David Y. Ige

HONOLULU —   The Department of Land and Natural Resources, Division of Forestry and Wildlife is seeking entries in an art contest to depict a Game Mammal and Game Bird for its 2016-2017 Hawai‘i Wildlife Conservation and Game Bird Stamp. The conservation stamp is required on the Hawai‘i 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 for purchase by wildlife stamp collectors.

Funds from sales of the Hawai‘i Wildlife Conservation Stamps go into the state Wildlife Revolving Fund to support wildlife populations and habitat, and to manage hunting in the state. Activities and projects supported by this fund have included surveys of game bird and mammal populations; land leasing 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.

Subjects for this year’s stamps:

Axis Deer: The Axis deer, called chital in their native India, are smaller in size than white-tailed deer found in the continental U.S. The deer first came to Hawai‘i in the 1860’s as a gift from Hong Kong to the Monarch who ruled at the time, King Kamehameha V. They were first take to Moloka‘i Island and subsequently to Maui and Lana‘i.

Black Francolin: This bird was introduced as a game bird to the Hawaiian Islands with small populations living in Florida and Louisiana, and is found on all the main islands except Lana‘i. This francolin is commonly found in thick vegetation, brushy areas and tall grasslands; generally near water. Inhabits “mosaic” areas where forests and cultivated lands meet, but is an interior forest bird. In the 2013-14 hunting season, the Black Francolin was not the most commonly harvested game bird but more than 800 were harvested which is 10% of the 7829 game birds recorded at hunter check stations in 2014.

Contest requirements:

SUBJECT:

The Black Francolin (Francolinus francolinus) (occurs on all main islands except Lana‘i.)
Axis Deer (Axis axis) (Occurs on Maui, Moloka‘i and Lana‘i)

SETTING: Hawai‘i habitat

SIZE: Completed painting with a maximum of 24” by 36” and unframed (to be reduced to 1” X 1.5” stamp)

MEDIUM: Oil or acrylic

ENTRY: Completed oil or acrylic painting or an 8.5” X 11” photo/print/photocopy of a completed painting

DEADLINE: All entries must be received by March 15, 2016. Notification of the winner will be made on March 25, 2016.

SHIPPING FEE: All paintings sent must be accompanied by a $35.00 fee, to cover the cost of returning artwork. If a check is not included you will need to come to the Administration office to pick up your artwork. Checks are to be made payable to the Department of Land and Natural Resources. Otherwise, a photo, print, or photocopy of an original painting may be sent with no fee (see application form).

PAYMENTS: The winner will receive a maximum award of $1,000.

Additional Resources

Copies of this announcement and the application form are available upon request, from the Division of Forestry and Wildlife, 1151 Punchbowl St., Room 325, Honolulu, HI 96813. Questions regarding the contest can be e-mailed to [email protected] or directed to (808) 587-4159.

Last year revenues from the Conservation Stamp and the Game Bird Stamp were used to cover some of the costs of maintaining hunting units and to add game bird and game mammal hunting opportunities where possible. Funding helped pay for facility development, game mammal and game bird surveys, management of hunts, signage, paying commissions to vendors for the sales of hunting licenses, supplement game bird populations in new areas, to implement food crop plantings for game birds, to mow grasses and weeds to allow hunting, and to control predators like mongooses, rats, and feral cats, while proceeds from the sales of conservation stamp will also provide the funds for the annual lease rental of the Lana‘i Cooperative Game Management Area and several other hunting unit leases.

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Media Contact:

Deborah Ward

DLNR Public information specialist

Phone: (808) 5870320