2009 Turkey Stamp Contest Winner Announced

An acrylic painting of three turkeys set in a wintry sunset landscape created by Craig Fairbert of Ladysmith is the winning entry of the 2009 Wisconsin Wild Turkey Stamp contest. Fairbert has been submitting entries for several of the stamp contests regularly in recent years. However, this is the first time Craig has won the state Wild Turkey Stamp design contest. Last year he came close, coming in as the first runner-up in the contest. After many runner-up finishes in the stamp contests, Craig says he is “learning that is helps to try and add a bit of drama to the piece.” Certainly, the 2009 Wild Turkey Stamp accomplishes this.

A total of 13 artists submitted artwork for the 2009 Wild Turkey Stamp design contest. First runner-up was Virgil A. Beck of Stevens Point. Second runner-up was Steven Hovel of DeForest.

Sales of the wild turkey stamp help provide future opportunities for turkey management and hunting in Wisconsin. All turkey hunters are required to purchase the $5.25 Turkey Stamp to legally hunt turkeys in Wisconsin. Sales of the Turkey Stamp bring in over $500,000 annually for habitat management and restoration projects, education, research, equipment, and for managing the wild turkey program in our state. The Wisconsin Wild Turkey Stamp Design Contest judging is held in January each year at the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation state convention.

To request information and rules about the contest, send mail to: Assistant Upland Ecologist

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