Chaska man wins Federal Duck Stamp Contest for seventh time
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Jim Hautman of Chaska won the 2025 Federal Duck Stamp Contest, taking first place in the contest for the seventh time.
“Winning once was kind of a lifelong dream and that happened in 1989,” said Hautman. “To have won this many times has been just a blessing.”
The Federal Duck Stamp was established in 1934 to fundraise for conservation of wetland habitats. The contest for the stamp’s design started in 1949 and remains “the only art competition of its kind sponsored by the U.S. government,” according to the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service.
Hautman, 61, was already of wildlife art notoriety. He and his two brothers, Bob and Joe Hautman, have numerous awards between them. In 2015, they made history by claiming first, second and third place in the contest.
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Jim Hautman said the brothers are all very supportive of each other — and competitive.
Among the 290 entries in this year’s competition was one by Hautman’s brother, Bob Hautman.
Jim Hautman said he wasn’t confident about his entry this year, particularly after seeing his brother’s, which he liked a lot. A couple weeks before the contest deadline, he saw Bob’s work and felt it blew his away, so he made changes.
“I realized what I had going wasn’t going to win, so I ended up changing the colors in the background and making the background a little more exciting, and so we gain a lot by competing with each other and critiquing each other,” Hautman said.
Hautman chose to paint bufflehead ducks because they’re one of his favorite birds to watch. “They’re very cute, small ducks with just amazing plumas … and they’re just spectacular, especially when they’re flying,” said Hautman.
To create his work, he attracted buffleheads to a lake with painted decoys and took several photos for inspiration. He describes the painting’s background as “a northern Minnesota scene with the windy, wavy fall day.”
There isn’t a trophy associated with winning the contest. Instead, Hautman said artists can make and sell limited edition prints, and the exposure helps sustain an art career. He is a full-time wildlife artist, painting for over 40 years now. He also does a lot of conservation work, fishing and hunting.
He shares of continuing his father’s passion, too. The elder Hautman was a kid when the first Federal Duck Stamp came out and later became a duck expert and avid stamp collector, according to Jim Hautman.
“It was a real thrill the first time we started winning these things. And he just laughed, but I know he really enjoyed it,” said Hautman.
Waterfowl hunters ages 16 and older are required to carry the federal duck stamp, now priced at $25. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports the federal duck stamps raise approximately $40 million each year.
Another Minnesotan placed second in the contest: Thomas E. Miller of Kilkenny, Minn., with an acrylic painting of a cinnamon teal.
