Outdoor Creativity on Display at NWTF Convention and Sport Show
From customized turkey calls to graphic t-shirts, fishing flies, stickers and taxidermy, there’s art and creativity at every turn on the sport show floor. Independent outdoor artists exhibiting at the event have a talent showcasing the power of the outdoors through their creations. If you missed these booths on the show floor, check them out online.
This is Dave Nebraska’s third year selling his unique turkey calls on the show floor. Nebraska is based in Ohio, and his booth offered eye-catching pot calls; he even made one using resin and macaroni. Nebraska used to work for Mossy Oak and always prioritized having beautiful and effective calls.
Melissa Ball is a Pennsylvania artist known for her unique and highly detailed paintings on turkey tail feathers. In 2001, she won the NWTF’s Grand National Art Contest and has since had a painting featured in the NWTF’s national Core Package 12 times. Ball has also been named the NWTF’s featured artist of the year and stamp print artist. Most recently, she created the artwork for the Forests and Flocks stamp that was launched in 2025.
Joel has been selling customized wood mounts on the NWTF show floor for over 15 years. He started creating mounts over 20 years ago after shooting his first deer. His taxidermist didn’t have a mount option, so he decided to make his own.
Snood Ceramic Mugs
Joe King, a high school art teacher and dedicated turkey hunter from Michigan, returned to NWTF’s convention for another year selling his ceramic mugs and steins.
Artist John Garton has been carving since he found out he was having a son and wanted to carve him a rocking horse. A veterinarian by trade, Garton is familiar with animal anatomy, which helps him carve showstoppers. All the lamps at his booth turn on by touching a piece of metal.
In 2013, Tricia Auten started her brand to emphasize that women in the outdoors should be able to hunt, shoot and be in the outdoors while still celebrating the beauties of being a woman.
When Adam Sharp lost his job at a utility company 10 years ago, he saw it as a sign to start writing stories about Bible scripture. He took his ideas to a local printing shop and collaborated with their illustrator to bring them to life.
As an outdoorsman, writing about wildlife was something he could relate to and share with his kids, and make it fun for other dads and their kids. Sharp used creating this series as a way of connecting with experienced hunters who were able to share the natural habits of animals. For example, when he found out that some duck species have leg bands when they’re harvested, he used it as inspiration for a character in his book. He learned so much in the process and is happy to share that knowledge with the next generation.
Wildflowers and Barley, from Springfield, Illinois, are back for their second year at the NWTF Convention and Sport Show offering custom hand-burned hats with two different options.