Annual Art Contest Open for DOFAW Stamps

Calling all artists!

The DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) is inviting artists statewide to submit work to the annual art contest depicting game mammals and game birds for the 2020-21 hunting stamp.

The wildlife conservation stamp is a requirement on Hawai‘i state hunting licenses. The game bird stamp is required for anyone intending to hunt game birds. Both stamps will be available to stamp collectors.

This year, the subject of the stamp is the spotted dove. This animal is a small, long-tailed pigeon with a white-spotted black collar patch and is a common resident breeding bird across its native range on the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.

The Spotted Dove has been introduced into many parts of the world. This bird is found in light forests and gardens as well as urban areas. This species was introduced to the Hawaiian Islands in the late 1800s from Southeast Asia and has been used as a gamebird for many generations.

Another animal for the stamp is The Columbian Black-Tailed Deer, which are found on Kauai. The Columbian Black-tailed deer is a sub-species of the mule deer that currently occupy coastal woodlands within the Pacific Northwest of North America and was introduced to the island of Kaua’i in 1961 from Oregon by the State of Hawaii Fish and Game Division.

Entry requirements are below:

Setting: Hawai’i Habitat

Size: Completed painting with a maximum of 24” by 36” and unframed (to be reduced to 1” X 1.5” stamp)

Medium: Oil or acrylic

Entry: Completed oil or acrylic painting or an 8.5” X 11” photo/print/photocopy of a completed painting.

Deadline: All entries must be received by Feb. 5, 2020. Notification of the winner will be made on Feb. 12, 2020.

Shipping fee: All paintings sent must be accompanied by a $35 fee to cover cost of returning the artwork. If a check is not included, you will need to come to the DOFAW Administration Office to pick up your artwork. Checks are made payable to the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Otherwise, a photo, print, or photocopy of an original painting may be sent with no fee.

Payments: The winner will receive a maximum award of $1,000.

Funds from Hawai‘i Wildlife Conservation Stamp sales go into the Wildlife Revolving Fund to support wildlife populations and habitat and to manage hunting. Last year revenues from both stamps were used to cover some of the costs of maintaining hunting units and to add game bird and game mammal hunting opportunities where possible. Proceeds from the sales of wildlife conservation stamps will also provide funds for the annual lease rental of the Lana’i Cooperative Game Management Area and several other hunting unit leases.

Additional Resources: Copies of this announcement and the application form are available upon request from the Division of Forestry and Wildlife, 1151 Punchbowl St., Room 325, Honolulu, HI 96813. Questions regarding the contest can be e-mailed to: [email protected] or call to 808-587-4159. Click here to subscribe to receive future Hawai’i Hunting Stamp Contest notifications from DLNR-DOFAW.