The Million Dollar Duck profiles the special breed of artists who compete annually in the federal Duck Stamp Contest.
Under the purview of the Fish and Wildlife Service rather than the Postal Service, the contest selects the art for each year's Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, better known as the Duck Stamp.
Under a 1934 law signed by FDR, all waterfowl hunters age 16 and older must annually purchase the stamp, the proceeds from which are used to purchase and protect wetlands across the country. Since then, some $800 million dollars has gone into that fund to protect more than 5.7 million acres of habitat, according to the FWS. Actually, anyone can buy the duck stamp, which also can be used as an annual "pass" to national wildlife refuges that charge entry fees. It generates about $25 million a year.
The Duck Stamp program actually benefits all of the wildlife in a wetlands ecosystem, but few of those species would look as good on a stamp as ducks.
There is a commonly held misconception that the winner of each year's contest takes home a million-dollar prize. That's not true, but the winner can license the image to sell merchandise.
The Million Dollar Duck follows several entrants and their works from conception through competition. Among them are:
The three Hautman brothers from Minnesota – James, Joseph and Robert – who collectively have won the contest 12 times and earned a shoutout in the movie Fargo.
Adam Grimm of South Dakota, a professional artist and father of three who has won the contest twice.
Holiday window painter Tim Taylor from New Jersey. He and Grimm are buddies and work together during the early stages to stalk and photograph birds.
Rob McBroom, an abstract mixed-media artist from Minnesota and Taylor's nemesis.
Dee Dee Murry from Washington state, who taught her blind dachshund, Hallie, to paint (abstracts) and sold the works to raise money for a dog-rescue organization. "I thought I had a good year last year, but my blind dog sold more art than I did," Murry says. "I'm going to have to win the contest to get my name back."
Rebekah Nastav, a young postal carrier from Missouri who won the Junior Duck Stamp Contest and is ready to take on the big boys.
The year the documentary was made, the finals were held at Maumee Bay State Park in Ohio, just outside of Toledo, my hometown.
Filmmaker Brian Davis does a nice job of acknowledging the quirkiness of the contest without ridiculing those involved – many of whom are dedicated to competing year after year. Along the way, viewers learn about conservation and get a peek at a federal program that works.
The Million Dollar Duck can be streamed on the Animal Planet website and is available for purchase or rental on iTunes or Amazon.
