The 2017 Federal Duck Stamp Contest will be held September 15 and 16, 2017 at the Noel Fine Arts Center in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

Five or fewer species of waterfowl are selected each year for the contest and one of these is required to be the dominant feature of the art entry (defined as being in the foreground and clearly the focus of attention). The five species that are eligible for the 2017 contest are the following: Mallard, Gadwall, Cinnamon Teal, Blue-winged Teal, and Harlequin Duck.

The public is invited to see the contest entries beginning at 9 a.m., September 15 and 16, and watch the judging, which will begin at 10 a.m. The event is free and open to the public. Some of the events leading up to the actual judging, include the following:

• A display of waterfowl artwork from the collection from the Leigh Yawkey Art Museum, known for its internationally acclaimed "Birds in Art" exhibition, from August 28 to September 24.
  
• A gallery party on September 8.
  
• Showing of The Million Dollar Duck documentary film on September 14.
  
• A seminar "Giving Hunters a Shot" on September 20 at UW-Stevens Point.
  
• A duck decoy carving contest and exhibition sponsored by the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association (WWA) on September 15 and 16.

According to Mike Pierce, WWA decoy carving contest chair, the entries will be open for viewing by the public on Friday, September 15 and during the contest judging, on September 16. Exhibition hours are 9:30 to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the Dreyfus Hall on the UW-Stevens Point campus.

The effort to bring the contest to the state was the brainchild of Dr. Christine Thomas, dean of the College of Natural Resources at UW-Stevens Point. Thomas, who serves on several conservation organization boards of directors including Ducks Unlimited (DU), and was the founder of the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program, served as a judge in the Federal Duck Stamp Contest in 2012 and invited the contest to Wisconsin. "I am so thrilled and glad that we are getting it here with the interest in wetlands and waterfowl in Stevens Point and Wisconsin," Thomas said.

Wisconsin itself has long been a leader in the number of Ducks Unlimited members and money raised at DU banquets, plus has active organizations such as the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association, Wisconsin Wetlands Association, many other groups dedicated to natural resources, and numerous talented wildlife artists.

UW-Stevens Point is also a conservation leader, the largest undergraduate traditional natural resources program in the country. Many of its graduates are involved in key positions at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

An informative new website established by the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point for the 2017 Federal Duck Stamp Contest is now available, http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001-RmD3Kcle0_2iJQ_-l92OetNZkVM_gIcrirgx2Ih65KZP4DEwEtAfovr-jXn_edfbbxxQPPdYQ3sI-AlfAMqIPPkoH2p2X3JFY-1jwbgOhm8zoTp3ndQA8s6Dq75ZUkRBlvfPpOFZjS2nroSW0qnUBS5bd4qw85rvIkobBgHGtujRw4IRE0l5Kvei2_nCLohiscvr13_qlMLqoR6L8ermSiNofGpEUvkv02EpZh6BJ8=&c=R1qpUW0Xl2aUqD9pXYiF8UKq0O9UrruYqy2SJOTArZx5qRd7-Vm3Ww==&ch=u0yQAID9-d14Y8PFCxx-vy_qTIhzCXMBpxWyG703itpCckc9oFWw4A==">showing details of the contest and associated activities.

Privided by Friends of the Migratory Bird/Duck Stamp http://www.friendsofthestamp.org