Duck stamps and prints

Limited-edition wildlife works available in federal and state issues, the federal duck-stamp print is the most collectible wildlife art in the United States. The duck stamp itself is a hunting license stamp dating from 1934 and issued by the federal government. From that time, the series has been uninterrupted, and each stamp is accompanied by a limited edition print series. After three years, all remaining stamps and prints are destroyed, which controls the numbers for collectors. Jay Norwood Darling, a cartoonist and conservationalist, created the first federal duck stamp design in 1934 when the U.S. Congress enacted the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act. From that time, possession of that stamp was a requirement for holding a hunting license, and revenues were directed towards wildlife conservation. Other Duck Stamp designers are Frank Benson, Robert Bateman, Guy Coheleach, Lynn Bogue Hunt, Aiden Ripley and David Maass. Source: Joe McCaddin, "Duck Stamps and Prints"; AskART database