Minnesota wildlife artist Joe Hautman won the federal Duck Stamp contest Saturday for the fourth time.
Hautman, of Plymouth, offered an acrylic painting of a single wood duck to the competition, which was chosen over 189 other entries from artists nationwide.
Hautman's previous winning artwork appeared on the 1992-1993, 2002-2003 and 2008-2009 federal stamps.
"I wasn't too nervous to begin with,'' Hautman said. "But as soon as (my brother) Bob's (painting) went out, I started wanting to win.''
Bob Hautman has won the federal stamp contest twice. Their brother Jim is the current federal Duck Stamp artist, having won the 2010 contest and three other competitions.
The brothers, all from the Twin Cities area, have won 10 federal stamp contests in all, so many that Ethan and Joel Cohn, the filmmakers who grew up in the same St. Louis Park neighborhood the Hautmans did, made reference to their artistic dominance in the movie, "Fargo.''
The stamp sells for $15, is required of waterfowl hunters and raises about $25 million annually to conserve wetlands.
Adam Grimm of Burbank, S.D., placed second with an oil painting of a single gadwall. Grimm is also won the 2000-2001 Federal Duck Stamp.
Richard Clifton of Milford, Del., took third with an acrylic painting of a pair of mallards. Clifton won the 2006 contest.
Since 1934, sales of federal Duck Stamps have helped purchase nearly 6 million acres of wildlife habitat for the Refuge System. To date, Duck Stamp funds have been used to acquire habitat at hundreds of refuges in nearly every state.
There are 555 national wildlife refuges spread across all 50 states and U.S. territories. A current Duck Stamp may also be used for free admission to any national wildlife refuge open to the public. Refuges offer unparalleled recreational opportunities, including hunting, fishing, bird watching and photography.