Virginia Migratory Duck Stamp Winner Announced

For the first time a woman is the winning artist in the annual Virginia Migratory Waterfowl Conservation Stamp competition. 

Janet Hong, of Chesapeake, Va., depicted a pair of drake hooded mergansers floating on a pond with their reflections visible in the calm waters, while a hen keeps a watchful eye on them from a moss covered log.

A judging panel comprised of Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries officials and representatives from Ducks Unlimited, the Virginia Waterfowlers' Association, the LOC Chapter of VA Waterfowl USA, and the Rappahannock River Chapter of Delta Waterfowl chose the winning artwork. 

Hong, 73, does most of her work in acrylic but occasionally uses watercolor, gouache or oils, also placed second in the competition with her artwork depicting a pair of wood ducks.

A Migratory Waterfowl Conservation Stamp is required of all persons (unless license exempt) 16 years of age and older hunting or taking any migratory waterfowl (ducks, geese, brant and swans) within the Commonwealth. 

The annual stamp can be purchased for $10 (resident or non-resident) at license agents or clerks who sell Virginia hunting licenses or from the department's website.

After administrative costs, fifty percent of the monies in the Virginia Migratory Waterfowl Conservation Stamp Fund are used to protect, preserve, restore, enhance and develop waterfowl habitat in Virginia. 

The remaining fifty percent is used to contract with appropriate nonprofit organizations for cooperative waterfowl habitat improvement projects in Virginia, and for projects in eastern Canada that provide habitat conservation and improvement on the breeding grounds of ducks and other migratory species that winter in Virginia.

In 2012, 22,464 duck stamps were sold, bringing in $224,640.

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