The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in partnership with nine state fish and wildlife agencies, is implementing a three-year pilot program to make it easier for hunters, birdwatchers, stamp collectors and others who want to conserve our nation's wetlands to buy Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps, commonly known as Duck Stamps.
This new program, debuting Sept. 1, allows the fish and wildlife agencies of Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Texas and Wisconsin to sell stamps electronically through their individual automated licensing systems, providing a special receipt as proof of purchase. This proof of purchase - a unique code given to the purchaser instantly - will be accepted as evidence of a Federal Duck Stamp purchase for 45 days - time enough for the printed stamp to arrive in the mail.
Duck Stamp purchasers will now be able to buy an electronic duck stamp from these nine states' retail licensing locations, by telephone or on the Web.
Every waterfowl hunter over the age of 16 is required to purchase a Federal Duck Stamp. In addition, Federal Duck Stamps provide free entry into any national wildlife refuge in the country that charges an entrance fee.
The electronic proof of purchase will both fulfill the requirement for waterfowl hunters to possess the stamp and allow access to national wildlife refuges. After the 45 days, the proof of purchase will expire and the purchasers must possess the paper stamp to receive its full benefit.
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The Federal Duck Stamp is currently available at most major sporting good stores selling hunting and fishing licenses, select post offices, and online through the U.S. Postal Service and AMPLEX, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Duck Stamp fulfillment center.
"This pilot program explores one way to improve service to duck stamp purchasers, in particular those from rural or remote areas," said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director H. Dale Hall.
Funds from Duck Stamp sales are a vital tool for wetland conservation, with 98 cents of every dollar generated used to purchase or lease wetland habitat for the National Wildlife Refuge System. Since the stamp's inception in 1934, more than $700 million has been raised to acquire more than 5.2 million acres of waterfowl habitat. In 2005, more than 1.6 million Federal Duck Stamps were sold.
The Electronic Duck Stamp Act of 2005 directed the Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with state wildlife management agencies, to conduct a three-year pilot program under which up to 15 states could issue electronic migratory bird hunting and conservation stamps. The pilot program will allow the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to evaluate the program and make adjustments or assess other distribution options to better serve stamp buyers.
Go to www.fws.gov/duckstamps for more information on the Federal Duck Stamp Program.
