New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife |
August 18, 2003
The 2003 waterfowl stamp marks the 20th anniversary of New Jersey’s Waterfowl Stamp Program. It is the first stamp in the Retriever Puppy Series; the first collectible series of state waterfowl stamps depicting waterfowl and various breeds of retriever puppies. The stamp is painted by James Killen and features a black labrador puppy with a pintail decoy carved by artist Clarence Fennimore.
The Waterfowl Stamp Program began in 1984 with an act of State Legislature that requires waterfowl hunters aged 16 and older to buy state waterfowl stamps. The DEP’s Division of Fish and Wildlife administers the program for the purpose of purchasing wetlands for the protection of waterfowl habitat. To date, proceeds from the sale of stamps and prints has raised $3.9 million, which, along with land donations, has resulted in the protection of more than 13,000 acres of wetlands for conservation and public use.