Chesapeake Bay News

David Turnbaugh’s painting entitled “Marsh Dweller” is the winner of the 2010-2011 Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp Design Contest. The winning painting shows a Hooded Merganser walking through a marsh setting and will be featured on the 2010-2011 Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp.

The entries were judged before a large crowd on Saturday, March 27 at the 21st Patuxent Wildlife Art Show held at the National Wildlife Visitors Center in Laurel, Md.

“It was selected out of 28 entries from 14 Maryland artists,” said Bob Beyer, Associate Director of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Wildlife and Heritage Service. “The contest is the fourth oldest in the country and is restricted to Maryland residents only.”

Mr. Turnbaugh has been a competing artist in Maryland’s duck stamp competition since the mid-1980s and is the only six-time winner in the history of Maryland’s prestigious Migratory Game Bird Stamp Design Contest. Mr. Turnbaugh’s other artwork can be viewed and a print of this year’s winning entry can be ordered at his website http://www.marylandrealist.com or by calling 410-665-1903.

The Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp Design Contest showcases the talents of Maryland’s gifted artists. Migratory game bird hunters are required to purchase these $9.00 stamps and the proceeds are used to fund migratory game bird research and habitat enhancement on the state’s public lands. More than $4.5 million in stamp sales have been spent on migratory game projects since the inception of the stamps in 1974.

source: DNR press release

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) invites Maryland waterfowl artists to enter the 36th Annual Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp Design Contest.

“Proceeds from the sale of these stamps help fund waterfowl and migratory game bird projects as well as much needed research,” said DNR Wildlife and Heritage Service Associated Director Bob Beyer.

All entered designs must be the artist’s original work, neither copied nor duplicated from any previously published paintings, drawings, prints, or photographs of the contestant, or any other artist. Each contestant may submit up to three entries. The entry fee, signed Agreement to Enter the Contest form, and entries with completed Entry Identification Forms attached to the back must be received by 4:00 p.m. on March 22, 2010 at The Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp Design Contest, Friends of Patuxent, Patuxent Research Refuge/National Wildlife Visitor Center, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop Laurel, MD 20708-4027.

Entries will be judged at noon on Saturday, March 27, 2010 in conjunction with the 21st Annual Patuxent Wildlife Art Show at the National Wildlife Visitors Center in Laurel. Contestants and the public are invited to attend the contest judging process. Admission is free.

The stamp can be purchased by any citizen for $9 and is required for all migratory game bird hunters in Maryland. For a list of species eligible for depiction and full contest rules visit http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/duckstamp or contact Bob Beyer at bbeyer@dnr.state.md.us or 410-260-8535.

source: DNR press release

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has reviewed all public input and finalized the 2009-2010 late waterfowl hunting seasons.

“As always, public input helped guide our decisions,” said Paul Peditto, Director of DNR’s Wildlife and Heritage Service. “The individuals who took the time to attend our public meeting and provide comments through our online forum should be commended.”

Good breeding habitat conditions should result in a large fall flight of ducks this year. The 60-day duck season includes three segments, running from October 17 to October 24, November 14 to November 27, and December 15 to January 30. The daily bag limit will be six ducks per day.

One change this year is an increase in the daily bag limits for certain diving ducks. “The breeding population of canvasbacks increased 38 percent to 660,000 birds this year and scaup numbers were above four million for the first time in nearly a decade,” said Larry Hindman, DNR’s Waterfowl Project Leader. “As a result, diving duck hunters may take two scaup and one canvasback per day as part of their six duck limit.”

The 2009 spring breeding pair survey of Atlantic Population (migratory) Canada geese was 176,600 compared to 169,700 in 2008. Unfortunately, spring snowmelt was delayed over most of the Atlantic Population (AP) breeding range in northern Quebec resulting in reduced nesting effort and poor gosling production. Thus, the 2009 AP Canada goose season remains unchanged from last year at 45 days with a daily bag limit of two geese. The season will be split into two segments, from November 21 to November 27 and from December 17 to January 30.

The greater snow goose breeding population reached an all time high this spring with 1.4 million birds. “Unlike the poor nesting conditions for Canada geese, conditions were favorable for greater snow geese,” said Hindman. “Thus, the fall flight should be one of the largest ever, approaching 2 million birds.”

Greater and lesser snow geese and Ross’s geese are collectively referred to as ‘light geese’. A Light Goose Conservation Order season will immediately follow the conclusion of the regular light goose hunting season this year. During the Conservation Order season hunters may use unplugged shotguns, electronic calls and hunt from one half-hour before sunrise to one half-hour after sunset with no daily bag or possession limits.

“The intent of the liberal Conservation Order season is to significantly reduce light goose populations,” said Hindman. “The Atlantic Flyway greater snow goose population is more than twice the desired population size. A reduced population will help minimize the ecological and agricultural damage caused by the current over-abundance of light geese.”

Waterfowl hunters participating in the Light Goose Conservation Order season must possess a Snow Goose Conservation Order Hunting Season permit which may be obtained for $5 from any DNR sport license agent, online at http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/, or by phone (1-800-918-2870). Participants must possess a valid Maryland hunting license (or resident Delaware license) and a 2009-2010 Maryland Migratory Game Bird Hunting Stamp.

All migratory game bird hunters, including landowners who are license-exempt, are required to obtain the Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp. Hunters must possess the printed receipt showing proof of purchase of the Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp while hunting migratory game birds.

All waterfowl hunters age 16 and over must also purchase the Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Federal Duck Stamp) which must be signed and in possession while hunting waterfowl and coots. Hunters may obtain federal duck stamps at U.S. Post Offices, National Wildlife Refuges, certain DNR sport license agents and online at www.duckstamp.com. The Federal stamp is not required for the Light Goose Conservation season.

Non-toxic shot is required for hunting waterfowl and coots. Hunters may not possess or use non-toxic shot shells larger than size No. T or any lead shot shells while waterfowl hunting. Approved types of nontoxic shot and other information on migratory game bird hunting are listed in the 2009-2010 Guide to Hunting and Trapping in Maryland or on DNR’s website at http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide/index.asp.

The 2009-2010 late waterfowl season dates and bag limits will be published in the annual migratory game bird season synopsis and distributed to DNR Wildlife and Heritage Service offices and sport license agents in mid-September. For more information about the 2009-2010 Maryland Late Waterfowl Seasons and Bag Limits submitted to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, visit http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/huntersguide/lwfchart.asp.

source: DNR press release

A painting by Wally Makuchal Jr. entitled “Icy Refuge” will become the 2009-2010 Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp. The entry shows a pair of blue-winged teal resting on the water. It was judged as the best of 35 entries from 18 Maryland artists.

“This was one of the more exciting contests in recent history as the panel of expert judges remained deadlocked after the final round,” said Doug Wigfield, Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Stamp Contest Coordinator.

Mr. Makuchal has taken part in Maryland’s “Duck Stamp” competition since the early 80s and was the winner in 1999. He also took top honors in the 1996 Maryland Trout Stamp Contest. He owns and operates Makuchal Signs out of Girdletree, MD.

The small Eastern Shore town of Girdletree has produced three Maryland Duck Stamp winners: Wally, his brother Paul and Roger Lent. All three are also two-time winners of Maryland’s contest.

You can order a print of this years winning entry by visiting his website at www.makuchalsigns.com or by calling 410-632-2825.

The Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp Design Contest showcases the talents of the gifted artists that reside near Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. The stamps produced are a required purchase by all who hunt migratory game birds. The proceeds from the $9.00 stamps are used to fund migratory game bird research and habitat enhancement on the state’s public lands. More than $4 million in stamp sales have been spent on migratory game projects since the stamps inception in 1974.

The contest is limited to Maryland residents. The 2009 event took place at the 20th Patuxent Wildlife Art Show held in March at the National Wildlife Visitors Center in Laurel.

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources invites Maryland waterfowl artists to enter the 35th Annual Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp Design Contest.

“Proceeds from the sale of these stamps help fund waterfowl and migratory game bird projects as well as much needed research,” said Jonathan McKnight, acting director of DNR’s Wildlife & Heritage Service.

All entered designs must be the artist’s original work, neither copied nor duplicated from any previously published paintings, drawings, prints, or photographs of the contestant, or any other artist. Each contestant may submit up to three entries. The entry fee, signed “Agreement to Enter the Contest” form, and entries with completed “Entry Identification Forms” attached to the back must be received via mail by 4:00 p.m. on March 20, 2009 at The Maryland Migratory Game Bird Stamp Design Contest, Friends of Patuxent, Patuxent Research Refuge/National Wildlife Visitor Center, 10901 Scarlet Tanager Loop Laurel, MD 20708-4027.

Entries will be judged at noon on Saturday, March 28, 2009 in conjunction with the 20th Annual Patuxent Wildlife Art Show at the National Wildlife Visitors Center in Laurel. Contestants and the public are invited to attend the contest judging process. Admission is free.

The stamp can be purchased by any citizen for $9 and is required for all migratory game bird hunters in Maryland. For a list of species eligible for depiction and full contest rules visit http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/duckstamp or contact Doug Wigfield, Contest Coordinator, at 410-713-3852 or dwigfield2@dnr.state.md.us.

source: Maryland Department of Natural Resources press release