Hawaiʻi Wildlife Conservation stamp contest opens : Maui Now

Artists are welcome to submit entries to the DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife in the 2024-25 Hawai‘i Wildlife Conservation and Game Bird Stamp annual art contest. The wildlife conservation stamp is a requirement for Hawai‘i state hunting licensees. The game bird stamp is required for anyone intending to hunt game birds. Both stamps will also be available to stamp collectors.  

• The Game Bird Stamp will feature the Melanistic Mutant (blue) Pheasant (Phasianus colchius). The melanistic pheasant originated in Europe over 100 years ago and is a color mutation of the more common Ringneck Pheasant. These large, beautiful pheasants feature an iridescent, greenish-black plumage. This is a favorite variety for release programs as they can survive and reproduce in the wild. They are located on the islands of O‘ahu, Hawaiʻi, and Kaua‘i.  
• The Wildlife Conservation Stamp will feature a Hawaiian Forest Bird. 2024 is the year of Ka Makahiki o Nā Manu Nahele: The Year of the Forest Bird, a time to celebrate the jewels of our Hawaiian forests. Our   native forest birds are uniquely Hawaiian. They exist only in Hawaiian islands and nowhere else in the world. These birds have critical        ecological roles as Hawaiian forest pollinators, seed dispersers, and insect managers.

Our forest birds are an inextricable part of Native Hawaiian culture in their roles as ʻaumakua (family deities) and messengers between akua (gods) and kānaka (people). Nā manu nahele are celebrated in mele (songs), moʻolelo (stories), ʻōlelo noʻeau (proverbs), kaʻao (legends), and in the creation of feather adornments, including lei hulu.  

Contest Entry Requirements 

Setting: Hawai‘i Habitat 

Size: Completed painting with a maximum of 24” by 36” and unframed (to be reduced to 1” X 1.5” stamp) 

Medium: Oil or acrylic preferred 

Entry: Completed oil or acrylic painting or an 8.5” X 11” photo/print/photocopy of a completed painting 

Deadline: All entries must be received by March 15, 2024. Notification of the winner will be made later in March. 

Shipping Fee: All paintings sent must be accompanied by a $35 fee to cover the cost of returning artwork. You must come to the Administration office to pick up your artwork if a check is not included. Checks are to be made payable to the DLNR. Otherwise, a photo, print, or photocopy of an original painting may be sent without fee (see application form). 

Payments: The winner will receive a maximum award of $1,000.  

Funds from Hawai‘i Wildlife Conservation Stamp sales go into the state Wildlife Revolving Fund to support wildlife populations and habitats and to manage the state’s hunting and non-game programs.  

Last year, revenues from both stamps were used to cover some of the costs of maintaining hunting units and to add game bird and game mammal hunting opportunities where possible. Proceeds from the sale of wildlife conservation stamps will also provide funds for salaries, the annual lease rental of the Lānaʻi Cooperative Game Management Area, and support wildlife diversity programs.