing artists more time to prepare their entries after knowing the featured species.
“I was asked by some regular contest entrants if LDWF could announce the species in time to photograph birds using Louisiana’s wintering habitats before they returned north,” said Larry Reynolds, LDWF Waterfowl Program Manager, “and that seemed a reasonable request.’’
The northern shoveler, or spoony, is a dabbling duck named for its large spatulate bill specialized with well-developed lamellae for seining aquatic invertebrates and other food items from the water and pond bottom.
Shovelers are commonly seen in marsh and flooded agricultural habitats across our state and are highly visible this time of year in large colorful flocks foraging in rice-fields. Shoveler populations in North America have grown steadily since the early 1990’s and provide abundant hunting opportunity.
Despite the sometimes disparaging remarks about their sporting qualities or table fare, Louisiana hunters took nearly 50,000 shovelers during the 2016-17 hunting season, the sixth most abundant species in our harvest and more than any other state in the Mississippi Flyway except Arkansas. Few species rival the striking appearance of a late-winter drake shoveler, with its dark green head, bright white breast and chestnut flanks, which should inspire outstanding contest entries.
The 2018 contest was restricted to designs featuring canvasbacks. Tim Taylor’s powerful painting of a pair in flight continued a long tradition of excellent stamp designs. The Louisiana Waterfowl Conservation Stamp bearing that design will go on sale June 1.
The 2019 contest will be restricted to designs with northern shovelers as the focal species. Artists are also reminded of the requirement for associated habitat.
“The primary objective of this program is to provide revenue to create, enhance and maintain habitat for waterfowl and associated wetland wildlife,” said Reynolds, “so a habitat component is required in each entry and is one of the five judging criteria.”
To enter, an artist must submit an original, unpublished work of art, along with a signed and notarized artist's agreement and a $50 entry fee. Entries should be addressed to:
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Attn: Louisiana Waterfowl Conservation Stamp Program
2000 Quail Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Entries will be accepted from Monday, Oct. 15 through Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018 with the contest to be held in the Louisiana Room at the LDWF Headquarters building starting at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018. The public is invited to attend.
To fill out the 2019 Louisiana Waterfowl Conservation Stamp competition artist agreement and see the full list of rules, go to http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/hunting/2019-louisiana-duck-stamp-contest.
The Louisiana Legislature authorized the Louisiana Waterfowl Conservation Stamp program in 1988. The program was created to generate revenue for conservation and enhancement of waterfowl populations and habitats in Louisiana.
During the previous 26 years, more than $13 million has been generated for wetland conservation with approximately $6 million spent on land acquisition. In addition, revenues have supported wetland development projects on LDWF Wildlife Management Areas and the Louisiana Waterfowl Project, a cooperative endeavor between LDWF, Ducks Unlimited, the Natural Resources Conservation Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to provide habitat for waterfowl and other wetland birds on private lands.
Judging for the art competition will be based on the following criteria:
Accuracy of form, size, proportion, color and posture.
2. Level and accuracy of detail in all aspects of the waterfowl.
3. Appropriateness, accuracy and detail in depiction of the habitat.
4. Attractiveness and creativity in composition, subject, background and lighting.
5. Suitability for reproduction as stamps and prints.
A panel of judges with experience in waterfowl biology and/or artistic method will select the winning design. The competition is open to all artists 18 and older. Employees of LDWF and members of their immediate families are ineligible.
For more information, contact Larry Reynolds at 225-765-0456 or lreynolds@wlf.la.gov.