Wetlands-aiding duck stamp will depict woman's redheads

An illustration of a duck on a wetlands habitat stamp isn’t a real duck. It is a real picture, though, and that makes for something authentic in the wild.

The process unfolds more or less like this:

An illustrator commits a feathery vision to canvas, enters the painting in state or federal duck stamp competition and hopes the judges discern the excellence that distinguishes it from all other entries.

The winning illustration, reduced to stamp size, is sold at nominal cost by the issuing body — the Ohio Division of Wildlife, for instance — to waterfowl hunters and collectors during a license year. The profits from sales are used to help rehabilitate wetlands without the expenditure of general tax money.

The restoration and recovery of wetlands benefit not only ducks and other marsh dwellers but people, too. Wetlands help filter water, easing the burden on municipal treatment systems. Ohio’s wetlands stand only at about 10 percent of their expanse before European settlement, suggesting water probably was cleaner back in the day but mosquitoes and malaria more of a problem.

The illustrator, meanwhile, stands to gain not only prestige but also money for brushes and paint because limited runs of prints of the winning illustration often fetch premier prices.

Ohio’s annual wetlands habitat stamp competition was held last month inside the DoubleTree by Hilton in Worthington in conjunction with the 2018 Ohio Ducks Unlimited awards dinner. Ducks Unlimited, a beneficiary of about 40 percent of the revenue generated by Ohio’s wetlands stamp, has raised many millions of dollars for wetlands conservation. Further millions have been raised both by states and the federal Polar bear Victoria and her cub explore their outdoor enclosure at the RZSS Highland Wildlife Park in Kingussie, Scotland, on Tuesday. The unnamed cub, whose sex is unknown, is the first to be born in the United Kingdom in 25 years. government through the sale of so-called duck stamps.

Emerging victorious from among 11 submitted works during the 2018 Ohio contest was a pair of floating redheads — a drake and a hen — by Pennsylvania wildlife artist Jocelyn Beatty, who resides not far from Youngstown. Only one other woman, Ohio artist Christine Clayton in 2016, has won the annual competition, which began in 1982.

Beatty’s redheads will appear on the 2019-20 Ohio duck stamp. The $15 stamp is a required purchase in any year for anyone who prefers to be legal when hunting ducks, geese or other in-season avian marsh dwellers.

Second place this year went to Jeffrey Klinefelter’s painting of a redhead in flight. Klinefelter, of Etna Green, Indiana, is a multiple Ohio winner. His depiction of an American wigeon appeared on the 2017-18 stamp. Ohio native Adam Grimm’s painting of mallards landing in a marsh finished third this year. Grimm, who has won the prestigious federal duck stamp competition twice, is another multiple winner of the Ohio contest.

The 2018-19 wetlands habitat stamp, when issued later this year, will depict a pair of ring-necked ducks by wildlife artist Daniel Allard of Marengo, a Morrow County village, based on competition held a year ago.

In the meantime,

the 2018 Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp, the proceeds of which help fund nongame species restoration, is currently available at $15. The stamp, taken from a photograph, depicts an eastern garter snake.

Bobcat update

The wildlife division’s proposal to permit limited trapping of bobcats in parts of Ohio drew a number of vocal opponents to the recent statewide Ohio Wildlife Council hearing in Columbus.

Opposition to bobcat trapping reportedly has caused the wildlife division to extend the public comment period for this year’s hunting and trapping proposals. As a result, a public hearing has been scheduled as part of a wildlife council meeting April 23, 2 p.m., at the division’s District One office, 1500 Dublin Road, Columbus.

The wildlife council is scheduled to render its approval or disapproval during the May meeting. Typically, the council acts on the year’s hunting proposals during its April meeting.

An insider reported that, as the issue and council makeup currently stand, bobcat trapping approval would be less than likely. However, a change in council membership is forthcoming.

Appointees to the eight-member wildlife council are chosen at the discretion of the governor.