Federal Duck Stamp now available at Michigan license retailers

Waterfowl hunters and wildlife enthusiasts can now buy the Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp – also known as the Duck Stamp – at more than 1,400 Michigan license sales outlets.

 

2014-15 federal duck stampThe Federal Duck Stamp also has been available for purchase online at www.mdnr-elicense.com since mid-July. The online purchasing option is part of a partnership between the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service’s Federal Duck Stamp Office, designed to make the Duck Stamp more readily available and increase participation in this successful wetland conservation program.

 

Required annually for all migratory waterfowl hunters age 16 or older, the Federal Duck Stamp costs $17 when purchased at license vendors or via E-license, the DNR’s online license sales system. The stamp cost is $15, and both the stamp distributor and the DNR charge a $1 processing and handling fee. License agents also may choose to charge a processing fee up to $1. There will be no refunds available once the stamps are purchased.

 

When customers purchase the Federal Duck Stamp at a license retailer, they will receive a temporary stamp printed on license stock. The temporary stamp will be legal to hunt with for up to 45 days from purchase, during which time the customer will get a physical stamp in the mail from Amplex, the stamp distributor.

 

Stamps that are lost in the mail or returned due to an incorrect address will be replaced at no cost. Customers who do not receive a stamp in the mail within 30 days of purchase should call Amplex Customer Service at 1-800-852-4897. Replacement stamps are not available for those that customers lose or damage.

 

Federal Duck Stamps purchased in Michigan are valid for migratory waterfowl hunting throughout the United States. The stamps also are sold at some post offices and many national wildlife refuges.

 

The Duck Stamp, originally created in 1934 as a federal license required for hunting migratory birds, has become a vital tool for wetland conservation. For every dollar generated by the sale of Federal Duck Stamps, 98 cents goes directly to buy or lease wetland habitat for protection in the National Wildlife Refuge System. Proceeds have been used to purchase or lease about 6.5 million acres of wetlands habitat on many of the more than 560 national wildlife refuges, including more than 52,000 acres on three Michigan national wildlife refuges (Detroit River, Seney and Shiawassee).

 

More information about buying the Federal Duck Stamp is available at www.michigan.gov/waterfowl. More information about waterfowl hunting seasons and regulations is available in the 2014 Michigan Waterfowl Hunting Digest.

 

To learn more about the Federal Duck Stamp, visit www.fws.gov/duckstamps.