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2022-23 Upland Game Bird Stamp Contest winning entry of chukar by Jeffrey Klinefelter
CDFW Seeks Artists to Enter California Upland Game Bird Stamp Art Contest
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is conducting its annual art contest to select the design for the state’s 2023-2024 upland game bird stamp. The California Upland Game Bird Stamp Art Contest is open to all U.S. residents ages 18 and older, excluding current and former CDFW employees. Entries will be accepted from Oct. 30 through Dec. 1.
This year’s stamp will feature the wild turkey. First introduced to California in the early 1900s, the wild turkey is native to the central and eastern United States and parts of Mexico. Wild turkeys are the largest North American gamebird with males weighing an average of 20 pounds. Turkeys are social animals, intelligent with a detailed understanding of their surroundings and able to recognize each other by voice. Males puff their feathers and spread their wings and tails to appear larger to attract a mate. The head, neck and surrounding fleshy area can range from white to blue to red with increasing attraction, aggression or fear. Males have feathers that are red, green, purple, copper, bronze and gold while the females have softer shades of brown and grey. Their engaging behavior, accessibility on public lands and delicious taste make them one of the most popular hunted species in North America.
Entries must include at least one wild turkey, preferably in a habitat or setting representative of California. Entries will be judged on originality, artistic composition, anatomical accuracy, and suitability for reproduction as a stamp and print.
The contest will be judged by a panel of experts in the fields of ornithology, conservation, art and printing. The winning artist will be selected during a judging event in December.
An upland game bird validation is required for hunting migratory and resident upland game birds in California. The money generated from stamp sales is dedicated to upland game bird-related conservation projects, education, hunting opportunities and outreach. CDFW sells more than 150,000 upland game bird validations annually. Any individual who purchases an upland game bird validation may request their free collectible stamp by visiting wildlife.ca.gov/licensing/collector-stamps. For collectors who do not purchase a hunting license or upland game bird validation, or for hunters who wish to purchase additional collectible stamps, an order form is also available on the website.
For contest information and entry forms, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/upland-game-bird-stamp.
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