What are Duck Stamps?

Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps, commonly known as “Duck Stamps,” are pictorial stamps produced by the U.S. Postal Service for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. They are not valid for postage. Originally created in 1934 as the federal licenses required for hunting migratory waterfowl, Federal Duck Stamps have a much larger purpose today.

First Federal Duck Stamp.
Design by J.N. "Ding" Darling

Federal Duck Stamps are a vital tool for wetland conservation. Ninety-eight cents out of every dollar generated by the sales of Federal Duck Stamps goes directly to purchase or lease wetland habitat for protection in the National Wildlife Refuge System. Understandably, the Federal Duck Stamp Program has been called one of the most successful conservation programs ever initiated and is a highly effective way to conserve America’s natural resources.

Besides serving as a hunting license and a conservation tool, a current year’s Federal Duck Stamp also serves as an entrance pass for National Wildlife Refuges where admission is normally charged. Duck Stamps and the products that bear duck stamp images are also popular collector items.

In 1989, the first Junior Duck Stamps were produced. Junior Duck Stamps are now the capstone of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Junior Duck Stamp environmental education program, teaching students across the nation “conservation through the arts.” Revenue generated by the sales of Junior Duck Stamps funds environmental education programs in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 2 territories (American Samoa and the Virgin Islands).

Today, many states also issue their own versions of duck stamps. In some states, the stamps are purely a collector’s item, but in others, the stamps have a similar role in hunting and conservation as federal duck stamps.

For information reagarding the authorizing legislation behind Duck Stamps, please see our "stamp law" page.

Download our brochure, The Federal Duck Stamp Story, for a brief history of both Federal and Junior Duck Stamps. Note: this is a PDF document. You will need to download the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software to view this document.

How do Duck Stamps benefit wildlife?

Since 1934, the sales of Federal Duck Stamps have generated more than $700 million, which has been used to help purchase or lease over 5.2 million acres of waterfowl habitat in the U.S. These lands are now protected in the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s National Wildlife Refuge System.

Waterfowl are not the only wildlife to benefit from the sale of Federal Duck Stamps. Numerous other bird, mammal, fish, reptile, and amphibian species that rely on wetland habitats have prospered. Further, an estimated one-third of the Nation's endangered and threatened species find food or shelter in refuges established using Federal Duck Stamp funds.

People, too, have benefited from the Federal Duck Stamp Program. Hunters have places to enjoy their hunting heritage and other outdoor enthusiasts have places to hike, watch birds, and visit. Moreover, the protected wetlands help purify water supplies, store flood water, reduce soil erosion and sedimentation, and provide spawning areas for fish important to sport and commercial fishermen.

See how your duck stamp dollars have benefited your state by visiting our “conservation” page.

Why should I buy duck stamps ?

There are many reasons to buy Duck Stamps. Hunters over the age of 16 must purchase a Federal Duck Stamp each year if they want to hunt migratory waterfowl. Birders and other frequenters of National Wildlife Refuges purchase a $15 Federal Duck Stamp each year in order to gain free admission to refuges. Conservationists buy Federal Duck Stamps because they know that the stamps are, dollar for dollar, one of the best investments one can make in the future of America’s wetlands. Collectors buy both the Federal and Junior Duck Stamps because the beautiful stamps can gain value over the years and are an important part of America’s outdoor culture. Finally, educators, conservationists, hunters, parents, and students alike buy $5 Junior Duck Stamps in order to support conservation education programs in the U.S.

Where can I buy Duck Stamps and Duck Stamp products?

Both Federal Duck Stamps ($15) and Junior Duck Stamps ($5) are sold in many post offices across the country. You can also buy both stamps on the internet, and many sporting goods and outdoor stores sell the Federal Duck Stamps. Visit our “Stamps” page to learn where you can purchase both Federal and Junior Duck Stamps.

The U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service Federal Duck Stamp Office does not sell duck stamp products, but it does allow licensed vendors to produce and sell products bearing the images of both Federal and Junior Duck Stamps. Please see our “Products” page for a current list of vendors.

How are Duck Stamps made?

Each year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sponsors a stamp-design contest (usually held in the fall), with wildlife artists from across the Nation submitting their work for judging by a panel of artists and wildlife experts. The winning art is used on the following year's stamp. Wildlife artists consider it a great honor to be selected as the winner of the Federal Duck Stamp Contest.

After the winning design has been selected, the staff of the Federal Duck Stamp Office and other members of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service design and produce a stamp that meets the needs and expectations of the public.

A security document designer prepares a model, combining the artwork, title, and denomination. Postal service experts determine what areas of the stamp will be reproduced by the intaglio process ( a type of engraving), how the colors of the remainder of the image will be separated, and what printing methods and equipment will yield the best reproduction of the artwork. Before printing, a stamp model is submitted to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for approval.

A similar process is used for Junior Duck Stamps. Annually, thousands of students across the country enter artwork in their state’s round of the Junior Duck Stamp contest. Students from kindergarten to high school compete in one of four age brackets (K-3rd, 4th-6th, 7th-9th, and 10th-12th) for a chance to win various prizes. From the first place winners in each age bracket, state-round judges select a Best of Show piece to represent theirt state in the National Junior Duck Stamp Contest. Each April, judges for the National Junior Duck Stamp Contest select a winner from the 53 Best of Show entries (one from each state, the District of Columbia, and participating territories [American Samoa and the Virgin Islands]) to become the following year’s Junior Duck Stamp.

Every year on July 1st, a new Federal Duck Stamp and a new Junior Duck Stamp are released for sale to the public at a First Day of Sale Ceremony. After the First Day of Sale, the stamps can be purchased at all national duck stamp retailers.

How can I participate in the Duck Stamp Contest?

Whether you are an artist or an interested citizen, you can participate in the Federal Duck Stamp Contest. Anyone over the age of 18 can enter the contest for a chance to see one’s winning artwork on a Federal Duck Stamp. Even if you are not an artist, you can still participate by attending the contest and viewing the judging. The Federal Duck Stamp Contest is usually held in early October or November at the Department of the Interior in Washington D.C. Call the Federal Duck Stamp Office at 703-358-2000 for current contest information.

Junior Duck Stamp Contest

You can also participate in the Junior Duck Stamp Contest. Any student in kindergarten through high school can enter the contest. Teachers, parents, students, or anyone interested can attend the state and national contest judging. Contact your state coordinator for information on state-round contests. The National Junior Duck Stamp Contest is usually held at the end of April at the Ward World Championship Widlfowl Carving Competition in Ocean City, Maryland. Call the Federal Duck Stamp Office at 703-358-2000 for current contest information.

Where can I view Duck Stamps?

You can see every Federal Duck Stamp and every Junior Duck Stamp ever made, along with artist and production information, through our web image galleries.

Also, you can see a number of Federal Duck Stamps and duck stamp-related artifacts at the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C.
In March 1995, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service transferred its complete set of the annual duck stamp series to the Smithsonian Institute. Included in the collection is a complete set of die proofs. At transfer, the official collection consisted of 21 panes of 28 stamps each, dating from the first issue through 1954-1955. Under a current agreement between the Service and the Smithsonian Institution, a sheet, a pane, and die proof of each issue is added to the collection annually.

Who can answer my questions about Duck Stamps?

For questions about Federal and Junior Duck Stamps, please contact the Federal Duck Stamp Office.