(Fremont County, WY) – Submissions are due soon for the 2023 Wyoming Game and Fish Department Collectible Conservation Stamp art contest. The subject of the 39th annual contest is the Pacific marten, and the winning image will be featured on the 2023 collectible conservation stamp. Entries must be received by the Game and Fish Headquarters in Cheyenne by 5 pm March 1st. The rulebook is online now for artists.
“Each year, it is exciting to see the different takes the artists use to portray the species,” said Margaret James, who coordinates the contest for Game and Fish. “No two entries are ever the same. I am sure the Pacific marten will be no exception. I look forward to seeing all the ways artists will celebrate this small but mighty Wyoming species.”
Marten, a member of the weasel family, is one of more than 800 species of wildlife managed by Game and Fish. Marten are found in many forested areas throughout Wyoming. It is about the size of a small house cat. Martens feed on small mammals like voles and squirrels, along with birds and berries. The marten is the only member of the weasel family with semi-retractable claws that makes tree-climbing easier.
Submissions will be carefully evaluated by Game and Fish biologists for anatomical accuracy of the animal and ecological correctness of any habitat found in Wyoming. Judges will evaluate entries based on size, fur, coloration, general body shape and proportion and habitat.
Entries determined to be biologically inaccurate will be ineligible to win a monetary award and may only be eligible to win an Honorable Mention.
Artwork may be multi-color or black and white. It must consist of a two-dimensional design, meaning it must be some form of ink, pencil or paint. Photographs, sculptures or other three-dimensional submissions will not be accepted. All artwork must be the artist’s original creation. Any artwork recognized as a copy will be ineligible for a prize.
The fee is $30 per entry. An open house and awards ceremony to announce the winners will take place in the spring. The top five receive a monetary award, including $3,500 for the winner. The winning stamp will be offered as a collectors’ item, which can be purchased through the Game and Fish Store.
For questions, contact Margaret James at (307) 777-4591 or [email protected] or visit the Collectible Conservation Stamp art contest website