Shakopee resident wins turkey stamp contest

Published 8:54 am Wednesday, January 2, 2019

Shakopee artist Mark Thone won the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources 2020 turkey stamp contest, the MnDNR announced on Monday.

Judges selected the painting from among 12 submissions for the annual contest that the MnDNR sponsors.

The DNR will feature Thone’s painting on the 2020 turkey stamp. He also has won the Minnesota contest for the 2018 migratory waterfowl stamp.

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Judges selected three entries to advance as finalists at the contest on Dec. 20 at DNR headquarters in St. Paul. Other finalists were Stephen Hamrick, second place, and Sam Larsen, third place. The DNR offers no prizes for the stamp contest winner, but the winning artist retains the right to reproduce the work. The 2020 turkey stamp will be available for sale March 1, 2020.

The 1996 Minnesota Legislature authorized the turkey stamp at the request of turkey hunters. The DNR uses stamp revenue for wild turkey management and research and incorporates the cost of a turkey stamp into the price of the hunting license — no additional purchase is required. A pictorial turkey stamp costs 75 cents and can be purchased with or without a turkey hunting license.

Turkey hunting licenses are free for youth 12 years old and younger; $5 for ages 13 through 17; and $26 for hunters 18 and older. More information on turkey hunting is available at mndnr.gov/hunting/turkey.