Duck stamp sales decline; feds push sales

Duck hunters buy federal duck stamps. They have to, of course, to legally hunt.

But sales are down in recent years, possibly reflecting a decine in the duck population and a decline in the number of hunters.

Now federal officials are encouraging hunters and others – including birders –who enjoy the wildlife benefits from the stamps sales to buy them. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is using a series of public service announcements and ads to promote the $15 stamps.

Sales were 1.44 million in 2006-07 – the most recent year figures are available. That’s the lowest since 1993-94. They have been trending down since 2000-01, when 1.69 million stamps were sold.

Since 1934, the sales have generated more than $750 million, which has been used to help purchase or lease over 5.3 million acres of waterfowl habitat in the U.S. – lands now protected in the U.S. Fish&Wildlife Service’s National Wildlife Refuge System. Federal officials point out that waterfowl aren't the only wildlife to benefit from Duck Stamp dollars. Numerous other bird, mammal, fish, reptile, and amphibian species that rely on wetland habitats have prospered. The stamps allow free access to national wildlife refuges.