Three Hautman Brothers Sweep the 2015 Federal Duck Stamp Contest

23 September 2015
 
A trio of brothers from Minnesota made history on Saturday, 19 September, as they swept the top three spots in the 2015 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest. The contest, which ran over two days, was held at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

Joseph Hautman, of Plymouth, Minnesota, won the contest with his acrylic painting of a pair of flying Trumpeter Swans. This is Hautman's fifth Federal Duck Stamp contest win (previous wins covered the contests in 1991 [Spectacled Eider], 2001 [Black Scoter], 2007 [Northern Pintail], and 2011 [Wood Duck].)  Among other things, Joseph Hautman is currently on the board of the Friends of the Migratory Bird/Duck Stamp.

Hautman's fine painting will be made into the 2016-2017 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, commonly called the Duck Stamp, which will go on sale in late June 2016. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) produces the Stamp, which now sells for $25. The Stamp should raise $25-$42 million annually to provide critical dollars that go into the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund (MBCF) to conserve and protect wetland and grassland habitats in the National Wildlife Refuge System for the benefit of wildlife and the enjoyment of people.

Robert Hautman of Delano, Minnesota, placed second in the contest with his acrylic painting of a pair of Mallards. He has won the Federal Duck Stamp contest twice (1996 [Canada Goose] and 2000 [Northern Pintail]).

The third brother, James Hautman of Chaska, Minnesota, secured third place this year with his acrylic painting of another pair of Mallards. He is a four-time winner of the Federal Duck Stamp Contest (1989 [Black-bellied Whistling Duck], 1994 [Mallard], 1998 [Greater Scaup], and 2010 [Greater White-fronted Goose].)

Among them, the three Hautman brothers have won 11 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contests.

Of 157 entries in this year's competition, there were 10 entries that made it to the final round of judging. Eligible species for this year's contest were Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Gadwall, Mallard, and Trumpeter Swan. They were depicted by artists in the following order: Mallard (25.1%), Blue-winged Teal (24.7%), Cinnamon Teal and Trumpeter Swan (both at 19%), and Gadwall (10.8%).

"Buying Federal Duck Stamps remains the simplest way to make a difference in conserving our nation's birds and their habitats," said Jerome Ford, USFWS Assistant Director for Migratory Birds. "For more than 80 years, hunters, bird watchers and millions of people who simply care about the environment have 'put their stamp on conservation' with their Duck Stamp purchases."