The Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge announce Rebekah Nastav 17 of Amoret, Missouri won third place in the 2008 National Junior Duck Contest. The judging occurred on Thursday April 17th, at the San Diego Zoo. Rebekah’s artwork of a hooded merganser entitled “Evening Swim” is featured on the website http://www.fws.gov/juniorduck/. With third place Rebekah won $2,000. In 2006 Rebekah won first place in the national competition when she was only 15. Due to rules of the contest she was unable to compete in 2007.
Rebekah’s artwork previously won Best of Show in Missouri’s Junior Duck Stamp contest in which over 800 entries were received from across the state. Upon winning Missouri’s contest her artwork then proceeded to compete against the other 50 states Best of Show entries. Missouri’s Junior Duck Stamp contest judging occurred on April 3rd. In each state 100 winners are chosen from artist ranging in age from 5 to 18. Four separate age groups have 25 winners each. From the first place winners in each age group a best of show is selected.
Through a generous donation from Bass Pro Shops all first place winners in Missouri receive $50 and the Best of Show receives $500. In addition to cash all 100 winners from Missouri will receive a ribbon, educational books about waterfowl, and last years winning stamp.
The Junior Duck stamp contest is a subordinate contest to the national duck stamp contest in which professional artist compete to be selected as the artist of the national waterfowl hunting stamp. The Junior Duck Stamp is made into a collectors stamp available for sale on line at www.duckstamp.com. It is not a hunting stamp.
The first day of sale of both the Junior Duck stamp and Federal Duck Stamp for the 2008-09 will occur at the Bass Pro shops Springfield store on Friday June 27th. Since 1934, the sales of duck stamps have generated more than $670 million, which has been used to help purchase or lease over 5.2 million acres of waterfowl habitat in the U.S. These lands are now protected in the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s National Wildlife Refuge System. Proceeds from Junior Duck Stamp sales are used to support environmental education efforts and awards for contest winners
The Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge encompass over 11,000 acres of public land in eight separate units in the Missouri River Floodplain between Kansas City and St. Louis.
For further information about the Big Muddy National Fish and Wildlife Refuge and to see past Missouri Junior Duck stamp winners and dates of the Missouri Junior Duck Stamp art tour across the state visit us on the web: www.fws.gov/midwest/bigmuddy.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit http://www.fws.gov
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