When David Maass was a young boy, he raised pigeons at his home in Rochester, Minnesota, where he was born on November 27, 1929. He also like to bring home orphaned birds and animals of the few species that easily adapt to city life. But in a state of wildlife artists, a city is not the best place for a boy to develop a keen interest in wildlife. Hunting ran in the family, and his mother, Ora, was a former Minnesota trap-shooting champion. Consequently, his stepfather, "Kelley", took him hunting whenever he could.
David Maass started his career without the help of any formal art education, but he was gifted with incredible talent. He was aided by wonderful friends and driven by an exceptionally strong will that helped him become one of the top artists of wildlife art, prints and posters today.
In addition to his win in the Duck Stamp contest, Mr. Maass was selected by Ducks Unlimited as Artist of the Year for 1974. He feels that this was the greatest honor that he ever received because the award comes from the vote of more than 700 Ducks Unlimited officers, conservationists, and hunters who know the birds and their habitats well. Unlike many competitions, it is not a contest in which one particular work is chosen as the best. It is an all-encompassing award for outstanding ability in the field of wildlife art, prints and posters.