Winning entry from the 2026 Louisiana Duck Stamp Contest by Tim Taylor.
Second place entry by Jeffrey Klinefelter.
Third place entry by Richard Clifton.
Tim Taylor of Watertown, South Dakota, has won the 2026 Louisiana Waterfowl Conservation Stamp Competition sponsored by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) with his beautiful rendition of the Ross’s goose. Taylor also won the 2018 contest, placed second last year and third in 2021.
The annual contest, in its 38th year, determines the image on what is commonly called the Louisiana Duck Stamp. The 2026 stamp will be available in June of 2026.
The Ross’s goose was the species selected for this year’s contest. Taylor’s piece features a single bird resting in a rice field setting near the water.
Second place went to Jeffrey Klinefelter of Etna Green, Indiana, and third place to Richard Clifton of Milford, Delaware.
A total of 10 entries were submitted from artists representing six states, including five from Louisiana, with others from Connecticut, Delaware, Indiana, South Dakota and Virginia.
“Though the number of art submissions was down a bit this year, the quality of all entries was really elevated,’’ said LDWF Waterfowl Program Manager Jason Olszak. Every piece was really good, but Tim’s was a step above them all. All five judges gave his work first place during the second round of voting. All sales of these stamps will be utilized for conservation of habitats that benefit Louisiana waterfowl and myriad other wildlife.”
In addition to the Louisiana Duck Stamp wins, Taylor also captured the 2010 California Duck Stamp contest. He has finished fourth (2014), seventh (2018) and 10th (2007) in the highly-contested Federal Duck Stamp Contest.
Classified in the waterfowl subfamily Anserinae, the Ross’s goose is the smallest of the genus Anser, within which three other familiar North American goose species are found: the snow goose, greater white-fronted goose and the emperor goose.
The Ross’s goose is variably common and often overlooked in Louisiana due to its physical similarities to, and propensity to occur in mixed-species flocks, with the far more numerous lesser snow goose. These two species are collectively referred to, managed and harvested in aggregate as “light-geese” in the mid-continent.
Judges for this year’s contest included Emily Seba of Baton Rouge, an artist who focuses on the natural world, Scott Ritchey of Lake Charles, owner of an outfitter service specializing in waterfowl, Dr. Drew Fowler of Baton Rouge, who is a research ecologist with the Louisiana Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at LSU, Troy Dubois of Delcambre, an avid waterfowl hunter and the state chairman for Louisiana Ducks Unlimited, and Larry Reynolds of Baton Rouge, a retired LDWF Waterfowl Program Manager.
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 last 37 years, about $17 million has been generated for wetland conservation. In addition, revenue has supported wetland development projects on 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.
For more information and to purchase the 2024 and/or 2025 stamp, go to https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/louisiana-duck-stamp. Additionally, these collector stamps for the most recent two years can be purchased through LDWF’s online licensing system. For more information on the duck stamp contest, contact Jason Olszak at 337-735-8687 or jolszak@wlf.la.gov.
About Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation’s 2025 Conservation Raffle:
The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation (LAWFF), in partnership with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), is hosting its inaugural raffle. Supporting ongoing LDWF conservation efforts, the raffle offers outdoor enthusiasts and conservation supporters of Louisiana the chance to win a brand-new Chevy Silverado from your Super Chevy Dealers, valued at $60,000.
Proceeds directly benefit programs led by LDWF, including habitat restoration, wildlife and fisheries research, public access enhancements, and education initiatives.
To purchase your ticket, visit: https://www.lawff.org/la-conservation-raffle.
Open to legal residents of the U.S. who are 18 years of age or older. Void where prohibited. Contest ends 1/8/26. Click here to view the official rules page.