The Association Applauds Implementation of the Duck Stamp Modernization Act of 2023

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (Association) applauds the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for implementing the Duck Stamp Modernization Act of 2023 (S. 788). This bill was signed into law by President Biden on December 19, 2023, and modifies the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, also known as the duck stamp. The Act allows hunters to purchase an electronic stamp online and save it to their phone, instead of using a paper stamp. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service has confirmed the legislation will be implemented in time for the upcoming waterfowl hunting season.

“We thank the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for acting quickly to implement the Duck Stamp Modernization Act of 2023 in response to the need to modernize the Federal Duck Stamp Program for today’s sportsmen and women,” said Chuck Sykes, Director of the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries and President of the Association. “Waterfowlers will benefit from this legislation as it brings the Federal Duck Stamp program in line with electronic license systems employed by most state fish and wildlife agencies.”

Implementation of the Duck Stamp Modernization Act of 2023 removes the 45-day validation period of the electronic stamp and makes it valid for the entirety of the hunting season. This will allow hunters to have a valid electronic duck stamp on their smartphone throughout the hunting season like their other licenses. To ensure the continuance and integrity of the Federal Duck Stamp art contest, a longstanding tradition for waterfowlers, the Act ensures that purchasers of e-stamps receive the physical stamp in the mail between March 10 and June 30. The Act makes buying a duck stamp easier and more accessible to waterfowlers while preserving the rich history of the Duck Stamp artwork.