State Artist Claims 1st Prize in Trout Stamp Contest for Fourth Time

The results are in, and two artists have won top honors in Delaware’s Waterfowl Stamp and Trout Stamp art contests. A painting of a tundra swan by Broderick Crawford of Tiger, Ga., will grace the 2022/23 Delaware Waterfowl Stamp. In the 2022 Delaware Trout Stamp art contest, George Bradford of Georgetown, Del., took the top prize with his painting of a brown trout. Mr. Bradford also won second place in the Trout Stamp contest for his painting of a rainbow trout.

The annual stamp art competition drew seven entries for the 2022/23 Waterfowl Stamp and 12 entries for the 2022 Trout Stamp. The Waterfowl Stamp contest specified that submitted artwork must include a tundra swan. Trout Stamp artwork entries could depict a rainbow, brown or brook trout. Both contests are sponsored by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

As the 2022/23 Delaware Waterfowl Stamp winner, Broderick Crawford receives a $2,500 cash prize and 150 artist’s proofs of the limited edition print series of his first-place entry. Crawford, a lifelong resident of Tiger, Ga., is a self-taught artist who enjoys painting nature, wildlife and outdoor sporting art. Previously, Crawford took home a first-place win in Delaware’s 2019 Trout Stamp competition. Crawford also placed first in Iowa’s 2019/2020 duck stamp competition and as high as fourth in the national Federal Duck Stamp contest. He also is also an award-winning carver of waterfowl, shorebird and songbird species.

As the 2022 Delaware Trout Stamp winner, Delaware artist George Bradford receives a $250 prize and retains the rights to reproduce and sell prints of the stamp artwork. Bradford has entered the state’s Trout Stamp competition annually since its inception, placing multiple times with artwork that has depicted each of the three eligible trout species. Bradford’s success this year marks his fourth first-place win for the Delaware Trout Stamp and the second time that he has been honored with both first and second place in the same year for his entries.

Other winners were:

• 2022/23 Waterfowl Stamp — Second place: John Stewart, Wilmington, Del,; third place: Diane Ford, Bethesda, Md. Honorable mentions: Jane Jordan, Volant, Pa.; Jeffrey Klinefelter, Etna Green, Ind.; and Buck Spencer, Junction City, Ore.
• 2022 Trout Stamp — Third place: Tory Farris, Dover Foxcroft, Maine, brook trout. Honorable mentions: Broderick Crawford, Tiger, Ga., rainbow trout; Eric Jablonowski, Suwanee, Ga., brown trout; and Jeffrey Klinefelter, Etna Green, Ind., brown trout.

The art in each contest were judged by a different set of five judges, with each judge separately evaluating and scoring the respective contest entries in person as part of COVID-19 safety precautions, rather than convening in the customary judging panel format. Videos depicting the artwork, judging and winning entries can be viewed on DNREC’s YouTube channel at Waterfowl Stamp and Trout Stamp.

The winning 2022/23 Delaware Waterfowl Stamp will be available for purchase July 1, 2022, and the winning 2022 Delaware Trout Stamp will be available for purchase Jan. 1, 2022.

DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife, in partnership with Ducks Unlimited, started the Delaware Waterfowl Stamp and print program in 1980 to raise funds for waterfowl conservation, including acquiring and improving wetland habitats vital to migratory waterfowl. To date, more than $3.6 million has been raised. A Delaware Waterfowl Stamp and hunting license are required for most waterfowl hunters.

Delaware began requiring trout stamps for anglers in the 1950s. A Delaware Trout Stamp and a general fishing license are required for most anglers to fish in designated trout waters during certain seasons, with the funds from the sale of the stamps used by DNREC’s Division of Fish and Wildlife to purchase and stock trout in two downstate ponds and seven streams in northern New Castle County.

Delaware hunting and fishing licenses, as well as Waterfowl Stamps and Trout Stamps, are sold online and by license agents statewide. To find a participating agent, or to purchase licenses or stamps online, visit Delaware Licenses. For additional information on Delaware hunting and fishing licenses, call 302-739-9918.

For more information on Delaware’s Waterfowl Stamp and Trout Stamp art competitions, visit Delaware Waterfowl Stamp and Delaware Trout Stamp.

About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities, and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on nearly 65,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Joanna Wilson, joanna.wilson@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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