Multiple Blue Ribbons-Winner and First-Time Contest Victor Are Awarded Best in Show in State’s Annual Wildlife Art Competition

A 10-time Delaware stamp contest winner who added another blue ribbon to his run of artistic success and a first-time winner of a state stamp competition have claimed top honors in Delaware’s Waterfowl Stamp and Trout Stamp art contests, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today. Well-known in Delaware for his seven winning state trout stamp entries, as well as for three previous waterfowl stamp competition wins, Jeffrey Klinefelter took Best in Show again for his painting of a redhead duck which will grace the 2024/25 Delaware Waterfowl Stamp. A painting of a rainbow trout by Trevor Dumaw of Colorado Springs, Colo., was awarded first place and will be featured on the 2024 Delaware Trout Stamp.

The annual stamp art competition drew 14 entries for the 2024/25 Delaware Waterfowl Stamp and 12 entries for the 2024 Trout Stamp. The Waterfowl Stamp contest specified that submitted artwork must include the motif of a redhead duck on open water. Trout Stamp artwork entries could depict a rainbow, brown or brook trout.

As the 2024/25 Delaware Waterfowl Stamp winner, Klinefelter, of Etna Green, Ind., receives a $2,500 cash prize and 150 artist’s proofs of the limited edition print series of his first-place entry. An artist who likes who likes to paint from his own photos, Klinefelter over the past 30 years has won numerous contests in states including Nevada, Ohio, Delaware, California, Oklahoma, Oregon, North and South Carolina, Indiana and Colorado. After winning the 2023 Delaware Trout Stamp last year, he rang up a fourth blue ribbon in Delaware’s Waterfowl Stamp contest.

As the 2024 Delaware Trout Stamp winner, Dumaw receives a $250 cash prize and retains the rights to reproduce and sell prints of the stamp artwork. Dumaw credits his passion for wildlife art to countless hunting and fishing trips in upstate New York, where he was born and raised. At age 20, Dumaw put his career on hold to enlist in the U.S. States Army as a military policeman. He was deployed to the Balkans before completing an overseas tour in South Korea, where he was assigned to the United Nations Joint Security Battalion, and a deployment to Baghdad, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Dumaw finished his military career as a police investigator before being honorably discharged. As an artist, his preferred subject is the wildlife he’s surrounded by at the eastern foot of the Rocky Mountains.

Other winners were:

• 2024/25 Waterfowl Stamp – Second place: Guy Crittenden, Richmond, Va.; Third place: John Stewart, Wilmington, Del. Honorable mentions: Caleb Metrich, Lake Tomahawk, Wis.; Marion Orchard, Severn, Md.; Michael Kensinger, Altoona, Pa.; and Jonathan Milo, Monroe, Conn.
• 2023 Trout Stamp – Second place: Dennis Arp, Edison, Neb., brook trout; Third place: Tory Farris, Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, brown trout. Honorable mentions: Tiffany Beczkalo, Dallas, Ga., rainbow trout; Walter Wincek, Elyria, Ohio, brook trout; Matt Doyle, Everett, Pa., brook trout.

Artwork in each contest was judged by a different set of five judges, with each judge separately evaluating and scoring the respective contest artwork in person.

The 2024/25 Waterfowl Stamp judges were: Carrie Lingo, Delaware Ducks Unlimited representative; Drew Clendaniel, stamp collector; Lori Crawford, Delaware State University Professor of Art; Elio Battista, Advisory Council on Wildlife and Freshwater Fish member, and Shawn Sullivan, wildlife biologist.
The 2024 Trout Stamp judges were: Noel Kuhrt, stamp collector; Ed O’Donnell, Trout Unlimited member; Sam Palermo, avid angler; Linda Parkowski, Advisory Council on Wildlife and Freshwater Fish member; and Mike Steiger, fisheries biologist.

The winning 2024/25 Delaware Waterfowl Stamp will be available for purchase July 1, 2024, and the winning 2024 Delaware Trout Stamp will be available for purchase Jan. 1, 2024.

The DNREC 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 the survival of 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, and a Delaware Trout Stamp and a general fishing license are required for most anglers to fish in designated trout waters during certain seasons. Funds from the sale of the stamps are used to purchase trout to stock in select streams in northern New Castle County and in two downstate ponds.

More information about Delaware’s Waterfowl Stamp contest can be found at de.gov/waterfowlstamp. More information about the Trout Stamp contest can be found at de.gov/troutstamp.

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 68,000 acres of public land owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram,  Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov; Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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Delaware’s December hunting seasons set to open include ducks and Canada geese, with trapping season for furbearers such as muskrat and mink also to begin across the state. /DNREC photo

Successful Hunters Encouraged to Donate Harvested Deer to DNREC’s Delaware Hunters Against Hunger Program

Additional Delaware hunting and trapping seasons are set to open in December, including a special antlerless deer season, which opens on Dec. 10 and extends through Dec. 18, and multiple furbearer trapping seasons opening Dec. 1, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today. Duck, Canada goose, woodcock, snipe and other hunting seasons also open during the month.

Archery and crossbow hunters are reminded that they are not allowed to harvest antlered deer during the special December antlerless deer season. Deer hunting is allowed on all Sundays through Jan. 31, 2023, using only those hunting methods legal for the respective established deer hunting seasons, with additional information available at de.gov/sundayhunt. All deer harvested by hunters must be registered online within 24 hours at de.gov/digitaldnrec or by calling toll free 855-DEL-HUNT (855-335-4868).

Successful deer hunters who wish to donate venison to those in need are encouraged to participate in DNREC’s Delaware Hunters Against Hunger Program. Field-dressed deer may be donated at participating butchers or self-serve, walk-in coolers maintained by the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife, with additional information and participating butcher and cooler locations found online at de.gov/DHAH. All donated deer will be processed free of charge to the hunter, and the meat will be distributed to participating charitable organizations. Last year, hunters donated over 24,000 pounds of processed venison that provided more than 97,000 meals to Delawareans in need.

Hunting season dates for seasons opening in December:

• Beaver (private lands only): Dec. 1 through Mar. 19, 2023
• Woodcock and common snipe (second season split): Dec. 2 through Jan. 16, 2023
• Ducks (including sea ducks*), coots and mergansers (third season split): Dec. 9 through Jan. 31, 2023
• Deer (Special Antlerless): Dec. 10 through 18, 2022, including Sundays
• Brant (second season split): Dec. 12 through Jan. 31, 2023
• Canada goose (second season split): Dec. 24 through Jan. 23, 2023

* Sea duck hunters are advised that there is no longer a special sea duck zone with its own separate season dates or daily bag and possession limits. Season dates for sea ducks are now the same as the regular duck season and the daily bag and possession limits for sea ducks are now included as part of the regular daily bag and possession limits for all ducks. Refer to Page 34 of the 2022/2023 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide found at de.gov/hunting for additional information about hunting sea ducks.

Trapping season dates for seasons opening in December:

• Red fox and coyote: Dec. 1 through March 10, 2023
• Beaver: Dec. 1 through Mar. 20, 2023
• Muskrat, mink, otter, raccoon, opossum and nutria (New Castle County Only): Dec. 1 through March 10, 2023 (through March 20, 2023 on embanked meadows)
• Muskrat, mink, otter, raccoon, opossum and nutria (Kent and Sussex counties): Dec. 15 through March 15, 2023

Continuing Delaware hunting seasons include:

• Bobwhite quail: through Jan. 7, 2023
• Mourning dove (second season split): through Jan. 31, 2023
• Deer archery and crossbow: through Jan. 31, 2023, including all Sundays
• Tundra swan (by special permit ONLY): through Jan. 31, 2023
• Snow goose: through Jan. 31, 2023 and Feb. 4, 2023
• Ring-necked pheasant (male only): through Feb. 4, 2023
• Gray squirrel: through Feb. 4, 2023
• Red fox (hunt only): through Feb. 28, 2023
• Coyote (hunting): through Feb. 28, 2023
• Cottontail rabbit: through Feb. 28, 2023
• Raccoon and opossum (hunt only): through Feb. 28, 2023
• Crows: through March 25, 2023, June 22 through 24, 2023 and June 29 through 30, 2023 (Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays only)
• Groundhog: through June 30, 2023

The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife offers many hunting opportunities on state wildlife areas. Wildlife area maps and rules are available at de.gov/wamaps, with information specific to Sunday deer hunting on state wildlife areas available at de.gov/sundayhunt.

A Delaware hunting license or License Exempt Number (LEN) is required to hunt, and most waterfowl hunters are required to purchase a Delaware waterfowl (duck) stamp and a Federal Duck Stamp. Dove, goose and duck hunters also need a Federal Harvest Information Program (HIP) number, which can be obtained online at de.gov/digitaldnrec or by calling toll free 1-855-DEL-HUNT (1-855-335-4868). When using the online DNREC permitting system, hunters should either create a profile or use the “Quick Hunting Registration” option.

Registered motor vehicles used to access designated wildlife areas owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife are required to have and display a Conservation Access Pass (CAP). Hunters can opt to receive one free annual CAP with the purchase of any Delaware hunting license. To obtain a CAP, hunters will need the registration card for the vehicle to which the pass will be assigned, except for the Resident Senior Lifetime Conservation Access Pass available to Delaware residents aged 65 or older.

Delaware hunting licenses, Delaware waterfowl stamps and Conservation Access Passes can be purchased online at de.gov/digitaldnrec, at the license desk in DNREC’s Dover office at 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901 or from hunting license agents statewide. Hunters obtaining a LEN are reminded that they should create a profile using the de.gov/digitaldnrec portal or obtain a LEN at a hunting license agent if they have not already done so. Federal Duck Stamps are available for purchase at U.S. Post Offices, Bombay Hook and Prime Hook national wildlife refuges and online at 2022/2023 Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp.

More information on hunting seasons and wildlife areas is available in the 2022/2023 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide at de.gov/hunting. More information on hunting licenses, the state waterfowl stamp and the Conservation Access Pass is available at de.gov/huntinglicense.

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, Instagram,  Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contact: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov

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A Northern pintail drake, a duck also known to wildlife watchers and hunters as a “bull sprig” for its graceful and powerful flight. Delaware’s first season split for duck hunting runs from Oct. 21 to 29. /USFWS photo

Youth Waterfowl Hunt to Occur Oct. 15; Hunters Reminded That Deer Hunting is Allowed on All Sundays Through Jan. 31, 2023

Additional Delaware hunting seasons are set to open in October, including various deer firearm seasons, duck, snow goose and other migratory game birds – as well as the one-day youth-only waterfowl hunt on Saturday, Oct. 15, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced today. Deer hunting is allowed on all Sundays through Jan. 31, 2023, using only those hunting methods legal for the respective established deer hunting seasons, with additional information available at de.gov/sundayhunt.

Hunting season dates and hunting hours for seasons opening in October:

• Snow goose: Oct. 1 through Jan. 31, 2023; Feb. 4, 2023 (½-hour before sunrise to sunset)
• Antlerless deer: Oct. 1 through 2, 17, 21 through 24 and 28 through 31, including Sundays (½- hour before sunrise to ½-hour after sunset)
• Muzzleloader deer: Oct. 7 through 16, including Sundays (½- hour before sunrise to ½-hour after sunset)
• Youth Waterfowl Hunt: Oct. 15 (½-hour before sunrise to sunset)
• Ducks, coots and mergansers: first season split Oct. 21 through Oct. 29 (½-hour before sunrise to sunset)

Continuing hunting seasons include:

• Mourning dove: through Oct. 3 (½-hour before sunrise to sunset)
• Moorhen, gallinule, sora, Virginia rail, king rail and clapper rail: through Nov. 23 (½-hour before sunrise to sunset)
• Common snipe: through Nov. 26 (½-hour before sunrise to sunset)
• Archery and crossbow deer: through Jan. 31, 2023, including all Sundays (½- hour before sunrise to ½-hour after sunset
• Gray squirrel: through Feb. 4, 2023 (½-hour before sunrise to ½-hour after sunset; closed during the November deer general firearm season)
• Coyote: through Feb. 28, 2023 (½- hour before sunrise to ½-hour after sunset)
• Crows: through March 25, 2023, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays only (½-hour before sunrise to sunset)
• Groundhog: through June 30, 2023 (½- hour before sunrise to ½-hour after sunset)

The DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife offers many hunting opportunities on state wildlife areas. Wildlife area maps and rules are available at de.gov/wamaps, with information specific to Sunday deer hunting on state wildlife areas available at de.gov/sundayhunt.

A Delaware hunting license or License Exempt Number (LEN) is required to hunt, and most waterfowl hunters are required to purchase a Delaware waterfowl (duck) stamp and a Federal Duck Stamp. Dove, goose and duck hunters also need a Federal Harvest Information Program (HIP) number, which can be obtained online at de.gov/digitaldnrec or by calling toll free 1-855-DEL-HUNT (1-855-335-4868). When using the online DNREC permitting system, hunters should either create a profile or use the “Quick Hunting Registration” option.

Registered motor vehicles used to access designated wildlife areas owned or managed by the Division of Fish and Wildlife are required to have and display a Conservation Access Pass (CAP). Hunters can opt to receive one free annual CAP with the purchase of any Delaware hunting license. To obtain a CAP, hunters will need the registration card for the vehicle to which the pass will be assigned.

Delaware hunting licenses, Delaware waterfowl stamps and Conservation Access Passes can be purchased online at de.gov/digitaldnrec, at the license desk in DNREC’s Dover office at 89 Kings Highway, Dover, DE 19901 or from hunting license agents statewide. Hunters obtaining a LEN are reminded that they should create a profile using the de.gov/digitaldnrec portal or obtain a LEN at a hunting license agent if they have not already done so. Federal Duck Stamps are available for purchase at U.S. Post Offices, Bombay Hook and Prime Hook national wildlife refuges and online at 2022/2023 Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp.

More information on hunting seasons and wildlife areas is available in the 2022/2023 Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide at de.gov/hunting. More information on hunting licenses, the state waterfowl stamp and the Conservation Access Pass is available at de.gov/huntinglicense.

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 68,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.

Media Contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov

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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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DOVER – DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife invites wildlife art enthusiasts, stamp and print collectors, waterfowl hunters, anglers, birdwatchers, wetland conservationists, and working retriever fans to gather at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, April 12 for the judging of Delaware’s annual Waterfowl Stamp and Trout Stamp contests, which will be held at the Dover Public Library, 35 Loockerman Plaza, Dover, DE 19901. Following the competition, entries will be on display at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge April 16-27.

Sponsored by DNREC’s Division of Fish & Wildlife in partnership with Ducks Unlimited, the annual waterfowl stamp contest draws entries by renowned and emerging artists from across the country. The winning artwork will be reproduced on a stamp which must be carried by most waterfowl hunters. Waterfowl stamps are also purchased by collectors and other conservation-minded citizens.

This year marks the 39th anniversary of the Delaware Waterfowl Stamp contest, which DNREC began in 1980 to raise funds for waterfowl conservation, including acquiring and improving wetland habitats vital to the survival of migratory waterfowl. To date, more than $2.8 million has been raised from the purchase of Delaware Waterfowl Stamps. The new Waterfowl Stamp, which will go on sale for the 2019/20 hunting season, will feature artwork that must include a long-tailed duck (oldsquaw) and black Labrador retriever.

For the 2019 Trout Stamp contest, artists from across the nation had the opportunity to submit paintings of rainbow, brown, or brook trout to the Division of Fish & Wildlife for consideration. The winning artwork will be reproduced on a stamp that is required for most trout anglers. Some 6,500 trout anglers and stamp collectors support this program annually, generating funds to purchase trout for stocking in six northern New Castle County streams, Tidbury Pond in Kent County and Newton Pond in Sussex County.

Delaware’s 2019/20 Waterfowl Stamp will be selected by a panel of five judges including a Ducks Unlimited designee and a member of the state’s Advisory Council on Wildlife and Freshwater Fish, with the remaining three judges randomly selected by the director of the Division of Fish & Wildlife from a judging pool that includes conservationists, biologists and artists.

The 2019 Delaware Trout Stamp also will be selected by five judges, including a member of the Delaware Trout Association and a member of the Advisory Council on Wildlife and Freshwater Fish, with the remaining three judges also randomly selected by the director of the Division of Fish & Wildlife from a pool including anglers, biologists and artists.

For more information on Delaware’s Waterfowl Stamp and Trout Stamp programs, please contact the Division of Fish & Wildlife at 302-739-9911, or visit http://de.gov/waterfowlstamp or http://de.gov/troutstamp.

Media contact: Joanna Wilson, DNREC Public Affairs, 302-739-9902.

Follow the Division of Fish & Wildlife on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/DelawareFishWildlife.

Vol. 48, No. 69

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