The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is conducting an art contest to select the design for the state’s 2013 upland game bird stamp.

The California Upland Game Bird Stamp Art Contest is open to all U.S. residents ages 18 and over. Entries will be accepted from May 13 through July 13, 2013.

This year’s stamp will feature the sooty grouse, and art contest entries must include at least one adult sooty grouse.

Entries will be judged on originality, artistic composition, anatomical accuracy and suitability for reproduction as a stamp and a print.

The contest will be judged by a panel of experts in the fields of ornithology, conservation, art and printing. The winning artist will be selected during a public judging event, with the date and location to be announced later.

An upland game bird stamp is required for hunting migratory and resident upland game birds in California.

The money generated from stamp sales must be spent on upland game bird-related conservation projects, education, hunting opportunities and outreach.

CDFW sells about 200,000 upland game bird stamps annually, which includes sales to collectors. Hunters are no longer required to attach the stamp to their license.

However, CDFW still produces the stamps, which can be purchased at http://www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/collectorstamps/ .

For contest information and entry forms, please visit http://www.dfg.ca.gov/upstamp .