Anderson's entry bested 223 other entries and will grace the 2005-2006 Federal Duck Stamp, which goes on sale July 1, 2005. The sale of Federal Duck Stamps raises approximately $25 million each year to fund waterfowl habitat acquisition for the National Wildlife Refuge System. The Federal Duck Stamp Contest is sponsored each year by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

?Generations of waterfowl hunters, stamp collectors, art lovers and conservationists have bought these beautiful stamps for more than 7 decades,? said Interior Secretary Gale Norton. ?Their purchases directly contribute thousands of acres of irreplaceable waterfowl habitat to the National Wildlife Refuge System.?

All waterfowl hunters age 16 and older are required to purchase and carry Duck Stamps. Ninety-eight percent of the proceeds from the $15 Duck Stamp go into the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund, which purchases wetlands for the National Wildlife Refuge System.

This is the first win for Anderson, who has missed only one contest entry since 1985. He has also won 15 state conservation stamp art contests in the States of Florida, Iowa, Oklahoma, Ohio and South Dakota. His work was featured on the National Turkey Stamp in 2003. Anderson also won the National Wild Turkey Federation 1998 Grand National Art Competition, and was named the Ducks Unlimited's Artist of the Year in Oklahoma for 2005 and South Dakota for 2004.

?I?m sitting on cloud nine right now,? said Anderson soon after Secretary Norton called to inform him of his victory.

He told Secretary Norton, why he chose his subject. ?I won a contest for Ducks Unlimited a couple years ago with hooded mergansers,? said Anderson. ?Later, I had some luck selling a few hooded merganser originals so I decided on painting two drakes for the Duck Stamp Contest. It was a gamble since most judges like to see a hen and a drake.?

Anderson also experimented with blue and brown water but settled on the sunset color reflection.

Anderson is very active in conservation. He is a life sponsor of Ducks Unlimited and the National Wild Turkey Federation. He is also a member of Pheasants Forever. ?I grew up hunting and fishing, that's where I get the inspiration. When I am outside, I can look at something and see five paintings,? said Anderson.

Eligible species for this year's contest were the American widgeon, wood duck, gadwall, ring-necked duck and hooded merganser. Jim Hautman, a three-time winner of the Duck Stamp Contest, finished second with an acrylic painting of a pair of wood ducks. Third place finisher Don Moore entered an acrylic painting of a male hooded merganser.

The Federal Duck Stamp Contest is the nation's longest running federally-sponsored art competition. No cash prize is awarded, but winning can boost the professional reputation of even a previously unknown wildlife artist. Winning artists stand to make hundreds of thousands of dollars from the sale of limited editions of prints of their Duck Stamp designs.

Valid Duck Stamps can be used for free admission to National Wildlife Refuges that charge an admission fee. There are 544 National Wildlife Refuges spread across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Refuges offer unparalleled recreation opportunities, including hunting, fishing, wildlife observation and photography. Funds generated by the sale of Duck Stamps have been used to acquire land at hundreds of refuges in nearly every state in the nation.

Duck Stamps bearing this year's winning design will go on sale at post offices, National Wildlife Refuges, some national retail chain stores, and various sporting-goods stores nationwide July 1, 2005. The 2005-2006 Duck Stamp will be available at select locations in both a self-adhesive format and the traditional gummed format.

The hooded merganser primarily identified by displaying its attention-grabbing black and white crest. The hooded merganser is a small duck that nests in tree cavities. It breeds across eastern North America except for the extreme north and south areas. It also occurs in the Pacific Northwest. ?Hoodies? frequent wooded sloughs and swamps. Their diet consists of small fish, crustaceans and insects and plant matter. Hooded mergansers are often found utilizing nest boxes in similar habitats as wood ducks.

The five judges for the competition were chosen by the Secretary of the Interior for their dedication to conservation and their professional expertise. They are: ? Dr. Thomas Hutchens, immediate past chairman of the Delta Waterfowl Foundation and a former board member for Ducks Unlimited. ? Michael Jaffe, a prominent member of the philatelic community who specializes in Federal Duck Stamps and other conservation stamps. ? Kenn Kaufman, a renowned ornithologist who has authored many important bird books and a series of popular guides to birdwatching. ? Rich Smoker, a Hall-of-Fame decoy carver, author and teacher who has won more than 50 Best-Of Show ribbons in carving competitions. ? John Tomke, current president of Ducks Unlimited and a DU volunteer for more than 30 ears.

Photos of the top three entries are available on the Internet at http://duckstamps.fws.gov.