Wisconsin waterfowl stamp artist continues family's winning ways
Ryan Rickaby, 27, of Suamico says he isn't sure whether his passion for wildlife art is more due to genetics or environment.
His father, Jon Rickaby, is also a skilled wildlife artist and the two have painted and photographed side-by-side since Ryan was about 10. So the genes are there.
But he also grew up and continues to live in Suamico, a prime fishing and birding area on the southwestern shore of Green Bay. The location undoubtedly helped stimulate his creative interests.
What's clear is the sum of the influences has produced an award-winning wildlife artist.
Rickaby's acrylic painting of a blue-winged teal took first place in the Wisconsin waterfowl stamp contest. It will appear on the 2024 state waterfowl stamp.
It's not his first win in a Wisconsin stamp design contest. In fact, in 2019 he won two, the Great Lakes salmon and trout and inland trout stamps, the same year his father, Jon, won the state waterfowl stamp.
It was the first time in state stamp contest history a father and son had won in the same year, according to the Department of Natural Resources.
Judging for the 2024 state wildlife stamps was held Aug. 26 at the Waterfowl Hunters Expo in Oshkosh.
In addition to the waterfowl stamp, contests were held for the ring-necked pheasant and wild turkey stamps. About 50 entries were submitted.
Alissa Kakatsch, DNR wildlife biologist and program and policy analyst, coordinated the judging.
More: Smith: Continued decline in breeding duck numbers raises questions about habitat
Wildlife stamps raise funds for species management in Wisconsin
Beyond being beautiful, the art helps raise critical funds for conservation. Hunters and anglers are required to purchase the appropriate stamps along with their licenses to pursue certain species.
Sales of the three wildlife stamps bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars annually for species management in Wisconsin, including habitat management, restoration, education and research projects.
Rickaby said his motivation for this year's winning waterfowl work came this spring when many drake blue-winged teal on their northerly migrations stopped to rest in Suamico. Often the birds, in their striking breeding plumage, would sit in water-filled ditches just 20 feet off the road, affording Rickaby valuable opportunities to study and photograph the ducks.
"The lighting on those birds and the colors of the plumage was so stunning I had to try to capture it in a painting," Rickaby said.
Second place in the 2024 state waterfowl stamp contest went to James Pieper of Iron Ridge and third to Robert Wilkens of New Holstein.
Revenues from the sale of the $12 waterfowl stamp are split 66% for use in Wisconsin and 33% in Canada, breeding grounds for a portion of the ducks and geese that wing through the Badger State each year.
Since it was initiated in 1978, the Wisconsin waterfowl stamp has generated $21 million and funded hundreds of projects to protect, restore, enhance and maintain wetland habitat, according to the DNR.
Turkey and pheasant stamp design winners
Jim Tostrud of Kenosha took first in the 2024 wild turkey stamp contest, with Wilkens second and Mark Kanitz of Markesan third.
Since 1996, the first year Wisconsin's wild turkey stamp funds were available, $18.7 million has been allocated on 1,238 projects to benefit the wild turkey, according to DNR data. This money has been matched by $16.6 million in partner funds and helped manage 824,516 acres of public and private lands. The Wisconsin turkey stamp costs $5.25.
Wilkens of New Holstein won the 2024 ring-necked pheasant contest, with Robert Andrea of Spooner second and Robert Leum of Holmen third.
Revenue produced by sales of the $10 Wisconsin pheasant stamp is split 60% to support the state game farm to raise pheasants for stocking and 40% for habitat work. Wisconsin pheasant stamp dollars have been available since 1993, generated $11.1 million and funded 543 projects, according to the DNR. It has been augmented by $8.1 million in partner funds. Overall the pheasant stamp program has led to habitat work on 542,675 acres of public and private lands in the state.
Judges for this year's contests were Mark Kakatsch of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, wildlife artist Bill Koelpin Jr. of Oconomowoc and Paul Smith, outdoors editor of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
For more information on the state stamp contest programs, visit dnr.wi.gov.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin wildlife stamp winners named in annual contests
