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Duck season opened this past Saturday and will close on Jan. 9. Along with their hunting licenses the hunters will need the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps that are better known as duck stamps.
The best known of all ducks is the mallard that ranges over much of the northern hemisphere. Therefore, it is by no coincidence that a pair of mallards appeared on the first Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp.
The Federal Duck Stamp is one of the greatest conservation stories in American history and in 2026, the stamp celebrated its 92nd anniversary. On July 1, 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the act creating the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp. The act required waterfowl hunters of 16 years of age or older to purchase the stamp before hunting waterfowl. The cost of the stamp was one dollar and the proceeds were to go into a special fund for migratory bird conservation.
Ninety percent of this money could be used by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service with the remaining 10% to go toward the printing and distribution of materials. This meant that for every dollar spent for a duck stamp, 98 cents went directly to purchase vital habitat, which became part of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Through the years, the money from the sale of stamps has generated close to a billion dollars, which enabled the USFWS to either purchase or lease millions of acres of lands that contain important waterfowl habitat.
This land is now part of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
The duck stamp came about because people were becoming alarmed by the decreasing numbers of ducks and geese. The decline was thought to be caused by a long drought in the waterfowl breeding grounds, overshooting and millions of acres of marsh lands being drained for farming.
A group of conservationists led by Jay Darling, who was an avid duck hunter and a nationally known cartoonist with the Des Moines Register, looked for ways to provide money for waterfowl habitat, restoration and protection. It was through a committee of Darling, Aldo Leopold and Tom Beck, the editor of Collier's and chairman of the Connecticut State Board of Fisheries and Game, that the creation of the duck stamp would take root.
In 1934, Roosevelt appointed Darling to head the Bureau of Biological Survey. He was sworn in on March 10, 1934, and one week later, Roosevelt signed the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act.
After Darling was asked by Roosevelt to design the first stamp, he drew up six sketches (on cardboard cut from stiffeners on shirt hangers found in his office) of what a duck stamp might look like. Darling then gave the sketches to his assistant to look over.
Several days later, Darling asked his assistant about the progress of the stamp and was told that one had been selected and engraving was underway. The first stamp depicted a pair of mallards landing in a marsh. Hunters were required to have the stamp in possession when hunting waterfowl.
At first it was illegal to deface this first stamp. It was quickly learned that the same stamp was being used by more than one hunter, and when the stamp was issued the following year, hunters were required to sign their name across the face of the stamp. Today, the stamp must be signed in ink across the face to be valid when hunting or entry into a national wildlife refuge. Many collectors do not hunt with their stamp and leave the stamp unsigned to preserve its condition. The price of a stamp today is $28.50 and it is valid from July 1 through June 30.
During that first year, there were 635,000 stamps sold, however, during the second year, sales dropped to 448,204, the fewest sales in the duck stamp's history. Sales peaked in 1971-72 at almost 2.5 million stamps. Today, sales hover near 1.6 million stamps.
In 1949-50, the price of a stamp increased to $2; 1959 to $3; 1972 to $5; 1979 to $7.50; 1987 to $10; 1989 to $12.50 and in 1991, the cost of the stamp rose to $15, and in 2026, the stamp costs $25. Today, the cost of the stamp is $28.50.
From 1935-48, noted wildlife artists were asked to submit designs for the stamp. In 1949, a contest was open to all U.S. artists that wished to enter. During that first year, 65 artists submitted 88 designs, and by 1981, there were 2,099 entries. This is the only art competition of its kind sponsored by the U.S. Government. The winners do not receive any compensation for their work other than a pair of stamps carrying their design, however the winning artists can sell prints of their design, which are highly sought after by hunters and stamp collectors.
Mallards and canvasbacks have appeared on the stamp five times, which is more than any other species. The canvasback appeared on the stamp in 1935, 1965, 1975 (as a decoy), 1982 and 1993. The mallard appeared on the stamp in 1934, 1959, 1961, 1986 and 1995. The 1995 stamp depicted a black labrador retriever, by the name of King Buck, retrieving a mallard duck.
Bob Hautman from Delano won the 2026 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest with his acrylic painting of a pair of long-tailed ducks. His artwork will become the 2027-28 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, which will go on sale in late June 2027.
In 1946, the words, "It is unlawful to hunt waterfowl unless you sign your name in ink across the face of the stamp."
In 1952, the name of the species featured on the stamp was printed on the stamp.
In 1970, the artists were allowed to enter colored artwork in the stamp competition. This was the first year that the stamp was issued in full color. In earlier years, some color was added on stamps; however, the original artwork appeared in black and white.
In 1975, the stamp depicted a canvasback duck decoy. The rules were later changed to require that living waterfowl be on the stamp.
In 1976, the stamp, which featured a pair of Canada geese with goslings, was the last stamp to be issued in black and white.
In 1977, the official name of the Federal Duck Stamp was changed from Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp to Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp. This was to encourage non-hunters to purchase the stamp. Along with serving as a hunting license for waterfowl, the federal duck stamp is also a free pass to national wildlife refuges, where admission is normally charged.
The state of Minnesota sells more federal duck stamps than any other state, with almost 10 million stamps being sold. Hawaii is the state with the lowest duck stamp sales.
The earlier duck stamps are quite collectable, especially stamps issued before 1941, which are somewhat rare, because the law originally stated that unsold stamps were to be destroyed in the following year. Today, stamps are available for three years after printing.
Along with the United States, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Costa-Rica, Denmark, Iceland, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Sweden, United Kingdom and Venezuela are also issuing duck stamps of their own.
The sale of the federal duck stamps has created similar wildlife funding programs in all 50 states. From the King Salmon Stamp in Alaska to the Wyoming Elk Stamp, the willingness of the sportsmen and women to support state stamp programs have been instrumental in supporting wildlife conservation within the states.
In 1983, the Director of the Pennsylvania Game Commission Information and Education Bureau proposed that the commission become involved with a Waterfowl Stamp Program of its own.
Next week? The Pennsylvania Game Commission stamp.
Bill Bower is a retired Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Officer. Read his blog and listen to his podcasts on the outdoors at www.onemaningreen.com.