Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp contest had nearly 60 entries, and this is the winner

Submissions were required to feature a shorebird.
A photo of a killdeer and its chick will be featured on the 2026 Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp. JENNIFER BECK/CONTRIBUTED BY ODNR

A photo of a killdeer and its chick will be featured on the 2026 Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp. JENNIFER BECK/CONTRIBUTED BY ODNR

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife has selected a photo of a killdeer and its chick for the 2026 Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamp.

The photo is the winner of the 17th annual legacy stamp photo contest and was taken in Cuyahoga County by Jennifer Beck, of Lyndhurst. The contest had 57 entries.

Beck is a two-time winner of the competition — her photo of a bald eagle and an eaglet was featured on the 2022 legacy stamp, ODNR said in a news release.

“Troy Nemitz, of Milan, earned second place with an image of a killdeer chick, and Brenda Traffis, of Concord Twp., earned third with a shot of a short-billed dowitcher in flight,” the release said.

“A killdeer is one of Ohio’s most abundant shorebirds, found on beaches and in wetlands, bare fields, grassy lawns, and even parking lots. Killdeer lay well-camouflaged eggs in gravel and successfully nest along driveways, on rooftops, or in parking lots as well as more natural habitats. Killdeer are named for their loud, sharp call, a repeated ‘kill-deer’ sound. This shorebird is easy to identify with two broad, black bands across its breast and a rusty-colored tail.”

People who buy Ohio Wildlife Legacy Stamps support wildlife conservation. Each stamp is $15 and come with a commemorative card and sticker. The new one will be available in March 2026.

Currently, the 2025 stamp features a hummingbird clearwing moth and can be purchased online through Ohio’s Wildlife Licensing System, at any location that sells hunting or fishing licenses and on the HuntFish OH mobile app.

A mail-in form is also online at wildohio.gov.

For the 2027 stamp, the photo subject will be mammals.

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