Original subtitles

[ UNLATCHING, TRAFFIC ROARING IN BACKGROUND ]

Man: I'VE BEEN PAINTING WINDOWS SINCE I WAS 15 --

SO, 36 YEARS.

I'VE PAINTED AS MANY AS 150 STORES

IN A SINGLE MONTH AND A HALF.

DO SIGNS.

I EVEN DO VINYL SIGNS.

I PAINT MURALS.

AND I'VE MADE A LOT OF MONEY PAINTING SANTA CLAUS.

SO I'M ACTUALLY IN THE ART FIELD.

BUT I'M NOT DOING WHAT I REALLY WANT TO DO.

THE IDEAL GOAL, JUST LIKE THE WAITER WHO WANTS TO BE AN ACTOR,

IS TO JUST ACTUALLY JUST PAINT WHAT YOU WANT TO PAINT.

I HAD SEEN A WILDLIFE ART MAGAZINE.

AND IT HAD AN ARTICLE IN THERE ABOUT THIS CONTEST

WHERE YOU COULD WIN A MILLION DOLLARS.

SO I THOUGHT, "WELL, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO DO.

I WANT TO ENTER THAT."

BUT I DIDN'T KNOW A THING ABOUT DUCKS.

YOUR LOVIN' GIVE ME SUCH A THRILL

Man: THERE'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING FUNNY ABOUT DUCKS.

THEY'RE JUST FUNNY ANIMALS.

TELL PEOPLE YOU PAINT DUCKS FOR A LIVING,

YOU GET A WHOLE RANGE OF REACTIONS.

Man: MAINTENANCE GUYS WOULD WALK BY WATCHING ME, SAY,

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, MAN? SITTING IN THE MALL,

MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, PAINTING A DUCK?"

I SAID, "I'M ENTERING A DUCK STAMP CONTEST."

"A WHAT?"

Man: I WOULD LIKEN IT TO,

LIKE, WINNING "AMERICAN IDOL."

BEING CENTER STAGE ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.

THIS IS LIKE THE SUPER BOWL OR THE WORLD CUP

OF WILDLIFE ART.

-- ptions by VITAC}www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

THE FEDERAL IS THE BIG KAHUNA.

THERE'S NO OTHER THING IN AN ARTIST'S LIFE

THAT BRINGS THE PRESTIGE LIKE WINNING THE DUCK STAMP.

Woman: THIS IS THE GREATEST PRIZE IN WILDLIFE ART.

Man: WHAT WE HAD HEARD IS THAT

IF YOU WIN THE FEDERAL DUCK STAMP,

YOU BECOME A MILLIONAIRE.

Man: I TRIED TO COME UP WITH SOME TAGLINES

THAT WOULD MAKE PEOPLE'S EARS PERK UP.

WHEN I STARTED GOING AROUND THE COUNTRY SAYING,

"IF YOU CAN PAINT DUCKS, YOU CAN EARN A MILLION BUCKS,"

PEOPLE GOT MORE INTERESTED.

THERE'S NOT THAT MANY DUCK STAMP WINNERS.

THERE'S THIS HANDFUL OF ENTRIES.

ALL OF THEM COULD BE THE STAMP.

THEY COULD ALL BE THE STAMP.

BUT YET THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE STAMP.

[ PROJECTOR WHIRRING ]

Narrator: WHEN EUROPEAN SETTLERS FIRST ARRIVED IN AMERICA,

THEY TOLD STORIES ABOUT DUCKS SO GREAT IN NUMBER

THAT THEY WOULD BLACK OUT THE SKY.

BUT BY THE 20TH CENTURY, PUNT GUNS, FEATHERED HATS,

AND UNREGULATED MARKET HUNTING

BEGAN TO DRASTICALLY REDUCE THEIR POPULATION.

THIS DECLINE REACHED A BOILING POINT WHEN DROUGHT,

DREDGING AND UNSUSTAINABLE FARMING PRACTICES

CREATED THE MAN-MADE ENVIRONMENTAL CATASTROPHE

KNOWN AS THE DUST BOWL.

WITH THE WETLANDS DRAINED, THE DUCKS HAD NO PLACE TO LAND

OR FEED DURING THEIR MIGRATION,

AND THE GREAT PLAINS SOON BECAME A MASS GRAVEYARD

FOR MIGRATORY BIRDS,

RAISING THE QUESTION,

"HOW DO WE PROTECT BIRDS FROM MAN?"

FROM THE DUST EMERGED AN UNLIKELY HERO FOR THE DUCKS.

DING DARLING, A POLITICAL CARTOONIST

WHO DREW SCATHING WORKS

THAT HIGHLIGHTED THE PLIGHT OF AMERICAN WATERFOWL.

FDR, A TARGET OF MANY OF DING'S CARTOONS,

APPOINTED HIM TO THE BUREAU OF BIOLOGICAL SURVEY

WITH A CHALLENGE,

"LETS SEE IF YOU CAN DO BETTER."

DING ROSE TO THE CHALLENGE

BY PASSING THE 1934 DUCK STAMP ACT,

A LAW THAT REQUIRED EVERY WATERFOWL HUNTER

TO PURCHASE A FEDERAL STAMP

FOR THEIR HUNTING LICENSE.

ARMED WITH THE STAMPS REVENUE,

DING BEGAN TO BUY, LEASE,

AND MAINTAIN WETLAND HABITAT,

AND GAVE BIRTH TO WHAT WE NOW CALL

THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE SYSTEM.

DING HAD SAVED THE DUCKS FROM EXTINCTION

WHILE FORGING AN INDELIBLE BOND

BETWEEN ART AND CONSERVATION.

THE EARLY YEARS OF THE STAMP

WERE DESIGNED BY COMMISSIONED ARTISTS.

BUT IN THE 1940s,

THE SELECTION PROCESS IS OPENED UP

TO THE PUBLIC IN THE FORM OF A NATIONWIDE ART CONTEST.

AND THIS IS WHERE THINGS GET INHERENTLY MORE INTERESTING.

Woman: IN 2001, I JOINED THE FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE.

SIX YEARS LATER, I JOINED THE FEDERAL DUCK STAMP OFFICE.

IT'S MIGRATORY BIRD HUNTING AND CONSERVATION STAMP.

BUT IT'S COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE DUCK STAMP.

IT'S A 7 BY 10 PAINTING. IT HAS TO BE HAND-DRAWN.

IT HAS TO BE THE WORK OF THE ARTIST.

IT ALSO HAS TO BE ONE OF FIVE SPECIES SELECTED

FOR THAT YEAR'S CONTEST.

THE MILLION DOLLAR STAMP... IT'S A RUMOR.

Man: A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT THE GOVERNMENT

GAVE A BIG BAG OF MONEY

FOR WINNING THE CONTEST. WE DON'T.

THERE IS NO MONETARY PRIZE FROM THE GOVERNMENT.

WHAT THE ARTIST CAN DO IS LICENSE THE ART IMAGE.

AND THEY CAN PUT THAT ON COFFEE MUGS,

T-SHIRTS, LIMITED EDITION ART PRINTS.

THEY CAN MAKE A MILLION OR MORE DOLLARS

FROM SELLING THEIR ART.

Shaffer: THE TYPE OF PEOPLE THAT ENTER ARE

VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT WILDLIFE.

THEY'RE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT ART.

SOME ARE MORE PASSIONATE THAN OTHERS.

IT'S A DUCK STAMP SHIRT.

THIS IS THE DUCK STAMP CONTEST.

I'VE SEEN TEMPER TANTRUMS.

IT'S THIS LITTLE MICROCOSM OF PEOPLE.

AND THEY WANNA SEE THIS AS THE BIG GOAL.

"THIS IS IT. THIS IS THE ONE I'M GONNA WIN."

Man: I GO TO GREAT LENGTHS EVERY YEAR

TO TRY TO GET MY WORK DONE,

GET OUT OF NEW JERSEY

AND COME OUT HERE TO SOUTH DAKOTA

AND SPEND TIME WORKING ON MY PAINTING OUT HERE.

WHAT COMES OUT FIRST, FRONT?

I'VE BEEN GOING TO THE DUCK STAMP COMPETITION SINCE 1995.

AND YOU GET TO BE FRIENDLY WITH ALL THESE PEOPLE.

YOU SEE THEM EVERY YEAR. AND I MET ADAM.

AND EVEN THOUGH HE'S 17 YEARS YOUNGER THAN ME,

WE JUST HIT IT OFF RIGHT AWAY.

WE HOLD THE SAME VIEWS ON MOST THINGS,

AND -- AND ON ARTWORK TOO.

Man: I WASN'T HAPPY AT ART COLLEGE.

I DIDN'T LIKE BEING AROUND PEOPLE

THAT THOUGHT SO DIFFERENTLY.

AND I REALLY FELT LIKE IT WAS A WASTE OF MONEY.

MY PARENTS DIDN'T WANT ME TO BE

SOME STARVING ARTIST LIVING IN THEIR BASEMENT.

THEY SAID THE ONLY WAY WE WOULD SUPPORT YOU

LEAVING THE COLLEGE EARLY IS,

LIKE, IF YOU WON THE FEDERAL DUCK STAMP.

THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT I WON.

MY NEW GOAL IS TO TRY TO WIN IT AGAIN, YOU KNOW?

AND I DON'T WANT TO BE A ONE-HIT WONDER.

WE DECIDED TO TRY TO JUST GO ON A QUEST

IN SEARCH OF CANVASBACKS.

Taylor: WE'RE GONNA LOOK IN EVERY PUDDLE, EVERY LAKE,

EVERY POND UNTIL WE FIND 'EM.

Woman: WHEN I'M GETTING READY TO PAINT THE DUCK STAMP,

I WILL CHOOSE MY SPECIES.

THEN I GO OUT AND TAKE AS MANY PHOTOS AS I CAN.

THAT'S HALF OF THE FUN, IF NOT MORE OF THE FUN.

WELL, I'VE DRAWN AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER.

IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY A LITTLE BIT.

A FRIEND OF MINE WAS WORKING AT AN ANIMAL SHELTER.

AND SOMEBODY HAD DUMPED THREE PUPPIES ABOUT 10 MONTHS OLD.

AND HALLIE WAS ONE OF 'EM.

THERE WAS JUST SOMETHING BETWEEN US FROM THE BEGINNING.

SOMETHING I PROBABLY COULDN'T EXPLAIN.

IT WAS JUST SPECIAL.

I WAS TEACHING HER TRICKS.

AND SHE REALLY ENJOYED IT. AND IT WAS FEBRUARY.

AND IT WAS SNOWING OUT.

AND SHE WAS BORED. AND I THOUGHT,

"WELL, I'M GONNA TEACH YOU SOMETHING NEW AND DIFFERENT."

[ BARKS ]

YEAH.

JUST A MINUTE, JUST A MINUTE

I INTRODUCED THE BRUSH TO HER.

PROBABLY WITHIN A WEEK OR SO SHE WAS PICKING IT UP.

AND SHE SEEMED TO REALLY ENJOY IT.

AND SHE THOUGHT IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.

SO WE JUST KEPT GOING.

COME ON, BABY.

COME ON. GOOD GIRL.

TWO MONTHS LATER, SHE SUDDENLY WENT BLIND OVERNIGHT.

SHE WAS FINE ONE DAY. I DIDN'T EVEN SEE IT COMING.

THE NEXT DAY, SHE WAS WALKING INTO WALLS

AND COULDN'T FIND FOOD I THREW ON THE FLOOR.

UM, IT WAS VERY OBVIOUS SHE,

YOU KNOW, COULDN'T SEE AT ALL.

SHE ACTUALLY WAS VERY DEPRESSED

FOR ABOUT 4 OR 5 MONTHS. SHE WOULD SIT AND CRY.

AND SHE'D SHAKE IF WE GO ANYWHERE.

UM, ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE 6 MONTHS LATER,

SHE STARTED COMING OUT OF IT AND WANTING TO DO THINGS.

SO ONE DAY I SAT HER DOWN NEXT TO HER PAINT BRUSH.

AND I WAS REALLY SHOCKED.

SHE REACHED OVER AND JUST STARTED PAINTING.

THAT A GIRL. THAT A GIRL.

DIDN'T MISS A BEAT.

GOOD JOB.

GOOD HALLIE. GOOD JOB.

THERE YOU GO.

GOOD GIRL.

THERE YOU GO.

THERE. GOOD GIRL.

YEAH, THAT'S PRETTY, HALLIE.

SHE WAS DOING SO MANY PAINTINGS.

I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE NICE TO START TRYING TO SELL THEM

AND DONATE TO DOG RESCUE.

AND THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER PICKED THE STORY UP.

THEN IT WENT VIRAL ON THE INTERNET.

AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT HAPPENED.

RIGHT AFTER THAT, THERE WERE, LIKE, A MILLION ORDERS.

AND I WAS LIKE, "WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THIS?"

I THOUGHT I HAD A PRETTY GOOD YEAR LAST YEAR WITH MY ART.

BUT MY BLIND DOG SOLD MORE ART THAN I DID.

I FIGURE AT THIS POINT,

I'M GONNA HAVE TO WIN THE FEDERAL DUCK STAMP CONTEST

TO GET MY NAME BACK.

I LOVE THE CINNAMON TEAL.

AND IT ACTUALLY IS THE ONE I CHOSE THIS YEAR.

WHAT I TRY TO PORTRAY IN MY ENTRY

IS A DUCK WITH ATTITUDE, NOBLE LOOKING.

2010, THAT WAS THE YEAR MY ENTRY ACTUALLY GOT TO THE LAST ROUND.

I LEARNED A LOT FROM THAT.

IF I WAS TO WIN THE DUCK STAMP,

THE BIGGEST THING WOULD BE THE ACCOMPLISHMENT

AFTER SO MANY YEARS OF ENTERING,

JUST THE EXCITEMENT OF WINNING

AND FINALLY GETTING THERE.

OH, YEAH, LOOKS PRETTY GOOD. WHAT DO WE GOT HERE?

ARBY'S? UH-HUH.

HOW'S THE PAINTING GOING?

PRETTY GOOD.

FOUND OUT THE HAUTMANS

ARE ENTERING A PAINTING THIS YEAR.

AW, HUN, YOU'RE BETTER THAN THEM.

[ PIANO PLAYING CONTINUES ]

Man: THE HAUTMAN BROTHERS, ALL THREE OF THEM,

ARE TREMENDOUS ARTISTS.

IF THERE'S MORE THAN ONE IN THE CONTEST,

IT'S A SCARY YEAR.

Jim: I GUESS THEY'D CALL US THE DUCK DYNASTY

BEFORE THE TV SHOW CAME OUT.

THE NEW YORK YANKEES OF WILDLIFE ART.

I'M NOT A BIG YANKEES FAN.

I'D RATHER BE THE MINNESOTA TWINS OF THE WILDLIFE ART.

ALTHOUGH, THEY DON'T WIN VERY MUCH.

Man: WELL, THIS IS MY DAD'S DUCK STAMP COLLECTION.

HE STARTED COLLECTING 'EM THE FIRST YEAR THEY WERE OUT.

I THINK IT WAS 1935.

MAYBE BECAUSE IT WAS ONE OF THE FEW THINGS

THAT HE ACTUALLY COLLECTED, IT --

YOU KNOW, AS A KID YOU GO,

"WELL, WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT ABOUT THESE THINGS,"

OR, "WHAT'S SO INTERESTING?"

THIS WAS THE FIRST STAMP

THAT JIM WON, WHICH WAS 1989.

Grimm: I THINK THE HAUTMANS ARE JUST REALLY GREAT ARTISTS.

YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE THEY -- AND THEY HAVE EACH OTHER

TO RELY ON FOR CRITIQUE AND INPUT.

AND THAT'S HUGE.

Man: THOSE GUYS ARE MAGICAL. I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT ONLY GOOD.

BUT THEY SEEM TO HAVE AN IN --

INNATE SENSE OF WHAT THE JUDGES WANT TO SEE.

BUT THE FACT THAT IT'S ONLY A ONE HAUTMAN YEAR IS --

MAKES IT EASIER.

Man: EVERY YEAR I THINK I HAVE A CHANCE OR I WOULDN'T ENTER.

BUT THIS YEAR NEITHER OF MY BROTHERS ARE ELIGIBLE

BECAUSE ONCE YOU WIN YOU SIT OUT FOR 3 YEARS.

SO THAT'S TWO PEOPLE OUT OF IT

THAT HAVE THE BEST CHANCE OF WINNING.

I MAKE MY COFFEE. FILL A THERMOS.

COME OUT HERE.

GET ALL MY E-MAIL

AND INTERNET STUFF DONE WHILE I'M WAITING FOR DUCKS.

AND THEN I JUST TAKE DUCK PHOTOS.

IT'S VERY RELAXING.

WELL YOU DEFINITELY SEE THINGS WHEN YOU'RE OUT PHOTOGRAPHING

OR JUST WATCHING DUCKS THAT JUST STICK IN YOUR HEAD.

I JUST WANT TO WIN THE CONTEST. THAT'S MY GOAL,

TO DO THE BEST PAINTING I CAN.

SO I GOT A WAYS TO GO TO CATCH UP WITH MY BROTHERS

BECAUSE I'M TWO BEHIND.

Man: HE'S WON IT TWO TIMES.

AND, YOU KNOW, MOST PEOPLE DON'T EVER WIN IT AT ALL.

I'D SAY HE WOULD DEFINITELY BE A FAVORITE.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK THERE'D ANYBODY

WHO I WOULD FEAR COMPETING

AGAINST MORE THAN HIM IN THE CONTEST.

[ HEAVY METAL PLAYING INTERMITTENTLY ]

ALL WE GOT

WELL, I DIDN'T KNOW

WHO ARE YOU

I'M ROB McBROOM.

I'VE BEEN ENTERING THE DUCK STAMP COMPETITION,

NOW... THIS WILL BE THE 13TH YEAR.

I WORK AT AMPHETAMINE REPTILE RECORDS.

AND THEN I ALSO WORK AT THE MINNEAPOLIS INSTITUTE OF ARTS

AS SECURITY.

I LIKE CARTOON BASED ART.

AND I ENJOY THE SURREALISTS

LIKE YVES TANGUY AND RENE MAGRITTE.

MY ARTWORK HAS A LOT OF GLITTER AND RHINESTONES

AND GLOW IN THE DARK ASPECTS TO IT.

NOTHING AT ALL LIKE WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.

THIS WAS THE 2000 ENTRY OF RUDDY DUCKS.

IT WAS RIGHT AT THE CUSP

OF WHEN LOGOS WERE STARTING TO COME IN TO MY WORK.

I WASN'T SURE IF THEY WERE GONNA ACCEPT IT OR NOT.

WHEN I GOT IN THE COMPETITION I WAS LIKE,

"WELL, THIS IS PRETTY GOOD. LET'S KEEP GOING ON THIS."

THIS WAS THE YEAR I TOOK A PORNOGRAPHIC FILM

AND THEN WENT TO A MORSE CODE TRANSLATOR

AND EVERY DOT AND DASH IN THERE SPELLS

OUT THE MONOLOGUE THAT SOME LADY WAS GIVING

AS SHE WAS HAVING SOMETHING DONE TO HER.

THIS ONE ALSO HAS MY FRIEND TABITHA, WHO'S... [MEOWS]

SO I USED -- I HAD JUST MET HER.

AND SO I PUT HER IN THE MOUNTAIN RANGE.

SHE WAS KIND OF A MUSE FOR A FEW YEARS, THERE.

2011... OH!

YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS?

2011 WAS THE MALLARDS.

TWO MALLARDS, ACTUALLY.

I THOUGHT, "WELL, I BET NOBODY'S EVER DONE

THAT SCENE OF THEM COPULATING BEFORE."

ONE OF THE DUCK STAMP GUYS

PAINTS WINDOWS FOR THE HOLIDAYS AND STUFF.

LIKE, YOU KNOW AT BUSINESSES, LAUNDROMATS OR RESTAURANTS?

SO I WENT TO IT. AND I TOOK HIS SANTA CLAUS.

AND I PUT THAT IN THERE.

THIS WAS THE YEAR I STARTED TAKING SHOTS.

Man: RON McBROOM IS A GUY

WHO ENTERS THE DUCK STAMP EVERY YEAR.

AND EVERY YEAR, HE VIOLATES THE RULES.

HE BREAKS EVERY RULE OF THE CONTEST.

AND HE'S REALLY JUST AN ATTENTION SEEKER.

I DON'T KNOW IF WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT TIM TAYLOR.

HE'S, UH...

HE AND I HAVE NEVER DIRECTLY CONFRONTED EACH OTHER.

UH, HE HAS TAKEN TO BADMOUTHING ME ON THE INTERNET A BIT.

Taylor: HE'S FOUND THIS CONTEST THAT PEOPLE TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY

AND THE CONTESTANTS WORK REALLY HARD ON THEIR ENTRIES,

AND HE MOCKS IT. HE DOES PAINTINGS THAT MOCK IT.

HERE'S THE FIRST ONE THAT I FOUND ABOUT ME.

"THE SEQUIN GUY VIOLATES

ALL THE RULES OF THE COMPETITION.

AND YET, THEY ALLOW IT BECAUSE THEY ENJOY IT

AND THINK IT'S FUNNY.

THIS GUY HAS WASTED THOUSANDS ON ENTRY FEES

AND WHO KNOWS HOW MANY HOURS.

TO WHAT END? HE'LL NEVER WIN."

Taylor: I NEVER SAID A BAD WORK ABOUT HIS ARTWORK.

JUST DOESN'T BELONG IN THIS CONTEST.

BUT HE OBVIOUSLY READ THAT AND TOOK GREAT OFFENSE TO THAT.

McBroom: WHAT I DECIDED TO DO, IT WAS HIM AND ONE OTHER GUY,

I STARTED RECREATING THEIR WORK.

THEIR, KIND OF, GREATEST HITS AS IT WERE,

USING MY OWN STYLE.

THIS IS ABOUT AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN GET TO TIM'S ORIGINAL

WITHOUT ACTUALLY KNOWING THE SIZE.

AND IT'S COMPLETELY BUILT FROM SCRATCH.

THIS IS A PIECE OF WORK THAT ROB McBROOM

TOOK OFF OF THE INTERNET TO ABSTRACT.

McBroom: THE LITTLE BITS I'VE LEARNED ABOUT HIM,

I'M LIKE, "OKAY, HE OBVIOUSLY HATES BARACK OBAMA.

AND HE HATES COMMUNISM."

SO I DECIDED TO LOAD IT UP WITH IMAGERY WITH THAT.

Taylor: HERE'S BARACK OBAMA'S BIRTH CERTIFICATE

THAT HE RELEASED.

HERE'S THE EYE OF THE DUCK, WHICH IS THE COMMUNIST SYMBOL.

THERE'S OTHER THINGS IN HERE.

McBroom: LIKE HE WAS HOLDING A BABY AT A CHRISTENING.

AND THEN I PUT LENIN'S HEAD ON TOP OF IT.

AND THERE ARE SOME OF HIS OTHER PIECES THAT DIDN'T DO

SO WELL IN THE COMPETITIONS THAT HE DOESN'T LIKE.

SO THERE'S AN OLD SURF SCOTER THAT HE HAD, UH,

THAT HE WAS UNHAPPY WITH.

SO THAT WENT IN THERE.

Taylor: I WAS ULTIMATELY... THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY.

THEN I WAS A LITTLE ANGRY ABOUT IT.

THEN I DIDN'T CARE.

I'M HIS BIG VILLAIN.

AND I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW I WAS HIS VILLAIN.

[ CHUCKLES ] AND NOBODY CARES.

I WONDER IF THE GUY'S EVER ACTUALLY SEEN A DUCK.

MEOW! MEOW. MEOW. MEOW, MEOW.

I'VE GOT ABOUT 15, 20 HOURS IN THIS ALREADY.

I'VE GOT ABOUT ANOTHER 20 TO 30 TO GO.

THE LEGS ARE CHANGED NOW.

THEY ARE -- THEY'RE KICKING OUT BECAUSE I HAVE TO WORK

WITH THE SABERS ON THE OAKLAND RAIDERS THINGS.

TIM TAYLOR LIKES THE RAIDERS.

I'VE BEEN TWEAKING CERTAIN THINGS THERE JUST TO GO,

"HA-HA! THIS WAS SOMETHING YOU USED TO ENJOY,

AND I'M USING IT NOW."

EVEN THE DETRACTORS, THEY, UH,

THEY HAVEN'T FAULTED MY TECHNICAL SKILL.

SO THAT'S NICE. IT'S NOT LIKE THEY'RE GOING,

"OH, THIS THING'S A GIANT PIECE OF CRAP."

IT JUST DOESN'T BELONG ANYWHERE NEAR WHAT THEY HAVE GOING ON.

I WOULD PREFER TO BE A FULL-TIME ARTIST.

BUT THAT'S NOT SOMETHING I CAN JUST GO DO.

I DRIVE AROUND THE ROADS DELIVERING MAIL AND...

I MEAN, IT TAKES PROBABLY ABOUT 5 HOURS TO DRIVE THE ROUTE.

I DON'T MIND CARRYING MAIL AT ALL

BECAUSE NOW I KNOW THE ROUTE.

SO I DON'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT ANYTHING.

IT'S JUST -- YOU JUST DRIVE AND PRETTY MUCH

JUST DO WHATEVER YOU WANT

AS LONG AS YOU GET THE MAIL DELIVERED.

FOR ME, THE FEDERAL DUCK STAMP PAINTING IS SUPPOSED TO BE

THE BEST REPRESENTATION OF THE BREED.

I CHOSE THE MALLARD BECAUSE

I HAVE REALLY GOOD REFERENCE PHOTOS TO WORK FROM.

THE BIGGEST DISADVANTAGE OF THE MALLARD

IS THAT IT'S SO COMMON THAT EVERYBODY WANTS TO DO ONE.

AND SO YOU -- YOUR MALLARD PAINTING

HAS TO STAND OUT AMONG ALL OF THE OTHER MALLARDS.

THEY HAVE SORT OF A WILD LOOK, WHICH IS REALLY HARD TO CAPTURE.

Man: EVER SINCE REBEKAH WAS REAL YOUNG,

4 OR 5 YEARS YOUNG, SHE'S ALWAYS JUST SAT AT THE TABLE DOING ART.

STARTED OCCURRING TO JANICE AND ME, I -- I --

YOU KNOW, YOU COULD TELL THAT

SHE WAS DRAWING STUFF THAT, YOU KNOW,

I'D GO, "YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T DRAW THAT LIKE THAT."

JUST REALLY CREATIVE STUFF.

Woman: I GUESS SHE WAS LIKE ABOUT 13 OR SO.

HER MOM BROUGHT HER OVER HERE.

AND I KIND OF GOT HER INVOLVED IN THE JUNIOR DUCK STAMP.

AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE IT ALL STARTED.

Nastav: I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW THAT I COULD PAINT

UNTIL I ENTERED THE JUNIOR DUCK STAMP CONTEST.

I WORKED ON IT ALL SPRING.

THEN I GOT FIRST PLACE IN MY AGE GROUP

AND BEST OF SHOW FOR THE STATE.

SHE CALLS ME ON THE PHONE.

SHE GOES, "I WON THE NATIONALS!

I WON THE DUCK STAMP!"

Nastav: THE JUNIOR DUCK STAMP CONTEST CHANGED MY LIFE.

IT WAS A LOT BIGGER OF A DEAL THAN I THOUGHT IT WAS.

AND IT JUST MADE ME WANT TO KEEP ENTERING.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ONCE I LEARNED ABOUT THE FEDERAL

AND HOW MUCH OF A BIGGER DEAL THAT IS,

IT'S LIKE THIS THING

THAT YOU WANT TO SPEND YOUR LIFE PURSUING.

THE ONLY TIME I'VE EVER LIVED AWAY

FROM HOME WAS DURING THE SUMMER.

AND IT WAS ONLY AN HOUR AWAY.

SO I'M KIND OF READY TO HAVE MY OWN PLACE.

AND IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER TO ME WHERE IT IS.

Man: SHE'S HOPING THAT SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN, YOU KNOW,

AS FAR AS DIRECTION IN HER LIFE.

IT'S LIKE A LOT -- A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE ARE RIGHT NOW.

Nastav: ENTERING THE DUCK STAMP IS LIKE ENTERING THE LOTTERY

OR SOMETHING.

I MEAN, IT'S A PRETTY BIG THING, YOU KNOW.

IF I WIN, THEN IT'S MY ENTIRE CAREER.

YOU KNOW, MY NAME WILL BE ON THE LIST

OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE OWN THE DUCK STAMP.

AND THAT LIST ISN'T EVER GONNA BE FORGOTTEN.

[ TELEPHONE RINGING ]

THANK YOU FOR CALLING SAM HOUSTON, THIS IS RITA.

LET ME CHECK ON THAT FOR YOU, GIVE ME JUST ONE SECOND.

EXCUSE ME, BOB?

DO YOU HAVE AN RW1 PLATE BLOCK OF SIX AVAILABLE?

NO. NO? NOT RIGHT NOW?

TELL 'EM IT'S ONLY IN MY DREAMS.

OKAY.

WE DO NOT HAVE ONE IN STOCK AT THIS TIME.

Dumaine: I'M PROBABLY THE BIGGEST

DUCK STAMP DEALER IN THE WORLD.

IT IS A --

A DISEASE, OF SORTS,

TO START COLLECTING THIS STUFF.

THE OTHER STAMPS, THEY'RE NICE.

THERE'S SO MANY OF 'EM.

THE DUCK STAMPS, THEY'RE SPECIAL.

WHEN YOU CAN SEE THE DUCK'S EYES AND YOU CAN SEE THE --

THE PATCHES ON IT'S WING OF COLOR

AND IDENTIFY WHAT THAT DUCK IS AT 1 INCH SIZE, THAT'S SKILL.

Rita: SINCE THE DUCK STAMPS ARE NOT USED TO MAIL A LETTER,

THEY AREN'T CONSIDERED A POSTAGE STAMP

IN THE CLASSIC PHILATELIC SENSE.

BUT MANY OF THOSE CLASSIC U.S. COLLECTORS,

THEY'RE SECRET DUCK COLLECTORS.

BECAUSE EVERYBODY LIKES A DUCK STAMP.

THEY REALIZE THAT IT'S THE LONGEST

CONTINUING SERIES OF STAMPS

THAT'S EVER BEEN ISSUES BY THE UNITED STATES,

PROBABLY ANY COUNTRY,

AND JUST ALL THE GOOD WORK IT DOES.

Man: WHEN I WAS A KID,

I JUST TRIED TO COLLECT EVERY STAMP ON EARTH.

TILL I HIT ABOUT 16 YEARS OLD.

AND I HAD TO BUY MY FIRST DUCK STAMP TO HUNT.

AND I NEVER TOUCHED ANOTHER STAMP

OTHER THAN DUCK STAMPS SINCE THAT DAY.

SOME OF THE MOST INTERESTING ARTWORK YOU HAVE OUT THERE.

AND OVER THE YEARS I BECAME MORE INTERESTED

IN THE ARTISTS THEMSELVES.

IT'S A VERY INTERESTING LITTLE WORLD.

IT REALLY IS.

WE SAW A LOT OF BIRDS ON THIS LAKE.

AND WE'RE JUST TRYING TO GET SET UP

TO TRY TO PULL SOME IN TO GOOD PHOTO RANGE.

WE BOTH WANT TO DO CANVASBACK.

BUT SINCE ADAM IS THE MAIN PHOTOGRAPHER,

WHATEVER HE CHOOSES AFTER THAT,

I'LL -- I GET TO SECOND PICK.

YOU'RE GONNA GET TO CHOOSE FROM ALL THE CRUMMY ONES.

SHOULD I THROW ANY OFF THE LEFT HERE, ADAM?

YEAH, YOU COULD THROW SOME OUT HERE.

I REALLY ENJOY TIM.

HE'S LIKE THE KIND OF FRIEND THAT,

YOU KNOW, "OH, YOU'RE MOVING?

OH, I'LL DRIVE OUT AND HELP YOU GUYS PACK UP YOUR STUFF."

YOU KNOW? HE'S THAT KIND OF A FRIEND.

Taylor: I DIDN'T HAVE THE CAMERA EQUIPMENT

TO BE SET UP AND SHOOT LIKE ADAM DOES.

SO I FIGURED I'D START GETTING THE BIRDS MOVING.

SO I BECAME A BIRD RUSTLER.

YO!

YO!

GET UP! COME ON!

IT'S A LOT OF EFFORT TO DRIVE UP HERE AND SET UP ALL THIS STUFF

AND GET UP AT 4 O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING.

AND IF THEY'RE JUST GONNA SIT THERE, COMPLACENT,

WE CAN'T DEAL WITH THAT.

GO! GO! GO! COME ON! YO! GOTTA GET THEM MOVING.

GO!

GO!

GO!

HERE WE GO!

I JUST GET 'EM UP IN THE AIR.

AND HOPEFULLY THEY COME IN TO ADAM'S DECOYS OVER THERE.

[ BLOWING DUCK CALL ]

THERE'S A CANVASBACK CIRCLING.

I KNOW A LOT OF GUYS GO TO, LIKE, AVIARIES

AND THAT KIND OF STUFF.

AND I ACTUALLY PREFER USING WILD BIRDS ONLY.

YOU REALLY GET TO EXPERIENCE THE BIRDS IN A NATURAL HABITAT.

AND THAT'S -- THAT GOES A LONG WAYS.

I THINK IT TRANSLATES INTO YOUR ARTWORK.

THESE AREAS ARE REALLY CRITICAL TO WATER FOWL POPULATION LEVELS.

WITHOUT THESE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE DUCKS

LIKE YOU'RE SEEING HERE RIGHT NOW.

I THINK THERE'S GOOD GOVERNMENT,

AND THEN THERE'S A LOT OF BAD GOVERNMENT.

AND THE DUCK STAMP PROGRAM IS ONE OF THE BEST IDEAS

THE GOVERNMENT HAS EVER REALLY HAD.

Woman: THE PROGRAM GENERATES $25 MILLION A YEAR.

98 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR

THAT YOU SPEND ON THAT STAMP

GOES STRAIGHT ON THE GROUND

FOR PURCHASING WETLANDS.

IT CANNOT BE USED FOR ANYTHING ELSE.

Man: WATER FOWL, THEY HAVE THIS MARVELOUS,

ANNUAL, MASSIVE MIGRATION.

AND SO OUR JOB IS TO MAKE SURE

THAT THEY HAVE THE WETLANDS AND GRASSLANDS

THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL BREEDERS.

Man: YOU CAN IMAGINE WHERE THIS CONVERSATION GOES.

COLLECTING MONEY FOR WHAT?

FOR WETLANDS TO PRESERVE WATER FOWL.

AND THEN SOME PEOPLE SAY, "WAIT A MINUTE, YOU'RE A HUNTER.

ISN'T THAT A -- YOU KNOW, ISN'T THAT A CONTRADICTION?"

I SAID, "OF COURSE IT'S NOT A CONTRADICTION.

I MEAN, HUNTERS CARE ABOUT THE LAND.

WE CARE ABOUT THE BIRDS.

WE GOTTA PRESERVE 'EM SO WE HAVE 'EM TO HUNT."

Man: THE HUNTERS HAVE BEEN CARRYING

THE WEIGHT OF THE STAMP FOR 80 YEARS NOW.

IT'S THE SAME THE WAY THAT YOU DO SOMETHING WITH PEOPLE

WHO CUT DOWN TREES. THEY REPLANT.

AND WITHIN ANOTHER 100 YEARS,

YOU'LL HAVE ANOTHER FOREST THERE.

Woman: IT IS FOR THE PROTECTION OF NOT ONLY WATERFOWL

BUT MORE THAN 700 SPECIES ACROSS THE NATION.

Man: NOBODY WOULD BUY A SALAMANDER STAMP

OR A SPECKLED TOAD STAMP.

BUT THEY'LL BUY A DUCK STAMP.

AND WHEN THEY TAKE THAT MONEY

AND THEY BUY ALL THESE THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF WETLANDS

AND PROTECT THEM,

ALL THOSE LITTLE CREATURES COME UNDER THAT UMBRELLA.

THAT'S ONE THING...

I'M SO PROUD I'M PART OF THIS, YOU KNOW?

IT ALMOST MAKES ME EMOTIONAL.

MADE A KILLING ON THE MULBERRY TREE, THERE.

OH, YEAH?

HAVING GROWN UP WITH MY FATHER,

WHO LOVED NATURE AND WILDLIFE

AND HUNTING AND THAT STUFF, HE, YOU KNOW,

AS SOON AS I WAS OLD ENOUGH, HE STARTED TAKING ME WITH HIM.

YOU KNOW, I WAS ALWAYS REALLY INTRIGUED.

I WAS DRAWING A LOT OF TYPICAL THINGS

THAT BOYS LIKE TO DRAW -- THE MONSTERS, DRAGONS,

CARS, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU NAME IT.

I WAS... I LOVED ALL OF THAT STUFF TOO.

BUT I KINDA KEPT GETTING BORED WITH EACH THING.

THERE WAS ALWAYS THIS ELEMENT OF NATURE.

WHEN I DREW THAT STUFF, IT'S LIKE I NEVER TIRED OF IT.

Woman: I'VE ALWAYS ENJOYED DOING REALISTIC ART.

I'VE TRIED TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE LOOSER,

IMPRESSIONISTIC ART WHEN -- WHEN FORCED.

AND I TRIED TO ENJOY IT.

I APPRECIATE IT WHEN OTHER PEOPLE DO IT WELL.

BUT I DON'T GET THE SATISFACTION OUT OF IT AS I DO EVERY HAIR,

EVERY FEATHER DETAIL.

Man: REALISTIC PAINTING, REALISTIC DUCK STAMPS

ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE INVESTED MOST OF THEIR LIVES

INTO OBSERVING THE WILDLIFE,

LEARNING HOW TO BECOME A PAINTER.

THERE'S NO SHORTCUT TO BEING GOOD.

Nastav: I CAN GO BACK IN FIELDS AND IN THE WOODS

AND I'LL SEE SOME THINGS

THAT I JUST CAN'T WAIT TO GO BACK

AND PAINT FOR, LIKE, 3 OR 4 HOURS AT A TIME.

Man: I ALWAYS LIKE SEEING BIRDS

AND HOW THEY ACT AND HOW THEY FLY.

I REMEMBER SEEING THE MALLARDS.

THEY FLEW BY REALLY CLOSE

AGAINST THIS YELLOW GRASS BACKGROUND

WITH THE SUN ON THEM.

I JUST HAD THIS VISION IN MY HEAD

THAT I'D LIKE TO TRY AND RECREATE.

AFTER GOING THROUGH ALL THE PHOTOS,

TRYING OUT SOME SKETCHES AND IDEAS AND STUFF,

I'M UP IN THE AIR, PERSONALLY, BETWEEN THESE TWO.

I THINK BOTH OF THEM COULD HAVE A LOT OF POTENTIAL.

HEY, GUYS. DO YOU WANNA COME SEE THESE?

I WANNA SEE WHAT ONE YOU LIKE THE BEST.

I LIKE THE CATTAILS ON THAT ONE.

AND I ALSO LIKE GEESE IN THAT ONE.

I PROBABLY WOULDN'T PUT THE GEESE IN...

YEAH. THEY'RE KIND OF WEIRD THERE.

THEY WERE ACTUALLY, LIKE, IN THE BACKGROUND, LIKE,

WHEN I WAS KIND OF PIECING IT TOGETHER.

AND I JUST DIDN'T TAKE THEM OUT.

THE GEESE ARE ACTUALLY KIND OF COOL IN IT.

HANNAH.

BUT I LIKE THAT ONE THE MOST.

I THOUGHT I COULD PUT, LIKE,

A BIG DEAD TREE BACK HERE TOO OR SOMETHING.

THAT WOULD BE KIND OF WEIRD.

IT WOULD BE ALMOST TOO MUCH.

AW, OKAY. I DON'T LIKE THAT IDEA.

EVERYBODY'S A CRITIC.

Woman: IT'S NOT LIKE HE PICKS UP HIS PAINT BRUSH AND SAYS,

"OH, I THINK I'LL PAINT THIS."

THEN HE WHIPS IT OUT IN A FEW WEEKS.

IT'S MONTHS OF PLANNING.

I GUESS SOMETIMES, I THINK, "WHY DO YOU DO THIS?

WHY DO YOU PUT YOURSELF THROUGH THIS."

Adam: I WON IN '99. SO IT'S BEEN QUITE A WHILE.

AND SHE NEVER KNEW ME WHEN I WON.

HER WHOLE EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN ME WORKING REALLY HARD,

STRUGGLING, SPENDING MONTHS ON A PAINTING

AND THEN SEEING IT SHOT DOWN.

LAST YEAR, LIKE, I JUST CRASHED AND BURNED.

A LOT OF PEOPLE REALLY LIKED MY ENTRY LAST YEAR.

UM, NOT THE JUDGES.

Janet: IT'S OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR LIVELIHOOD.

WE DEPEND ON HIM.

HE HAS ALL OF US DEPENDING ON HIM.

IT'S NOT A HOBBY.

AND SOMETIMES IT GETS, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE DISHEARTENING.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M BEHIND HIM WHATEVER HE WANTS TO DO.

AND AS LONG AS HE WANTS TO ENTER, HE'S GONNA ENTER.

JANET AND I HAD ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT,

YOU KNOW, IS THE ART GONNA BE ENOUGH TO SUSTAIN US?

YOU KNOW, LIKE, SHOULD I START LOOKING INTO THE POSSIBILITY

OF ANOTHER LINE OF WORK OR,

YOU KNOW, SOMETHING ELSE TO DO.

I MEAN, THINGS HAVE BEEN REALLY DIFFICULT FOR US RECENTLY.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE,

WITH THREE LITTLE MOUTHS TO FEED, UM,

AND THEY LOOK AT YOU, YOU KNOW, AND...

IT'S HARD.

YOU KNOW, WITH ART,

YOU'RE INVESTING, BASICALLY, IN YOURSELF.

AND YOU DON'T KNOW IF THOSE INVESTMENTS ARE GONNA PAY OFF.

IT'S GOTTA BE THE BEST THAT YOU CAN MAKE IT.

AND THEN YOU JUST HAVE TO HOPE THAT THE REST

IS GONNA FALL INTO PLACE.

I HATE WHEN I LOSE.

I FEEL LIKE I LET MY FAMILY DOWN.

Woman: REBECCA'S KIND OF YOUNG

AND SHE HAS A WHOLE FUTURE AHEAD OF HER IN ART, I BELIEVE.

SHE HAS SEEMED TO EXPLODED SO FAST.

YOU KNOW, AT THIS AGE, I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW SHE PAINTS.

I JUST REALLY CAN'T BELIEVE HOW WELL SHE DOES.

Nastav: I KNOW THAT I'M CAPABLE OF WINNING.

SO I'M JUST GONNA KEEP TRYING.

AND EVENTUALLY I WILL, HOPEFULLY,

IF I LIVE LONG ENOUGH.

BOTH THE TIMES I WON, I THOUGHT I HAD A PRETTY GOOD CHANCE.

WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE VERY END,

YOU'VE BEEN LOOKING AT IT FOR A LONG TIME,

YOU'RE NEVER REALLY SURE.

BUT YOU HAVE A PRETTY GOOD IDEA

IF IT'S GONNA BE IN THE TOP 20 OR SO.

I'M STARTING TO GET A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS.

I'VE GOT QUITE A BIT IT TO GO.

I DON'T THINK THAT ANY SINGLE ELEMENT

IN THIS PAINTING IS DONE.

EXCEPT FOR MAYBE THIS BACKGROUND WATER UP HERE.

I MEAN, I'M GETTING THERE.

I'M NOWHERE NEAR AS FAR AS ADAM IS.

Adam: I'M HAPPY WITH IT.

AND I FEEL LIKE I'M A PRETTY TOUGH CRITIC OF MY OWN ARTWORK.

IT ALWAYS HELPS WHEN OTHER PEOPLE SEEM TO LIKE IT.

YOU KNOW, I KNOW MY WIFE LIKES THIS ONE A LOT.

AND SOME FRIENDS OF MINE SEEM TO LIKE IT.

IT'S A CLASSICAL KIND OF DUCK-STAMP-FEELING DESIGN.

I ALWAYS HATE TO PREDICT WHAT MY CHANCES ARE

BECAUSE I'M USUALLY WRONG IF I THINK,

"OH, I DID PRETTY GOOD THIS YEAR."

IT'S USUALLY PLACES LOWER THAN WHEN I THINK,

"OH, I SHOULDN'T EVEN HAVE ENTERED."

AND I THINK THIS YEAR I LIKE THE COMPOSITION.

WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES FROM HERE.

IT TURNED OUT PRETTY WELL.

IT'S ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT I THOUGHT IT WAS IN MY MIND'S EYE

WHEN I FIRST CAME UP WITH THE CONCEPT.

I WAS A LITTLE CONCERNED

THAT ALL OF THE HOLOGRAPHIC MYLAR GIFT BAG

WOULD BE TOO DISTRACTING.

BUT I DON'T THINK SO.

I WOULD SAY MY PERCENTAGE OF WINNING THIS YEAR...

WELL, YOU CAN'T HAVE LESS THAN ZERO PERCENT.

BUT IT'S PRETTY CLOSE TO THAT.

ALL I CAN SAY IS I FEEL REALLY GOOD ABOUT MY ENTRY.

I FEEL LIKE I HAVE A BETTER CHANCE THIS YEAR

THAN I HAVE ANY OF THE PREVIOUS YEARS I'VE ENTERED.

I MEAN, IT DOES FEEL REALLY GOOD TO BE DONE WITH IT.

I LIKE TO SEND IT OUT ON THE LAST DAY

BECAUSE I JUST FEEL LIKE IT USUALLY ENDS UP KIND OF

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACK SOMEWHERE.

AND THAT'S MORE WHERE I'D LIKE TO BE BECAUSE

MOST PEOPLE SEEM TO BE LIKE TIM, WHERE THEY WAIT TO, LIKE,

THE LAST POSSIBLE SECOND TO SEND IT OUT.

SO, YEAH. BUT, WE'VE --

WE'VE SENT OURS OUT ON THE SAME DAY.

YOU'VE JUST BEEN DONE BEFORE ME.

RIGHT. RIGHT.

Woman: THE FEDERAL DUCK STAMP CONTEST THIS YEAR WILL BE AT

MAUMEE BAY STATE PARK,

WHICH IS IN OREGON, OHIO.

AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL LOCATION RIGHT UP ON LAKE ERIE.

Woman: DUCK STAMP PEOPLE ARE REAL.

THEY LIKE THE EXCITEMENT OF IT.

THEY LIKE THE BEAUTY OF IT.

ONCE YOU GET INTO THIS INCESTUOUS

LITTLE BUNCH OF PAINTERS AND STAMP COLLECTORS,

YOU GET ALL CAUGHT UP INTO THIS BIRD'S NEST OF HAPPINESS.

Man: MYSELF AS A CHILD,

DOWN ON THE BANKS, OF THE GREAT MIAMI RIVER

FISHING WITH MY GRANDDAD

AND THE DUCKS WERE COMING THROUGH...

YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY,

THOSE ARE SOME OF THE ONLY THINGS

YOU'RE GONNA TAKE WITH YOU IN LIFE.

Woman: UH, I WORK FOR THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE

FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS.

THEY ASKED ME IF I WOULD BE A JUDGE.

AND AT FIRST I SAID, "NO,"

BECAUSE I KNEW THAT IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT TO DO.

Shaffer: I HAD ONE JUDGE SAY TO ME LAST YEAR, HE SAID,

"BUT I DON'T WANNA DISAPPOINT ANYBODY."

AND I SAID, "WHEN YOU COME DOWN TO IT,

THEY'RE ALL GONNA BE DISAPPOINTED EXCEPT FOR ONE."

Man: IT IS TRULY AN HONOR TO BE HERE TODAY.

AND -- AND THANK YOU FOR COMING.

WE ARE PLEASED TO BE HERE TODAY IN THE MIDWEST REGION.

GO MIDWEST.

TODAY, A VERY DIFFICULT TASK.

THE JUDGES WILL HAVE TO REVIEW 200 PIECES OF ART.

AGAIN, THAT IS A VERY, VERY HARD JOB TO DO

BECAUSE WHAT THEY DECIDE AT THE END

WILL THEN BECOME THE 2014-2015 FEDERAL DUCK STAMP.

Man: TODAY, IN ROUND ONE,

EACH OF THE JUDGES WILL VOTE EITHER IN OR OUT.

IF AT LEAST THREE OF THE FIVE JUDGES VOTE IN,

THAT PIECE WILL GO TO THE SECOND ROUND

OF JUDGING TOMORROW.

WE WILL BEGIN THE JUDGING NOW WITH ENTRY NUMBER ONE.

Man: THE IN-AND-OUT ROUND.

THAT USUALLY TAKES THE WHOLE FIRST DAY.

THEY SHOW THE PAINTING TO EACH JUDGE

UNTIL THE JUDGE WAVES THEM ON.

AND THEN, AT THE END OF ALL THE FIVE JUDGES

SEEING THE PAINTING, THEY SAY, "VOTE."

IT TAKES THREE INS TO GET PAST THE FIRST ROUND OF THE JUDGING.

PLEASE VOTE.

AND IF YOU DON'T GET THAT, YOU'RE OUT.

IT'S OUT.

Woman: THE FIRST ROUND IS REALLY A TEST

ON ANYBODY'S NERVES

AND THEIR CONFIDENCE AND THEIR EGOS.

Man: NUMBER 14. YOU'RE SITTING THERE.

AND THEY'RE HOLDING YOUR CARDS UP.

AND YOU SUDDENLY REALIZE, "I DIDN'T WIN ANYTHING.

I'M COMPLETELY OUT." IT'S OUT.

IT GOES FROM 200 DOWN TO SOMETIMES

ONLY 20 PIECES LEFT BY THE TIME

WE GET TO THE SECOND ROUND.

Woman: NUMBER THREE.

PLEASE VOTE.

NUMBER THREE IS OUT.

Man: NUMBER 116.

Man: YEAH. IT'S NERVE-RACKING NO MATTER HOW YOU CUT IT.

YOU SPEND SO MUCH TIME WORKING ON THIS PAINTING.

AND YOU'D LIKE TO THINK THAT WHAT YOU CAME UP

WITH WAS SOMETHING PLEASING AND DONE WELL.

BUT THEN YOU'VE GOT THESE FIVE PEOPLE THAT...

AT THE END OF THE DAY, THEY HAVE THE SAY.

AND YOU SIT THERE.

AND YOU WATCH THAT PAINTING PARADED IN FRONT OF THEM.

AND THEN YOU SEE THEIR SCORES. IT'S A LOT TO TAKE.

YOU'VE GOT HAVE A PRETTY THICK SKIN,

I THINK, TO BE IN THE DUCK STAMP CONTEST BUSINESS.

Man: PLEASE VOTE.

IT'S IN.

NUMBER 138.

Nastav: I REALLY DON'T, UM,

HAVE A BIG CAREER

THAT I'M WORKING ON OTHER THAN PAINTING.

THAT'S KIND OF WHAT... THAT'S IT.

IF I WIN THE CONTEST, IT'LL CHANGE MY ENTIRE CAREER.

I MEAN, IT'LL ALLOW ME TO HAVE A CAREER PAINTING

WHAT I WANNA PAINT INSTEAD OF PAINTING

OR WORKING FOR SOMEBODY ELSE.

Man: PLEASE VOTE.

IT'S OUT.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.

SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE SPECIES SPECIFIC.

LIKE, NO, SERIOUSLY.

WHEN ADAM AND I... THAT'S TRUE.

WHEN ADAM AND I WENT TO FLORIDA, WE WENT TO ONE OF THE JUDGES...

Man: YEAH. THAT WAS DISAPPOINTING.

OH, YEAH. I THINK YOURS DESERVES A FIVE IN.

YOU KNOW? THEN IT MIGHT BE BETTER.

YOU MIGHT BE RIGHT.

[ CHUCKLES ] YEAH.

NUMBER 83.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO THINK THAT I'M DOING THIS

AS A JOKE TO THEIR EXPENSE.

IT'S A PRETTY SMALL GROUP OF PEOPLE

THAT I WOULD HAVE TO BE MAKING FUN OF.

AND IT'S A LOT OF EFFORT IN ORDER JUST TO TWEAK THEM.

SO I HOPE IT HELPS THE DUCK STAMP COMPETITION

BECAUSE IT'S A GOOD PROGRAM

THAT IS GETTING LESS AND LESS REVENUE COMING IN.

AND SO THIS BRINGS IT INTO A WORLD

THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD NOT DO OTHERWISE.

I THINK SOME PEOPLE HAVE KIND OF REACHED AN UNDERSTANDING,

THIS IS JUST WHAT I'M GONNA DO.

LET BABY HAVE HIS BOTTLE. THAT KIND OF THING.

PLEASE VOTE.

I'M NOT MAKING FUN OF THEM. IT'S GOOD FOR ME.

IT'S GOOD FOR THE CONTEST.

IT'S NOT WINNING, IT'S THE DEGREE IN WHICH I LOSE.

THANKS.

Man: IT'S OUT.

YEAH. IT WAS FUN.

I, UH, I'VE ENJOYED DOING THEM OVER THE YEARS.

AND THANKS FOR BEING COOL WITH IT AND EVERYTHING.

WELL I'M, UH... I REALLY ENJOY SEEING THEM.

AND, UH, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT ATTRACTS ATTENTION...

THAT'S WHAT I THINK. TO WILDLIFE...

IN MY OPINION, IS GREAT.

WHILE, YOU KNOW, WHILE IT MAY NOT

WIN THE FEDERAL CONTEST, IT'S JUST GREAT TO...

THE STAMP IS IN TROUBLE,

I THINK THE SAME WAY THAT A LOT OF NATIONAL

AND STATE WILDLIFE REFUGEES ARE.

PEOPLE JUST DON'T OUT THE WAY THEY USED TO.

HUNTERS ARE NOT DOING IT AS MUCH ANYMORE.

Man: HUNTERS ARE SLOWLY DECLINING.

AND GENERALLY, THAT'S THE PEOPLE THAT --

THAT BUY THE STAMP.

Man: IF WE SOMEHOW LOST THE DUCK STAMP

AND THE REVENUE ASSOCIATED WITH THE DUMP STAMP,

5 MILLION ACRES OF HABITAT WOULD DISAPPEAR OVERNIGHT.

Man: IF THE DUCK STAMP WERE TO END,

THAT'D BE A TRAGEDY GOING FORWARD.

IF THEY DON'T HAVE THE MONEY,

I DON'T THINK THEY CAN SAVE THE LAND.

Man: YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A WATERFOWL ENTHUSIAST

TO BUY THE FEDERAL DUCK STAMP.

IT'S A WAY THAT ANYONE

WHO ENJOYS NATURE CAN MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT.

Man: SO, HOW DO YOU GET IT INTO THE PUBLIC CONSCIOUSNESS EVEN M

WHAT, 17 YEARS LATER AND WE'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT IT,

THAT IT WAS MENTIONED BRIEFLY AS A SIDE PLOT

IN "FARGO"? YOU KNOW?

THE DUCK STAMP PROGRAM'S KINDA SCREWED

UNLESS THEY CAN GET INTO THE CULTURAL MILIEU, AS IT WERE,

BECAUSE THERE IS TOO MANY THINGS

COMPETING FOR ITS ATTENTION.

SO THE PROGRAM, I'M HOPING,

BENEFITS BY AT LEAST ME DOING IT

AND BRINGING IT TO AN AUDIENCE THAT ISN'T THERE.

MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, I HAVE HAD ZERO VOTES.

OBVIOUSLY...

BUT YOUR PAINTING IS AWESOME.

THANKS.

Woman: NUMBER 112.

Man: YEAH. SURE. I'D LIKE TO WIN, YOU KNOW?

AS FAR AS THIS YEAR IS CONCERNED,

I THINK I PROBABLY HAVE ONE

OF MY BEST ENTRIES GOING RIGHT NOW.

THAT I'VE GOT PROBABLY MORE WORK INTO IT

THAN I'VE DONE IN PROBABLY ANY ENTRY.

I'M NOT SAYING THAT I'M GONNA WIN.

I MEAN, IT'S -- IT'S -- IT'S ALL BASED ON HUMAN SUBJECTIVITY.

Woman: PLEASE VOTE.

IT'S IN.

I WOULD'VE LIKED TO HAVE AT LEAST FOUR INS.

BUT THINGS SOMETIMES CHANGE

WHEN YOU GET PAST THE FIRST ROUND

AND JUDGES HAVE LOST ONE OF THEIR FAVORITES.

THEY MIGHT CHANGE THEIR OPINIONS

OF WHAT THEY LIKE.

THIS YEAR, I'D LIKE TO BE IN THE FINALS.

AND, OF COURSE, I'D LIKE TO EITHER SEE ME OR ADAM WIN.

Man: NUMBER 122.

Adam: I MEAN, I'M SITTING THERE. AND I'M TRYING TO JUST RELAX.

AND, YOU KNOW, JUST NOT THINK ABOUT IT TOO MUCH.

BUT YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WITH THE CONTEST

HOW THINGS ARE GONNA GO.

YOU'RE JUST KIND OF SITTING THERE HOLDING YOUR BREATH

THE WHOLE TIME.

Man: PLEASE VOTE.

IT'S IN.

NUMBER 89.

PLEASE VOTE.

IT'S IN.

Woman: NUMBER 201.

PLEASE VOTE.

Murry: I DON'T REALLY EXPECT TO WIN.

AND WHEN I DON'T, I'M NOT DISAPPOINTED.

THE WHOLE DUCK STAMP DEAL,

IT'S FOR A GOOD CAUSE,

5.5 MILLION ACRES, I THINK.

AND THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

SO IF I WERE EVER TO WIN, IT WOULD BE AWESOME.

BUT IF I EVER DON'T, I'D STILL KEEP ENTERING.

Man: I WAS SECOND IN 1983.

AND I ACTUALLY WON IN 2009.

IT TOOK ME 27 YEARS.

YOU PUT SO MUCH INTO IT.

AND, UH, IT'S -- IT'S MORE THAN A PAINTING --

JUST A PAINTING -- I MEAN, IT'S NOT LIKE

A REGULAR PAINTING YOU GO IN YOUR STUDIO

AND DO TO SELL IT OR SOMETHING.

YOU PUT EVERYTHING YOU HAVE IN.

IT WAS JUST A CULMINATION OF A LOT OF YEARS OF WORK.

Man: I HAD A FRIEND OF MINE WHO CAME IN SECOND.

HE TOLD ME, HE SAID,

"OH, I JUST THOUGHT NEXT YEAR WOULD BE A SHOO-IN."

WELL, EVENTUALLY, HE DOESN'T EVEN ENTER IT ANYMORE.

HE JUST GAVE UP.

ONLY A FOOL WOULD GO THERE EXPECTING

TO WIN THE CONTEST, YOU KNOW?

YOU JUST... YOU CAN'T DO THAT.

THERE ARE TOO MANY GOOD PAINTINGS.

YOU MAY HAVE A PERFECT STAMP ENTRY, A BEAUTIFUL ENTRY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE STAMP. AND THAT'S IT.

THANK YOU AND GOOD MORNING.

AND NOW WE'RE GETTING READY TO GET TO THE, UH,

EXCITING PART OF THIS CONTEST.

IN ROUND TWO, INSTEAD OF IN AND OUT,

EACH JUDGE WILL BE SHOWN THE 63 ENTRIES

STILL REMAINING IN THE CONTEST.

THEY WILL VOTE BETWEEN ONE AND FIVE,

FIVE BEING THE BEST SCORE.

AND ONE BEING THE, UH, WELL, NOT SO MUCH.

THE FIVE HIGHEST SCORES WILL ADVANCE TO THE THIRD ROUND.

SO WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ADO,

WE WILL BEGIN WITH THE FIRST ENTRY IN ROUND TWO.

Man: THE SECOND ROUND, THE LOWEST POSSIBLE SCORE

YOU CAN GET FROM FIVE JUDGES IS A FIVE.

AND THE HIGHEST YOU CAN GET IS 25.

I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYONE

HAS EVER GOTTEN 25 IN THE SECOND ROUND.

AT LEAST, I HAVEN'T SEEN IT SINCE I'VE BEEN THERE.

Man: NUMBER 69.

PLEASE VOTE.

THANK YOU.

NUMBER 116.

PLEASE VOTE.

NUMBER 89.

Man: THE HAUTMAN BROTHERS, EVERY YEAR THAT ANY OF THEM

ARE IN THE CONTEST,

I ALWAYS THINK IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, LIKE,

"THAT'S MY BIGGEST COMPETITION."

Man: PLEASE VOTE.

THANK YOU.

NUMBER 122.

PLEASE VOTE.

THANK YOU.

NUMBER 112.

Taylor: MY GOAL IS TO MAKE THE FINAL.

AND, OF COURSE, I'D LIKE TO EITHER SEE ME OR ADAM WIN.

AND IF I WERE TO WIN,

I WOULDN'T WANT ADAM TO COME IN SECOND.

I'D WANT HIM TO COME IN, LIKE, FIFTH OR SOMETHING BECAUSE I --

I... IT WOULD BE... I WOULDN'T WANT JANET

AND ADAM AND EVERYBODY THAT,

"WELL, UNCLE TIM HAD KEPT US FROM --

FROM WINNING THE CONTEST THAT YEAR.

PLEASE VOTE.

THANK YOU.

THAT CONCLUDES THE JUDGING IN ROUND TWO.

WE'RE GONNA ALLOW THE JUDGES TO STRETCH THEIR LEGS

AND GET READY FOR THE FINAL ROUND,

WHICH WE WILL BEGIN AT ABOUT 11:30.

Taylor: ONCE YOU'RE INTO SOMETHING, IT'S...

YOU -- YOU WANNA COMPETE. AND YOU WANNA BE THE BEST.

I'M JUST -- JUST GONNA KEEP TRYING TO WIN.

MAYBE I'LL BE, LIKE, AN OLD GUY PAINTING

REALLY INFERIOR DUCK STAMPS

BECAUSE I CAN'T SEE AND DO

WHAT I COULD DO WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.

BUT I'M STILL TRYING, I GUESS.

ONE YEAR, ONE DAY, IT'S GONNA BE YOUR PAINTING

THAT THE FIVE JUDGES LIKE THE BEST.

Man: OKAY, FOLKS. WE'RE GONNA GET STARTED

INTO OUR FINAL ROUND OF JUDGING.

HERE IN ROUND THREE, WITH THE 16 FINAL ENTRIES,

EACH JUDGE WILL VOTE BY NUMBER AGAIN.

AND AT THIS POINT, IT WILL BE EITHER A THREE, FOUR OR FIVE.

SO EACH ENTRY WILL HAVE A COMPOSITE SCORE

OF BETWEEN 15 AND 25.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR A CLEAR WINNER AND THAT WINNER WILL BE THE,

UH... ON THE 2014-2015 FEDERAL DUCK STAMP.

PLEASE VOTE.

THANK YOU.

NUMBER 13.

PLEASE VOTE.

THANK YOU.

Woman: PLEASE VOTE.

THANK YOU.

NUMBER 69.

PLEASE VOTE.

THANK YOU.

Man: NUMBER 122.

PLEASE VOTE.

THANK YOU.

THE YEAR I WON, I WAS AT THE CONTEST.

AND, UM, JUST NERVE-RACKING.

Man: NUMBER 89.

LIKE THE SHOWDOWN FILTERED THROUGH HUNDREDS OF ENTRIES

UNTIL FINALLY IT GETS DOWN TO THE FINAL SCORE.

I JUST HAD TO WAIT TO SEE IF ANYBODY GOT A HIGHER SCORE.

PLEASE VOTE.

THANK YOU.

WE WIN.

JUST... MM...

Man: THANK YOU.

ARTIST 122 IS OUR WINNER.

ADAM GRIMM.

[ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ]

DADDY, YOU WIN!

Adam: I FEEL LIKE A HUGE WEIGHT'S

I'M KIND OF ALMOST IN A STATE OF DISBELIEF THAT THAT HAPPENED.

FOR WHAT I DO,

IT'S LIKE THE BIGGEST THING I COULD PROBABLY ABOUT DO.

Janet: WELL, WE HAVE NO IDEA WHERE LIFE'S GONNA TAKE US NEXT.

BUT IT -- IT'S JUST... IT'S BEEN LIKE A FAIRY TALE.

IT'S JUST ONE THING AFTER ANOTHER.

Adam: FEELS SURREAL. I MEAN, ALMOST LIKE --

ALMOST LIKE I STEPPED OUT OF ONE WORLD INTO A NEW WORLD.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN IT.

Man: WELCOME TO THE 2014-2015 FEDERAL DUCK STAMP

AND JUNIOR DUCK STAMP FIRST DAY OF SALE.

HEY, DO YOU REALIZE THAT WE GET TO BE

THE FIRST FOLKS IN AMERICA

TO BUY THE DUCK STAMP TODAY? DO YOU KNOW THAT?

Man: I'M FROM THE GULF COAST OF FLORIDA.

I CAME UP A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO JUST TO GET UP HERE.

$635, FULL SHEET OF JUNIOR. FULL SHEET OF THE FEDERAL.

I SUPPORT CONSERVATION.

I'D FLY THE RIVER

Adam: I REMEMBER BACK WHEN I WAS YOUNG

AND JUST GETTING INTO BUYING THE FEDERAL DUCK STAMP,

AND LOOKING AT THAT ARTWORK ON THERE.

AND THINKING HOW AMAZING IT

WAS THAT SOME ARTIST OUT THERE PAINTED THAT.

FOLLOWING IN THAT PATH AND BEING A PART OF THAT HISTORY,

THAT WAS A GOAL FOR MY LIFE BUT, SOMETHING THAT I GUESS

I NEVER REALLY IMAGINED WOULD ONE DAY HAPPEN.

HE MOVED HIS BODY

LIKE A CANNONBALL

FARE THEE WELL, MY HONEY

FARE THEE WELL

Man: EVERYONE WANTS TO BE REMEMBERED IN SOME WAY,

YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SOME MARK.

IT'S KINDA NEAT TO HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS

THERAT YOU KNOW WILL NEV BE FORGOTTEN.

I REMEMBER ONE EVENING

IN THE POURING RAIN

IN MY HEART

WAS AN ACHIN' PAIN

FARE THEE WELL

MY HONEY

FARE THEE WELL

MUDDY RIVER

RUNS MUDDY AND WILD

CAN'T GIVE A BLOODY

FOR MY UNBORN CHILD

Man: IT'S A BEAUTIFUL IDEA

TO COMBINE ART WITH CONSERVATION.

IT SAVES SO MANY WATERFOWL

AND OTHER ANIMALS AND HABITATS FROM EXTINCTION.

IT'S AN AMERICAN TRADITION, THE DUCK STAMP.

I JUST HOPE IT DOESN'T GO AWAY.

TO SHOW US THE BIRDS

FLYIN' HIGH ABOVE

LIFE AIN'T WORTH LIVIN'

WITHOUT THE ONE YOU LOVE

FARE THEE WELL, MY HONEY

FARE THEE WELL

[ BIRDS CALLING ]