Every year wildlife artists from around the country vie to be named the winner of the Federal Duck Stamp competition. This past September, after two days of deliberation by the judging panel, Belgrade, Montana-based artist Chuck Black emerged victorious.
Black’s oil painting of a northern pintail bested the other 198 entries during a session of in-person judging at Drake University, in Des Moines, Iowa. The artwork will be featured on the 2024–’25 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp—more commonly known as the Federal Duck Stamp. For the first time the contest was judged by an all-female jury, which considered entries for five eligible species: the snow goose, American black duck, northern pintail, ring-necked duck and harlequin.
Adam Grimm of Wallace, South Dakota, took second place with an acrylic painting of a pair of northern pintails, while Gerald Mobley of Claremore, Oklahoma, placed third with an acrylic painting of a northern pintail.
Administered by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, the Federal Duck Stamp was established in 1934. In the past 90 years sales of the stamp have raised more than $1.2 billion to conserve more than 6 million acres of habitat for birds and other wildlife as well as to provide hunting and other recreational opportunities at national wildlife refuges. Sales of the 2024–’25 stamp are expected to contribute more than $40 million to benefit the National Wildlife Refuge System.
All waterfowl hunters 16 years of age and older are required to purchase and carry a Federal Duck Stamp in the field. The stamp also conveys free admission to any national wildlife refuge that charges an entry fee. The 2024–’25 stamp will go on sale for $25 in late June.
For more information on Chuck Black, visit wildlifeandart.com, or follow him on Instagram: @chuckblackart.
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