Waterfowl, pheasant stamp design contest winners announced
GREEN BAY -- A painting of an American Wigeon pair by Robert Leum of Holmen is the winning entry of the 2009 Wisconsin Waterfowl Stamp contest while a painting of a rooster and a hen by Sigmund Loch of Franklin is the winning entry in the 2009 Wisconsin Pheasant Stamp design contest.
Judging for the 2009 waterfowl and pheasant stamp design contests took place in Green Bay on Aug. 16, 2008, at the Neville Public Museum. A total of 23 waterfowl entries and 15 pheasant entries competed for the honor.
Waterfowl stamp
2009 waterfowl stamp contest winner
2009 Wisconsin Waterfowl Stamp Design Contest Winner
WDNR Photo
Waterfowl stamp contest winner Leum resides in Holmen, Wisconsin along with his wife Beverly, where he enjoys hunting, fishing, and bird-watching. Leum is employed as a graphic artist for a screen printing company and has painted for many years. He has previously been selected as Wisconsin’s wining artist for the 2001 Turkey Stamp and 2002 Pheasant Stamp. In 2004, he was named the Ducks Unlimited “Artist of the Year.” In addition, Leum maintains a commitment to wildlife conservation by donating original artwork to local conservation groups to help raise funds for habitat work.
The second place winner for the 2009 Waterfowl Stamp Contest was Robert Metropulos of Hazelhurst with a painting of a pair of pintails. Third place was awarded to Sigmund Loch of Franklin.
Proceeds from the sale of the $7 Waterfowl Stamps are used to develop, manage, preserve, restore and maintain wetland habitat in Wisconsin and Canada for waterfowl and other wetland associated wildlife species. Wisconsin duck and goose hunters are required to purchase “stamp approval” through the Automated Issuance License System (ALIS) in order to have a valid license, but will not receive an actual stamp unless they request it. DNR service centers will have the stamps available for free to everyone with stamp approval. Anyone else interested in collecting the stamp may purchase one directly from the DNR.
Pheasant stamp
2009 Pheasant Stamp Contest Winner
2009 Wisconsin Pheasant Stamp Contest Winner
WDNR Photo
Pheasant stamp contest winner Loch was born in Poland in 1925 but now resides in Franklin, Wisconsin. Loch is a graduate of the Layton School of Art which is now known as the Milwaukee School of Art. He spent almost 30 years as a graphic artist for Allis-Chalmers in their creative arts department. Following his retirement, he began exploring other mediums and ventured into the realm of wildlife art.
“I get great enjoyment painting conservation landscape and wildlife art, particularly birds,” Loch said.
He has been entering several of Wisconsin’s stamp competitions, placing first runner-up on many occasions. This year, in addition to winning the Pheasant Stamp Contest, Loch also placed third in the Waterfowl Stamp Contest.
2009 Pheasant Stamp Contest second place winner was William Millonig of Campbellsport. Russell Meyer of Oconomowoc took third place
Sales of the $10 pheasant stamp annually brings in more than $370,000 for developing, managing, conserving, and maintaining the wild pheasant population in the state and contributing to the stocking of put-and-take pheasants on Wisconsin’s public hunting grounds. A pheasant stamp is required to hunt pheasants in the state of Wisconsin.
The judging panel included: Brian Kuether, the artist featured on the current 2008 Wisconsin Waterfowl Stamp; Bruce Deadman of Wisconsin Ducks Unlimited; Marilyn Stasiak, Neville’s Curator of Art; Dennis Counard of Wisconsin Pheasants Forever; Kevin Naze, an outdoor writer for the Green Bay Press Gazette; and J.D. Smith, DNR Regional CAES Leader for the Northeast.
A graphic image of the 2009 Wisconsin Waterfowl Stamp will be available soon on the DNR Web site at [Wisconsin Waterfowl Stamp page. Previous waterfowl stamp winners can also be viewed on the DNR Web site.
The 2009 Wisconsin Pheasant Stamp image will also be available in the future. Images of previous pheasant stamp winners are also available.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: on the Pheasant Stamp Design Contest contact: Sharon Fandel at (608) 261-8458; on the Waterfowl Stamp Design Contest contact: Michele Cipiti at (608) 266-7408
