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Federal Duck Stamps – The Thoughtful Yuletide Gift

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Joshua Winchell (202) 219-7499
In your search for a last-minute stocking stuffer, look to the Federal Duck Stamp as a unique, no compromise gift that truly encompasses the Christmas spirit. And, you can get them at the Post Office when you go to mail your other gifts.
Here are 10 reasons why the Federal Duck Stamp is the perfect holiday gift. A Duck Stamp is:
· Food and Shelter for the Needy - The lands purchased with Federal Duck Stamp revenue provide the necessary habitat for ducks, geese and other wildlife. While partridges and turtledoves might not necessarily frequent wetlands secured with your Duck Stamp purchase, it's nice to know they could do so in a pinch.
· An Investment for the Next Generation - If you wish to help ensure a place for our nation?s children to watch birds, hunt, hike and spend quality time outdoors, giving duck stamps is a wise investment.
· A Ticket to Adventure - The stamp provides its owner free admission to any National Wildlife Refuge open to the public that normally charges an entrance fee. The stamp is also required for waterfowl hunting.
· Inexpensive - The $15 gift category is littered with trivial, throw-away contrivances. The Duck Stamp rises above them all.
· Collectible - Stamp collecting is an exciting "Hobby of the Future" according to many "philatelists" (stamp enthusiasts).
· Money Not Wasted - You can take pride in the fact that 98 cents of every dollar of the Duck Stamp program revenue goes directly to purchasing wetland habitat for the National Wildlife Refuge System.
· Easy to Buy - You can pick them up at your local post office, through the mail, even online. See below for details.
· Easy to Carry - Fruitcakes, while resilient, cannot be carried in your back pocket. The Duck Stamp is eminently portable.
· Easy to Wrap - If you buy enough of them, you can even plaster the self-adhesive version all over a gift box for a quick and unique festive wrap.
· Joy - The joy of doing good for people and the outdoor world they love. The joy of spreading holiday music - the honk of geese, the trill of blackbirds, the whisper of wind through the marsh-grass.
Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamps, commonly known as "Ducks Stamps," are pictorial stamps produced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and sold by the U.S. Postal Service. They are not valid for postage. Originally created in 1934 as the federal licenses required for hunting migratory waterfowl, Federal Duck Stamps have a much larger purpose today. Federal Duck Stamps are a vital tool for wetland conservation.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 national fish hatcheries, 63 fishery resources offices and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Aid program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and wildlife agencies. Visit www.fws.gov/duckstamps
Buy Federal Duck Stamps from the following vendors:
- Select Post Office Locations: Call your local post office to check Duck Stamp availability. - Duck Stamps can also be purchased at most major sporting goods stores that sell hunting and fishing licenses. - Amplex Corporation (the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service distributor) Phone: 1-800-852-4897 Online: www.duckstamp.com - United States Postal Service Phone: 1-800 STAMP-24 (1-800-782-6724) Online: http://shop.usps.com
-FWS-
For information about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, visit our home page at http://www.fws.gov