National Leaders from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Ducks Unlimited unveil new Federal Duck Stamp at Bass Pro Shops
Springfield, MO – Trumpeter swans are in the spotlight this year as the 2016-2017 Federal Duck Stamp goes on sale today. The 83rd Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp made its debut at a special event hosted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World in Springfield, Mo.
The 2016-2017 Federal Duck Stamp features a flight of trumpeter swans painted by Minnesota artist and five-time Federal Duck Stamp Contest winner Joseph Hautman. The Junior Duck Stamp features two Ross’s geese painted by Stacy Shen of Fremont, California.
The Federal Duck Stamp plays a critically important role in wildlife conservation. Since 1934 sales from the iconic stamp have raised more than $800 million to acquire and protect more than six million acres of wetlands habitat on hundreds of national wildlife refuges spread across all 50 states and U.S. territories. First petitioned by sportsmen and women who banded together to protect wildlife habitat, the stamps continue to be fueled by waterfowl hunters required to buy a Federal Duck Stamp each year.
Leaders from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on hand included Jerome Ford, Assistant Director of Migratory Birds; Michael Johnson, Deputy Assistant Director of Migratory Birds, and Charles Wooley, Midwest Deputy Regional Director. Dale Hall, CEO of Ducks Unlimited and Martin MacDonald, Director of Conservation at Bass Pro Shops, were also on-hand to commemorate the occasion and among the first to buy this year’s stamp. Artists Hautman and Shen signed autographs and posed for photos with admiring fans.
2016 marks the 10th year Bass Pro Shops has hosted the first day of sale event. Hunters, conservationists and collectors can purchase the Federal Duck Stamp at all Bass Pro Shops retail locations in the United States.
To purchase or learn more about the Federal Duck Stamp and Junior Duck Stamp, visit www.fws.gov/birds/get-involved/duck-stamp.php.
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About Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops®, which specializes in outdoor fun, operates 98 stores and Tracker Marine Centers across America and Canada that are visited by more than 120 million people every year. Bass Pro Shops stores, many of which feature restaurants, offer hunting, fishing, camping and other outdoor gear while their catalogs and website serve shoppers throughout the world. The company’s Tracker Marine Group® (http://www.trackermarine.com), a leading brand of fishing boats for more than 37 years, manufactures and sells a variety of boats for fishing and cruising. Family fun is on tap at Bass Pro Shops resort Big Cedar Lodge® (http://www.bigcedar.com), voted by Travel + Leisure as one of the top 50 Best Hotels for Families in the U.S. For more information, visit http://www.basspro.com. To request a free catalog, call 1-800-BASS PRO. Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/bassproshops
Contact:
Rachel F. Levin
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Migratory Bird Program
Communications Coordinator
(703) 298-9256
rachel_levin@fws.gov
