Two conservation and game birds stamps were recently issued by Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DLNR) for the 2018-19 hunting season.
The designs were chosen through a state-run art contest, which saw a committee review all submissions before two winners were chosen. The game bird stamp winner was Alvin V. Galvez, whose design depicts a wild male turkey on the slopes of Mauna Kea, with the endemic ohi‘a lehua in the foreground and the usual foggy conditions of the area in the background. The conservation stamp winner was James E. Basham, whose design depicts a young boar—painted in low light such as day break—in a puddle of water.
The conservation stamp depicts a young boar—painted in low light such as day break—in a puddle of water.
The conservation stamp is required on the Hawaii State hunting license, and the game bird hunting stamp is required for those intending to hunt game birds. Both stamps (differing slightly in text) will be available to wildlife stamp collectors through the Division of Forestry and Wildlife office in Honolulu.
Funds from sales of the Hawaii wildlife conservation stamps go into the state wildlife revolving fund to support wildlife populations and habitat as well as to manage hunting in the state. Activities and projects supported by this fund have included surveys of game bird and mammal populations; land lease for hunting; predator control; and maintenance of wildlife watering units. In addition, planting of native shrubs and trees, controlled burns, removal of invasive plants and other wildlife habitat improvement and restoration projects are supported by these funds.