Wildlife artist Jim Killen of Owatonna has won the 2012 pheasant habitat contest – the third time he has won. His painting of a black Lab and two rooster pheasants took top honors, the DNR announced Monday. Killen, 77, also won the state pheasant stamp contest in 1985 and 1997. He was featured last week on Wednesday's Outdoors page in a story about the Reinvest in Minnesota Reserve program. The $7.50 pheasant stamp is required of all Minnesota pheasant hunters ages 18 through 64. Since 1983, stamp sales have generated more than $15.5 million for habitat enhancement efforts on both public and private lands in the pheasant range of Minnesota.
DNR offers no prizes for the stamp contest winner, but the winning artist retains the right to reproduce the work, which is usually done as limited edition prints. The 2012 Pheasant Stamp will be available for sale in March 2012.
