But it’s not the first time he has won the contest \u2013 or the second or third time, either. It’s his seventh time.<\/p>\n
His artwork for this year’s contest, an acrylic painting of three buffleheads<\/a>, will be made into the 2026-27 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, or Duck Stamp, which will go on sale in late June 2026, the news release says.<\/p>\n Every year, the sale of the stamp raises about $40 million to support conservation of wetland habitats in the National Wildlife Refuge System<\/a>.<\/p>\n Related: <\/strong>There’s a new mural going up in downtown St. Cloud<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cThe stamp created using James\u2019 art will serve as a lasting reminder of our rich waterfowl hunting heritage,\u201d Brian Nesvik<\/a>, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. \u201cI encourage everyone, including those who do not hunt, to buy a Duck Stamp, which raises millions of dollars to conserve wildlife and healthy wetland habitats for waterfowl and numerous other species.\u201d<\/p>\n Another Minnesota resident, Thomas E. Miller, of Kilkenny, placed second with an acrylic painting of a cinnamon teal<\/a>. Jeffrey Mobley, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, placed third.<\/p>\n A total of 290 entries were judged, with 83 making it to the final round. There were five duck species eligible to be painted in this year’s contest: bufflehead, cinnamon teal, gadwall, ruddy duck and wood duck. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has an online gallery<\/a> of the contest entries.<\/p>\n James Hautman, an artist from Chaska, a Twin Cities suburb, is the winner of the 2025 Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest with an acrylic painting of three buffleheads.<\/p>\n![\"James](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/3aab4a655fdbe940ec411542fd7c6c6a.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n