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Waterfowl and trout stamp art winners announced

October 9, 2021

The results are in, and two artists have won top honors in Delaware’s Waterfowl Stamp and Trout Stamp art contests. Both contests are sponsored by the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.

In the 2022 Delaware Trout Stamp art contest, George Bradford of Georgetown took the top prize with his painting of a brown trout. Bradford also won second place in the trout stamp contest for his painting of a rainbow trout.

A painting of a tundra swan by Broderick Crawford of Tiger, Ga., will grace the 2022-23 Delaware Waterfowl Stamp. Crawford also received an honorable mention for his trout stamp contest entry.

As Delaware Waterfowl Stamp winner, Crawford receives a $2,500 cash prize and 150 artist’s proofs of the limited-edition print series of his first-place entry. Crawford 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. 

As the Delaware Trout Stamp winner, 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 works depicting 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 he has been honored with both first and second place in the same year for his entries.

The artworks 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.

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 stamp sales 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.

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