Gallery Six
1907 - 1929 Connecticut Hunting and Fishing Licenses
Connecticut started issuing resident hunting licenses in 1907. By 1924, a separate fishing license was being issued. Connecticut is a relatively small state both in size and population. These two factors often correlate with the difficulty of acquisition for license collectors today and this explains why early Connecticut paper licenses turn up very infrequently.
Michigan Fishing License Buttons
Michigan issued fishing license buttons from 1929 through 1932. There was a resident trout button for each year; non resident special and general buttons for 1929 and non resident fishing buttons for 1930-32. Each button pictured a fish so they fit into a category referred to as "critter buttons" by long time collectors. Critter buttons include a picture of an animal or a fish and are very popular with collectors.
Ohio Trapping Stamps
Ohio started requiring trappers to purchase a special stamp and affix it to their license in 1979. The series continued through the 1994-95 seasons when it was discontinued and superseded by fur taker stamps. It took a couple a few years for collectors to learn about the stamps and no unused examples have been recorded prior to 1982. For one year only, 1994-95, a youth trapping stamp was issued. The Ohio trapping stamps are scarce and unused examples, especially, are in demand by advanced collectors.
Connecticut Pheasant Harvest Stamps
Connecticut started issuing pheasant harvest stamps in 1985. The stamps were die cut and printed on a peelable backing with ten pheasant harvest tags. Prior to 1985, the tags were issued with a stub at the left for the hunter to fill in name, address, hunting license number, etc. However, it is not known whether these were required to be affixed to a hunting license like the subsequent stamps. The stub had a line to fill in the expiration date, suggesting the same tags were used for many years in a row. Unused Connecticut pheasant harvest stamps have always been difficult to obtain as the Department of Environmental Protection does not encourage collectors. They are still being used today.
1981 - 1997 Maryland Deer Stamps
Starting in 1981, Maryland began issuing deer stamps that did not convey turkey hunting rights. Over the years, several different types of deer stamps were issued and discontinued. Starting in 1990-91, a non resident second deer stamp was issued. Few collectors knew about the stamp and unused examples are difficult to acquire. Maryland discontinued issuing all deer stamps following the 1997-98 seasons.
Michigan Trout Plate Blocks
From 1949 through 1963, the engraved Michigan trout stamps were printed in sheets of twenty with plate numbers located in two selvage positions. For each year, a serial number was located in the left selvage. In 1949 only, a second number was also located in the bottom selvage. On all subsequent issues, it was located in the top selvage. Plate block collecting has traditionally played a big role in philately. For fish and game collectors, however, the early Michigan trout stamps offer one of the few opportunities outside of pictorial federal and state waterfowl stamps to enjoy this pastime.
1961 - 1972 Iowa Trout Stamps
Iowa started requiring fishermen intending to take trout to purchase a special stamp and affix it to their license in 1961. Through 1971, all of the Iowa trout stamps were jumbo-sized, square in shape and shared the same single-color design of trout jumping out of the water for a fly. Mix in a few that were printed on gold or silver foil paper and you have one of the most popular series of fish and game stamps of all time. Unused examples of the foil stamps are always in high demand. Starting in 1972, the size of the stamps was reduced and they took on a more conventional rectangular shape.
1973 - 1999 Iowa Trout Stamps
Starting in 1973, Iowa trout stamps featured beautiful multicolor artwork by leading wildlife artists. in 1985, the artist designed and submitted a vertical stamp. When it was issued, he was dismayed to find his design was turned on its side and the stamps were printed in panes of horizontal images. Subsequent to stamps from the initial printing being distributed to vendors, the state requested a second printing of corrected 1985-86 stamps. Records show that only 330 of the vertical stamps were sold.
Mississippi Archery Stamps
Mississippi issued resident archery deer stamps for only four years. The stamps were first issued in 1958. Very few unused stamps were sold to collectors the first year. For 1960-61, there were at least three separate printings as the stamp has been recorded in three different colors. Following the 1960-61, collectors were told the series was discontinued. However, at least one more jumbo-sized stamp was printed the following year and two used examples have been recorded. Owing to their rarity, unused Mississippi archery deer stamps are very desirable and their stature in the hobby borders on iconic.
1989 - 1995 Crow Creek Stamps
In 1989 the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe made philatelic history by becoming the first tribal government to issue pictorial fish and game stamps, including stamps required to hunt waterfowl. The stamps were printed by the State Publishing Company and conformed to the standards set for South Dakota State stamps, except they were in black and white to save money. After the 1990 season, a new tribal council was elected and there was a lapse in Crow Creek's stamp program. In 1994, the tribal council decide to print smaller semi-pictorial stamps at an even lower cost to the tribe. Following the 1994 seasons, yet a new tribal council was elected and the new council decide to spare no expense. Multicolored fish and game stamps were issued that were virtually indistinguishable from the state stamps in quality.