Image caption: The Grand Prize winner for the 2025 Eastern Wild Turkey Conservation Stamp was Amanda Hukill of Palestine, TX.
The entries are in and it’s almost time to announce the winners of the seventh annual 2026 Arkansas Northern Bobwhite Quail Conservation Stamp and Eastern Wild Turkey Conservation Stamp Competition. Along with partners Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) and the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation (AGFF), Historic Cane Hill will host an Awards Ceremony and Opening Reception for the art selected from entries around the country on Saturday, March 14.
“This exhibition brings together art, natural heritage, and place,” said Vanessa McKuin, Executive Director of Historic Cane Hill. “The Quail and Turkey Stamp program demonstrates how creative expression can directly support habitat restoration across Arkansas, and we’re proud to host this work in a place where quail and turkey have historically thrived and where efforts to restore habitat can be seen first hand. We’re thrilled to be a partner in this work.”
The exhibition will feature work from the competition winners and all accepted artwork from both categories, quail and turkey. On Saturday, March 14, the public is invited to an opening reception and awards ceremony at 3:00 PM. In addition to their artwork being featured on each stamp, grand prize winners from each category will also earn a cash prize of $2,500. Second-place winners will each receive $500, and third-place winners will each earn $250.
A panel of jurors judge the quality of each piece in addition to its accuracy in depicting the northern bobwhite quail and eastern wild turkey species in their traditional Arkansas habitats. Juror bios are listed below.
IMPORTANCE OF THE STAMPS
Since their inception, these voluntary stamps have helped raise more than $2.72 million worth of habitat work for quail and turkeys through 54 projects, all on public land throughout roughly 18,435 acres in Arkansas.
“The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s voluntary eastern wild turkey conservation stamp is a direct and vital investment in the future of wild turkey in the Natural State,” says David Moscicki, GFC Turkey Program Coordinator and Wildlife Manager. “For the investment of $9.50, hunters and wildlife enthusiasts both can set in motion a cascade of conservation action. The contribution is multiplied through strategic partnerships (including National Wild Turkey Federation and Quail Forever) transformed into scientifically-proven habitat improvements, that translate into improved survival of female turkeys and their poults. This program is a testament to the principle that when state agencies, dedicated conservation organizations, and a passionate public work in concert, they can successfully address the challenges facing wildlife.”
In addition to rehabilitation and preservation of wild quail and turkey habitats around the state, the AGFC also provides information to the public regarding each species, hunting game, and landowner assistance for habitat preservation. To access these resources and to purchase quail and turkey stamps, visit www.agfc.com.
EXHIBITION DETAILS
The Quail and Turkey Stamp Exhibition will be on display in the Historic Cane Hill Gallery for public viewing from March 14 to April 18. The Gallery is located at 14627 State Hwy 45, Canehill, AR 72717. Weekly operating hours are Thursday-Saturday, 10 AM-2 PM, or by appointment.
OPENING DAY ACTIVITIES – MARCH 14
10 – 11 AM – EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM: Foundations for Successful Habitat Management
Join AGFC biologists for a one-hour educational program focused on two iconic game birds: bobwhite quail and wild turkey. This session covers essential habitat needs and practical management considerations. Participants will gain a better understanding of how habitat influences these species and what makes a landscape successful for quail and turkeys.
Tickets are free but required, and may be reserved here.
1 -2:30 PM – ADD-ON LAND TOUR: Private Lands Management for Turkey and Quail
Tour a property in the middle of restoration from a working cattle farm to a turkey and quail haven. This tour covers project planning, prescribed fire, herbicide use, native seeding, and other techniques. This is a great, real world example of what can be accomplished in a few years of hard work, through the difficulties of invasive species and limited staff and budget.
Attendance at the educational program is not required for the tour but is recommended.
Tickets are free, but limited due to space restrictions, and may be reserved here.
CLOSING DAY ACTIVITIES – APRIL 18
5-7 PM – FOUR-COURSE QUAIL DINNER: Prepared by local chef Case Dighero
Bookending the exhibition, Historic Cane Hill will host its third annual Four-Course Dinner with Chef Case Dighero featuring quail, trout, pears, and more. Guests will dine outdoors next to scenic Jordan Creek.
The menu features:
initial NOSH
CRISPY TROUT CAKES
Korean BBQ Sauce • Sunflower Sprouts
ease IN
ESSENTIAL WEDGE
Iceberg, Gorgonzola • Tomatoes • Pickled Onion • Arkansas Bacon
main EVENT
QUAIL AU VIN
Herby Polenta • Wild Mushrooms • Spring Micro-Greens
ease OUT
SPICED PEAR SHORTCAKE
Sweet Biscuit • Shaken Creme • Spring Mint
Tickets are $150 each and go on sale February 20.
Juror Bios:
Terri Lane
Terri Lane is the Director of the Arkansas Wildlife Federation (AWF), a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring a thriving future for Arkansas wildlife. Her career in conservation nonprofit leadership spans more than 20 years. Before coming to AWF, Terri was the Executive Director of the Northwest Arkansas Land Trust (NWALT) for 10 years. In that role, she led NWALT to become the first accredited land trust in the state, permanently protecting over 6,000 acres of land across 40 properties, and served in national leadership and conservation advocacy roles within the land trust movement. She has served on various local, state, and national boards and councils, always with a core passion for the protection of wildlife. Terri was raised on a small farm in Fayetteville, and is a graduate of the University of Arkansas with a degree in Environmental Sciences. She lives in Fayetteville with her husband, a local attorney, and their two teenage daughters.
Pablo Bacon
Pablo Bacon, a Monticello, Arkansas, native, earned his B.S. in Biology from the University of Arkansas at Monticello and pursued graduate studies at the University of Arkansas. He began his career as a biology professor at Southern Arkansas University before transitioning to the federal workforce, where he specializes in applied environmental biology and natural resource policy and regulations. An avid hunter and dedicated conservationist, Pablo has been actively involved with the National Wild Turkey Federation Arkansas State Chapter for the past 10 years, serving as president for the last three. He has worked to strengthen partnerships with state, federal, and local agencies, as well as NGOs, to advance habitat conservation and education efforts. Married with two young children, he is committed to ensuring future generations inherit a world rich in natural resources and outdoor opportunities.
Lawrence McElroy
Lawrence McElroy is the Director of Arts & Culture for Historic Cane Hill, serving as the museum curator and overseeing all arts-related initiatives. McElroy is also responsible for the concept, research, and design of all exhibitions in the gallery at Cane Hill. McElroy’s two major exhibitions were “Men of Earth,” which documented the rich history of rural stoneware potters in northwest Arkansas, and “Niloak and Beyond,” which showcased the phenomenon of 20th-century swirl art pottery in America. In 2023, McElroy served as project director for an exhaustive research effort to document the little-known history of the Black community in Cane Hill and is the project director for ongoing archeological investigations at the historic J.D. Wilbur kiln site. McElroy earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting from the Memphis College of Art and a Master of Arts degree in museum studies from Johns Hopkins University. McElroy is an award-winning artist who works primarily in oil on canvas in figurative realism and maintains a studio in Cane Hill.
QUICK RECAP:
March 14 – OPENING DAY
10 – 11 AM – EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM: Foundations for Successful Habitat Management
Free, tickets required.
Cane Hill College Building – 14219 College Road, Canehill, AR 72717
1 -2:30 PM – LAND TOUR: Private Lands Management for Turkey and Quail
(Attendance at the talk is not required for the tour but recommended)
Free, tickets required.
Meet at the Historic Cane Hill Museum – 14335 Hwy 45, Canehill, AR 72717
3 PM – OPENING RECEPTION AND AWARDS CEREMONY: 2026 Quail and Turkey Conservation Stamp Exhibition
Free, no tickets required
Historic Cane Hill Gallery – 14627 State Hwy 45, Canehill, AR 72717
March 14 to April 18 – Quail and Turkey Stamp Exhibition
Thursday-Saturday, 10 AM-2 PM, or by appointment.
Historic Cane Hill Gallery – 14627 State Hwy 45, Canehill, AR 72717
April 18 – CLOSING DAY
5-7 PM – FOUR-COURSE QUAIL DINNER: Prepared by local chef Case Dighero
Tickets go on sale February 20.
Dine outdoors next to scenic Jordan Creek, Canehill.