www.onxmaps.com Open in urlscan Pro
2600:1901:0:143b::  Public Scan

Form analysis
0 forms found in the DOM

Text Content

x-icon
Access Initiatives

 * Support
 * Redeem Card
 * Contact Us
 * Business Inquiries
 * Careers

Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube LinkedIn
Terms of use Privacy Policy © 2023 onXmaps
Open App Close
Hunt Map Offroad Map Backcountry Map
x-icon
Back
App
Features
Pricing
Elite Membership
 * Learn about Elite
 * Pro Deals
 * Expert Resources
 * Research Tools
 * Application Season

Pick Your State
More
 * Masterclasses
 * Blog
 * Feature Films
 * Ambassadors
 * Tutorials
 * GPS Unit Maps
 * Merch Shop


 * Support
 * Redeem Card
 * Contact Us
 * Business Inquiries
 * Careers

Follow Us
Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube LinkedIn
Become an onX Member for the best outdoor adventure apps with tools to get you
there and back safely.
Start Free Trial
Open App

onX onX Hunt onX Offroad onX Backcountry Access Initiatives

 * App
 * Features
 * Pricing
 * Elite Membership
    * Learn about Elite
    * Pro Deals
    * Expert Resources
    * Research Tools
    * Application Season

 * Pick Your State
 * More
    * Masterclasses
    * Blog
    * Feature Films
    * Ambassadors
    * Tutorials
    * GPS Unit Maps
    * Merch Shop

 * 

Start Free Trial
Open Map

Share



STAMP IT FORWARD: PUBLIC LAND TEES

October 20, 2023
Hunt onX

We sat down with hunter and photographer Sam Soholt to learn more about his
Public Land Tees Project, Stamp It Forward, and other conservation projects.


SO WHAT IS THIS PROJECT, AND WHY DID YOU START IT? HOW CAN PEOPLE GET INVOLVED?

We started Public Land Tees as a way to give back to the organizations that
protect, improve, and increase access to public lands. In addition to that,
we’ve used the platform to creatively raise money outside of the typical
banquet, auction, or sweepstakes models. One of those projects that has been
highly successful is Stamp It Forward. 

Stamp It Forward is a project founded in conservation. Starting in 2019, it has
been a yearly effort each fall to raise as much money as possible, and all of it
goes to funding wetland habitat and access. 




HOW IT WORKS

We ask individuals and companies to make donations and with 100% of the money
raised, we buy Federal Duck Stamps. The reason we chose the Duck Stamp is
because it is quite possibly the most efficient way to ensure the money goes
directly to the ground based on the fact that by law, 98% of the purchase price
of a duck stamp has to be spent on purchasing or improving more wetland habitat.
This is so effective because it goes far beyond just benefiting migratory
birds. 

If anyone would like to get involved and help us reach our goal this year of
raising $100,000, they can do so by donating directly through our site.




WHAT DO WE DO WITH ALL THE STAMPS? 

The really fun part of this project is what we do with all of the stamps that we
buy following the fundraising efforts. After we get a huge stack, we begin to
give the stamps away with every item ordered on our website. Since we give back
$5 from every item sold to conservation, it’s a way to roll one fundraiser into
another putting even more money back into the ground. 

In addition to giving stamps away with orders, we give stamps away to youth, new
hunters, and veteran hunter organizations to help get more people into the
outdoors and keep bringing people into the fold. This year specifically, if we
can raise the $100,000 we’ll be giving 500 stamps to Ducks Unlimited, 500 to
Delta Waterfowl, and 500 to those youth, new hunter, and veteran groups.


WHAT DOES THE DUCK STAMP MONEY DO? WHAT’S THE HISTORY OF THE STAMP?

The Federal Migratory Bird Conservation and Stamp Act—better known as the Duck
Stamp Act—was passed in 1934. Every waterfowler over the age of 16 is required
to purchase a federal Duck Stamp to legally hunt waterfowl. Since the inception
of the duck stamp, over $1.1 billion dollars have been raised, and over six
million acres of wetlands have been protected making it one of the greatest
conservation tools over the course of the last 90 years. 

Originally, the stamp dollars went only to adding to the national refuge system,
but over time the funds were spread to include the purchase of “small” parcels
that hosted excellent breeding habitat for the birds that use the wetlands. 



The money from duck stamps gets distributed around the country to different
easements, refuges, and wetland purchases. A large portion of the money,
however, does get spent on the “Duck Factory.” The Prairie Pothole Region is
responsible for more than 60% of the breeding population of waterfowl in North
America. As more land is protected and improved, it creates more ducks in every
flyway across the country. 

One of the greatest things about the duck stamp is how easy it is to get
involved. You don’t need to be a member of an organization (although you should
join one), you don’t need to have a hunter’s safety card, you don’t need any
other license at all to simply purchase a stamp making the barrier to entry
about as low as it comes to getting involved in conservation. 


WHAT’S THE DUCK RUCK?

This year, we felt there needed to be a change to our original model of
encouraging people to send money to help buy stamps. As a way to earn people’s
donations, the 100 Mile Prairie Pothole Duck Ruck was born: a 100-mile hike over
the course of three days through the heart of the Prairie Pothole Region. It’s a
way to put a spotlight on the region itself, Waterfowl Production Areas, and
National Refuges all funded by duck stamp dollars. 



The goal of the hike was to raise $100,000 and spend 100% of that money to buy
duck stamps, because ultimately $98,000 of those dollars would have to be spent
on creating more habitat and by default, creating more animals whether that be
ducks in the flyways, deer, elk, bears, grouse, or any of the other 700 species
that rely on wetlands to survive. 

The ruck started at Witsel Waterfowl Production Area southwest of Fargo, North
Dakota, for about 50 miles, then the route took us south and west, ultimately
finishing across the South Dakota border along Sand Lake National Wildlife
Refuge. We rucked 33.33 miles per day and in that short stretch of time we
raised just shy of $50,000 for the ducks. Short of the ultimate goal, but the
project is not finished, and we’ll keep pushing that total up as we work to get
more people to donate to the project. 


CAN YOU SHARE STATS ON DUCK STAMPS AND FUNDS CONTRIBUTED OVER THE PAST FEW
YEARS? 

In 2019, we took $2,500 in cash and drove around to seven different post offices
in order to buy the first 100 Duck Stamps in the inaugural Stamp It Forward
project. Then we opened it up to the public to participate and donate, and that
first fall we raised just over $25,000: enough to buy 1009 stamps. 

In 2020, we were a little more organized and worked with more brands to bolster
donations and ended up buying 1,582 federal duck stamps, raising $39,550. In
2021 we backtracked a little and raised enough to buy 1,187 stamps for $29,675. 

When 2022 rolled around, rather than just leaving it open-ended to raise as much
as possible, we put a goal on it to raise $50,000 to buy 2,000 stamps. And in
December, we received a donation from Scheels Outdoors of $15,000 that put us
over the top!

Currently, with the dollars raised for the 2023 Stamp It Forward project we have
raised enough money since 2019 to buy 7,728 duck stamps totaling $193,215. At
98% going into wetland preservation or restoration, that means $189,350.70 of
that will have to be spent directly on creating and protecting more habitat. 


WANT TO LEARN MORE?

Sam wrote this blog for Savage Arms about the history of the duck stamp, and
crafted this reel about the duck stamp for Vortex.  Read more about Stamp It
Forward and the Public Land Tees Project here.


WATERFOWL HUNTERS DEPEND ON ONX HUNT

Mark your best spots, share Waypoints, find private and public land boundaries,
and much more. Start your free trial today.

Buy Now
Start Free Trial




JESS MCGLOTHLIN

Before coming to onX, Jess McGlothlin worked as a freelance photographer and
writer in the fly-fishing and outdoor industries. While on assignment in the
past few years she’s learned how to throw spears at coconuts in French
Polynesia, dodge saltwater crocodiles in Cuba, stand-up paddleboard down
Peruvian Amazon tributaries, and eat all manner of unidentifiable food.

onX
Best Duck Hunting States

Hunt
How to Hunt Waterfowl Using the onX Hunt App
 * Find a Dealer
 * Become a Dealer
 * Hunting Areas
 * Research Tools
 * onX News
 * Support
 * About Us
 * Contact Us
 * Blog
 * Redeem Card
 * Business Inquiries
 * Hunt App Reviews
 * Product Testing


Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube LinkedIn
Terms of use Privacy Policy © 2023 onXmaps
We use cookies to improve your browsing experience, to show you personalized
content, and for statistical purposes. By continuing to navigate our website,
you accept our use of cookies. Read our Privacy Policy to learn more.
Close

×
×