Ducks Unlimited (DU) recently released the latest film in its online series, DU Films.
In this film, the second of season 7, DU Films showcases Nilo Farms in Brighton, Ill. This iconic location has a long history of producing top Labrador retrievers, including the legendary King Buck, the dog featured on the 1959 Federal Duck Stamp.
King Buck’s story was featured in the 2020 May/June issue of Ducks Unlimited magazine under the title, “Cotton and the King.” The article tells the tale of how Nilo Farms and Winchester owner John Olin (Nilo is Olin spelled backwards) came to own the dog. Renowned retriever trainer Cotton Pershall was hired by Olin to train his dogs and produce champions. He did just that, handling King Buck to the 1952 and 1953 National Open retriever trial crowns.
Artist Maynard Reese painted King Buck for Olin and the painting was featured on the 1959 Federal Duck Stamp. To this day, Buck is the only dog to have ever appeared on the stamp, a required purchase every season to hunt ducks and geese in the U.S. Since 1934, Federal Duck Stamp sales have raised more than $800 million for wetlands conservation.
“There’s a unique relationship between Winchester and Nilo Farms,” said Jason Gilbertson, director of marketing for Winchester Ammunition. “Nilo goes back to the 1950s and the Winchester brand has been around for over 150 years. They are connected through John Olin’s ownership of both, and his vision for improving shooting sports and having fun in the outdoors.”
Winchester’s relationship with DU began many years ago out of their commitment to waterfowl, wildlife and wetlands conservation.
“Winchester has always been very strong in working with partners like Ducks Unlimited and communicating the benefits of conservation,” Gilbertson said. “Understanding what other organizations do outside of your own, you learn and put more effort into furthering conservation missions that carry our outdoor traditions forward.”
New films will follow each month during the spring and summer. Every film from previous seasons is available for viewing now at www.ducks.org/dufilms.
DU Films is produced by Rock Road Creative and sponsored by Mossy Oak, Drake Waterfowl, Winchester Repeating Arms, Winchester Ammunition and Yeti.
Watch the new film at www.ducks.org/dufilms and be sure to follow DU’s news Twitter feed-@DUNews1937-to get the most up-to-date news from Ducks Unlimited.
Ducks Unlimited Inc. is the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 15 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever. For more information on our work, visit www.ducks.org.
