Ducks Unlimited, Bass Pro Shops, USFWS Celebrate Duck Stamp First Day of Sale

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Ducks Unlimited (DU) and Bass Pro Shops hosted a live event Friday, June 23, celebrating the first day of sale for the 2023-24 Federal Duck Stamp.

The stamps, which cost $25 and raise about $40 million for conservation yearly, are valid from July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024.

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

“There’s arguably no better return on investment for conservation than the Duck Stamp, and hunters are the main reason why,” said DU CEO Adam Putnam. “But whether you’re an avid waterfowler, a frequent visitor of America’s National Wildlife Refuges, a collector or simply someone with an appreciation for our natural places, everyone has a compelling reason to buy a stamp. With over a billion dollars raised for conservation since 1934, the impact of stamp sales goes far beyond just waterfowl habitat – it benefits countless other wildlife, the environment and our communities. We encourage everyone to purchase a Duck Stamp and help us preserve our precious wetland resources.”

The 2023-2024 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, commonly known as the duck stamp, features artist Joseph Hautman’s winning acrylic painting of a trio of tundra swans flying over a wetland. The Plymouth, Minnesota, artist has won the stamp competition for a record-tying sixth time.

The 2023-2024 Junior Duck Stamp features a hooded merganser image created by Linyue “Mila” Tong. More than 3,000 junior duck stamps are sold annually for $5 each to help promote conservation education through art.

Hautman, Tong, Putnam and USFWS officials gathered at the DU Waterfowling Heritage Center inside Bass Pros Shops at the Memphis Pyramid to celebrate the first day of sale.

“I’m truly honored to be the very first person this year to buy both a Federal and Junior Duck Stamp. This is one of the easiest ways to join a conservation movement, and I encourage others to join me,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Program Assistant Director Jerome Ford. “I am so proud to support this program and contribute to the conservation of wetlands across the country.”

Since the Federal Duck Stamp was created in 1934, sales have raised more than $1.2 billion to conserve more than 6 million acres of habitat for birds and wildlife and provide hunting and other recreational opportunities at national wildlife refuges.

By purchasing Federal Duck Stamps and supporting Ducks Unlimited, waterfowl hunters and other conservationists help ensure that farmers and ranchers can protect threatened wetlands and grasslands on working lands essential to sustaining healthy waterfowl populations.

Ducks Unlimited has conserved, protected and restored 16 million acres – or more than 25,000 square miles – of habitat in North America. The impressive number could not have been reached without the tireless efforts of millions of Ducks Unlimited supporters, volunteers, partners and staff members who have been a part of the organization over the past 86 years.

Waterfowl hunters 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) open to the public. Duck stamps are sold nationwide at post offices, NWRs, and sporting goods stores. You can also purchase electronic versions of the duck stamp online. Click here for more information.

About Ducks Unlimited
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 16 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