Scot Storm has won the 2018 Federal Duck Stamp Art Competition with an acrylic painting of a wood duck.

The talented wildlife artist from Freeport, Minnesota, bested more than 150 competitors with his depiction of an alert drake wood duck sitting on the water. A wooden hunting decoy is featured prominently in the background. For this year’s competition, artists were required to include at least one visual element that celebrates the contributions of hunters to waterfowl habitat conservation.

“Celebrating Our Waterfowl Hunting Heritage (the 2018 contest theme) is emblematic of U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke’s commitment to honoring and providing increased opportunities for hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts,” said Andrea Travnicek, acting assistant secretary for Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

Storm’s art will become the 2019-2020 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp. The $25 stamp, which is required to be in possession of all migratory bird hunters in the United States, raises about $40 million annually to conserve wetland habitat in the National Wildlife Refuge System.

Another painting of a drake wood duck, an acrylic work by Frank Mittlestadt of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, took second place. Third place was awarded to Greg Alexander of Ashland, Wisconsin, for his acrylic painting of lesser scaup. Both artists incorporated hunters into their entries.

Eligible species for this year’s competition were green-winged teal, northern pintails, American wigeon, wood ducks and lesser scaup. A panel of five judges chose the winner during the two-day event in Las Vegas. — Paul Wait