Off the Roost: A Love Letter to the Wild Turkey
In the stillness of a spring morning, as the sun slowly climbs the horizon, a gobbler flies down from its roost — wings outstretched, slicing the crisp air in a moment every turkey hunter dreams of. For Florida-based wildlife artist Jim Turlington, that fleeting scene became the heart of his painting Off the Roost, now featured on the 2025 Mossy Oak Wild Turkey Conservation Stamp.
Turlington, a longtime NWTF supporter and previous West Volusia Limbhangers Chapter committee member for nearly a decade, has spent his life honoring wildlife through art, photography and time afield. He’s been chasing wild turkeys since the early 1970s when he first ventured into the woods with one of his father’s handmade box calls, harvesting his first longbeard at age 15.
“I didn’t even have any camouflage,” Turlington recalls with a laugh. “Just brown hunting boots, blue jeans, a gray sweatshirt and a black baseball cap. But I sat back in the shadows against a big oak tree. So, when the bird came in, he was walking down a little dirt road. I didn't think he would ever get close enough, but he finally did, and he took his dear sweet time. But I was able to get a shot, and I got him.”
Born into a military family, Turlington moved frequently as a child, but no matter where they lived, the woods and waters were a constant. He and his father always made time to hunt and fish, and wild turkeys quickly became more than just a game species — they became a lifelong inspiration.
“I’ve always found turkeys to be a fascinating bird,” Turlington said. “Eventually, I wasn’t just hunting them — I was photographing them, sketching them and helping with research. I’ve got binders full of photos, and I even preserve feathers and fans for reference.”
By 1980, Turlington had begun working as a professional artist and photographer. Though he paints a wide range of wildlife, wild turkeys have always been a signature subject.
The inspiration for Off the Roost came from a series of early morning field sessions, during which Turlington studied the dramatic moment turkeys leave their nighttime perch. Determined to portray the wild turkey in flight, he spent hours sketching, photographing and even climbing into the trees for a better view. One morning, a hen walked along a limb just feet away, while gobblers pitched down all around him.
Back in his studio in Deltona, Florida, he translated that vivid memory — along with field sketches and photographs — into a watercolor masterpiece. After a month and a half of fine-tuning his sketches, he knew he had found the right composition.
“The first sketch I did, I looked at it. Something just seemed like a little off,” Turlington said. “And so, I did the second one. And the moment I got through sketching the second one, I said to myself ‘This is it.’ And so, I started painting.”
The result is a painting that nearly glows with dawn’s first light, a gobbler caught mid-flight in a scene that stirs the soul of any turkey hunter.
“When my dad saw the finished piece, he just stood there shaking his head,” Turlington said. “He asked me, ‘How are you ever going to top this?’”
The original painting now resides in a private collection in Pennsylvania, and Off the Roost was also featured in a 2016 promotional campaign with Wild Turkey Bourbon. In early 2024, Mossy Oak selected the image for the fourth annual Wild Turkey Conservation Stamp, a collectible program with all proceeds supporting wild turkey research projects.
Turlington’s passion for conservation extends far beyond wild turkeys. He has used his artwork for decades to support habitat projects for quail, waterfowl, freshwater and saltwater fish and more. His work is displayed in NWTF offices and in those of other conservation groups, and he regularly donates signed prints to help fundraise for wildlife research and habitat improvement.
“One of the reasons I agreed to let Mossy Oak use this piece is because I've always believed in giving back,” Turlington said. “My father stressed that to me when I was very young. My dad always believed in giving back, and so he would go out and actually do stuff to help improve habitat for quail and doing stuff like that. He got me involved in building nest boxes for wood ducks, stuff like that. So he was setting the example for me, showing me that you just don't take from the woods; you give back.”
For Turlington, conservation is inseparable from hunting and the outdoor tradition. And as someone who’s seen both the highs and lows of wild turkey populations over the decades, he knows how important it is for hunters to remain active stewards.
“There are still people out there who don’t understand that it’s the hunters and anglers who do more for conservation than anybody else,” Turlington said. “We know that if we don’t get involved, it may not get done.”
Driven by his enduring passion for wild turkeys, Turlington now has his sights set on observing and painting the Gould’s wild turkey — a new chapter in his lifelong pursuit of capturing these birds on canvas.
To see more of Jim Turlington’s artwork or to connect with him, visit him on Instagram at @jimturlington or on Facebook.