Deb Mitchell, the founder and operator of DAM (Debra Ann Mitchell) Sculptures, grew up in a non-hunting family. She hunted passively early in adult life and enjoyed shooting bows instinctively. Still, the outdoors has always been the school of hard knocks.
Professionally, Deb is a steel sculptor. She crafts beautiful creations of metal horses, wildlife scenes, Native American imagery, and more. In fact, that's how she met TFT CEO Jason Lupardus — at her booth at SCI. He saw a piece of turkey artwork, and it sparked a conversation. With a history of donating to the likes of Ducks Unlimited, Whitetails Unlimited, and more, she jumped at the opportunity to work with TFT and donated items for South Carolina events.
"TFT was the first organization that really seemed to appreciate it," Deb said. "They invited me to the Upstate Flock dinner. Out of all the hunters I've ever hung around, turkey hunters just seem to be the coolest. They're the most giving and the most supportive.
Deb's First Bird
Hoping for her to experience what she's helping to conserve, Lupardus, TFT Board Member Stacy Boland, and TFT member Colby, decided to help her on a turkey hunt.
"I met Deb at SCI," Lupardus said. "She has a remarkable story. Plus, she likes to give back and help. So, we decided to give back to her and put her on a turkey hunt. She has a lot of history of being a hunter but never had the opportunity to successfully harvest a turkey. So, one of the gentlemen out of the Pee Dee Flock, and one of our board members, Stacy Bolin, took it upon themselves to provide her that experience. The best I can say is it was a life-changing experience for everyone there. We're honored to have her as a part of our family flock."
Deb and Stacy both reside in South Carolina. With her Mossberg 20-gauge still in the box, others donated a Jeb's choke tube and red-dot sight for the gun. Greg Mayer, owner of Meadow Creek Mounts and a flock leader in Upstate South Carolina, donated a mount. With that, it was time to hunt.
The morning hunt kicked off with several gobbles on the roost. Stacy and another individual named Colby, along with Deb and her husband Jim (a retired Army Airborne combat medic of 27 years), all enjoyed the sights and sounds of dawn.
After fly-down, the gobbling birds spotted the decoys, didn't like them, and departed. Soon after, another turkey fired up behind them. They repositioned on that gobbler. Before the entire crew was completely set up, the turkey stampeded into the open and ran to the middle of the field. Eventually, the group called the bird back into range. It stuck its head up over a log, Deb took the shot, but missed high.
"It launched out of there, and the last time I saw that bird, it was 300 yards out over the treetops and still gaining altitude," Stacy said. "She couldn't stop smiling. It was the most fun thing she'd ever done and couldn't wait to go again. Usually, when people miss a turkey, everyone is down. Not Mrs. Deb. She was smiling ear-to-ear because that bird was blowing her hat off at 25 yards for over 5 minutes."
The morning grew hotter and gobbling tapered off. They ate lunch, scouted, and talked about turkey hunting. That afternoon, they watched a tom go to roost with some hens and game planned for the next morning.
The problem? The turkeys roosted on the edge of an open field, and the next morning, a bright moon would be overhead an hour before daylight. The hunt offered high hopes and razor-thin margins for error.
The next morning, two hours before daylight, Colby and Deb snuck across the field and eased into position close to the roost. Stacy and Jim stayed about 150 yards away on a tree line, as four people sneaking across the field would be too much and he also hoped to photograph the hunt from a unique angle.
"We made our way down a path that Colby cleared several days before," Deb said. "Vines and branches were still a bit of an issue, but manageable. I'm only 5'2" but I kept up. We found a spot and settled in.
Tucked up under some pines behind a dirt mound and stock pond, Deb waited for daylight. It arrived, and they could see the roosted birds, but the gobbler wouldn't sound off.
"The hens were really close, so we needed to be really quiet," Deb continued. "Finally, the first hen came down. Then, the second, third, fourth, and fifth. Still, no gobbler."
A minute later, the gobbler dropped down along the edge of the woods. It didn't strut or gobble. Rather, it walked slowly out in front of Deb.
"I kept thinking to myself, she needs to shoot," Stacy said.
"Finally, he appeared to my left, but I couldn't see him well," Deb said. "Eventually, I got eyes on him as he turned to go left instead of coming in front of me. I had no choice but to turn quickly and shoot off hand. He was 48 yards out. I pulled the trigger and it was done."
"Right about the time I think he's on the edge of range, I saw his face hit the dirt and the sound of the shot hit my ears," Stacy echoed.
Two drainage ditches separated Colby and Deb from the downed turkey, and they couldn't reach it quickly. Stacy sprinted 150 yards across the field, and Jim followed along behind him, to check the bird. It hadn't twitched. A few minutes later, just as the sun broke over the horizon, all four convened around the bird and took in the experience.
"It was an absolutely magical moment," Stacy said. "You couldn't do anything but stop and think about the way we're blessed and the way this bird brought us all together. We took a good bit of time and reflected on that."
"I will relive that day in my head and my heart forever!" Stacy exclaimed. "It was a few days of unbelievable camaraderie."
Secure Your Wild Turkey Artwork
Those interested in wildlife-inspired metal artwork can find it with DAM Sculptures. Each creation is filled with passionate talent.
"Every piece that I make has part of me in it. If I was a rich person, and I didn't have to worry about paying bills, I would just give my art away," Deb said. "I'd be making stuff and just giving it to common, everyday people — because those are the ones who really appreciate it."
Over the years, while building her art business and creating pieces for upscale clients, she sacrificed time hunting and fishing. She reached the pinnacle, with pieces in Africa, Europe, all over the U.S., and in prestigious galleries. Still, time away from the woods weighed on her.
"I kind of regret those years of chasing that success," Deb said. "I really do, because right there in front of me were the people who really counted — everyday people. It took the kindness of the guys from TFT to get me to see that. They're just a really awesome group.
"I'm just so blessed to be back at it again," Deb continued. "It reignited that spark in me. Those guys don't see it as a big deal, but it was a really big deal to me. I'm just really grateful. I plan on donating a lot this year. I want to see it make a difference."
In 2027, every TFT Flock Dinner will auction off at least one piece of Debra's turkey-inspired artwork.
Support TFT
Wild turkey populations are on the decline throughout the nation. Established in 2021, TFT is new to the landscape, but it's driven by highly trained professionals with decades of conservation experience. To support TFT, and the complete body of wild turkey research and conservation it's leading, become a member today. An Adult Annual Membership is $50, multi-year Team Turkey Membership is $250, and Life Membership is $2,500. Every dollar counts in the fight for wild turkey preservation.