The Winchester Life Podcast

For 45 years Ron Spomer has had the good fortune to photograph and write about the outdoor life. A hunter. A hiker. A fisherman. An explorer. Ron has connected with nature on 6 continents and been able to see the beauty that he believes everyone should see. Ron has an in-depth knowledge of guns, ammo, optics, ballistics, boots, clothing, wildlife behavior, hunting tactics, conservation programs, a...

In this episode of Winchester Life Quick Shots, host Jason Gilbertson (Senior Marketing Director at Winchester) sits down with Divisional Director of Operations Kyle Masinelli for an in-depth conversation on the launch of Winchester Supreme Long Range ammunition. After years of development and a relentless focus on manufacturing excellence, Winchester has created what many are calling the best-in-...

Join Winchester Marketing Director Jason Gilbertson and Product Manager Jimmy Wilson as they break down the engineering behind two of the most advanced turkey loads ever developed — Long Beard XR and Long Beard Tungsten. In this technical deep dive, Jimmy and Jason explain how Shot-Lok® technology in Long Beard XR protects the lead shot during launch, delivering dramatically tighter patterns with...

There are people who hunt deer… and then there are those who understand them. For decades, Dr. Grant Woods has walked that line between hunter and scientist — part biologist, part storyteller — studying whitetails with the kind of curiosity that never fades. From the rolling hills of the Ozarks to the screens of GrowingDeer.tv, he’s turned science into strategy, and passion into purpose. But behin...

From the wide-open fields of South Dakota to the bright lights of national television, Benny Spies has carved a path unlike any other in the outdoor world. For over a decade, he chased the dream of telling hunting stories his way — raw, real, and relatable. With his beat-up ’73 Winnebago, “The Toaster,” and a relentless passion for the outdoors, Benny became the voice for the EveryOutdoorsMan — pr...

On today’s episode of Winchester Life, we sit down with one of the most respected competitors in sporting clays, a shooter whose precision, consistency, and competitive fire have made her a force around the world. Desirae Edmunds has spent years mastering the craft of sporting clays—reading the course, breaking the toughest targets, and inspiring the next generation of shooters. She’s not only a f...

In the world of competitive trapshooting, few names carry the weight of the name Bartholow. From the dusty ranges of South Dakota to the championship podiums across the country, Foster’s journey has been one of discipline, consistency, and a relentless pursuit of perfection. Alongside his brother Matt, the Bartholow name has become synonymous with excellence…a family legacy built on countless targ...

In Alaska, the wilderness doesn’t give second chances… and neither does the game you pursue. Our guest today has stared down charging brown bears, navigated storms that erase the trail behind you, and guided hunters to the kind of experiences most only dream about. When you hunt with him, you’re not just in the backcountry — you’re in his backyard. From the endless tundra…to the snow‑capped peaks...

She once danced beneath the stage lights…Graceful. Precise. Determined. A ballerina’s discipline shaped her early years — but Dania Vizzi found her true rhythm not on stage… but on the range. From pirouettes to podiums, her journey is anything but ordinary. In 2024, she stood on the world’s biggest stage — representing Team USA at the Paris Olympics, with a shotgun in hand and a nation behind her....

Some men are born into legacy. Others build it lap by lap, step by step, with steady hands and an unshakable heart. Austin Dillon has done both. Carrying the weight of a legendary name, and the spirit of Richard Childress Racing, Austin has carved his own path in the fast lane — not just as a driver, but as a man of purpose. He’s a husband, a father, and a believer. A soul anchored in faith, guide...

One of the most renowned shooters in the world of sporting clays, Anthony Matarese Jr. is a living legend. Anthony was the first American to hold the honor of winning the World Sporting Clays Championship, and in 2020 became the first person to win all four major Sporting Clays titles during his shooting career. As a highly respected and sought after shooting instructor, Anthony regularly has stud...

Winchester Repeating Arms isn’t just a gun manufacturer, they’re the heart and soul of the American hunting heritage. Each gun they assemble is not only exceptionally well built and trusted, but it is poised to become an heirloom passed down from generation to generation with stories to tell. The legendary horse and rider brand is not only firmly cemented in America culture, but is driven to keep...

On today’s episode, we have a truly legendary guest—six-time Olympic medalist and one of the most decorated shooters in history, Kim Rhode. From breaking records on the world’s biggest stage, to inspiring the next generation of competitive shooters, Kim’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. We’ll dive into her Olympic experiences, her passion for the shooting sports, and how she continues t...

Since 1866 Winchester has continually manufactured quality products designed to provide security to Americans and their families. In 1991, that mission was taken to a new frontier and Winchester Safes was born. On today’s episode we’re joined by Greg Walters, a leader at Winchester Safes. With a passion for security, reliability, and the great American tradition of responsible firearm ownership, G...

In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Col. Nick Nichols, President of Folds of Honor, a nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to the families of fallen and disabled service members. Col. Nichols shares his life in a military family growing up, to his journey from military service to leading this impactful mission, offering insights into the power of education to trans...

The National Wild Turkey Federation has been at the heart of wildlife conservation since 1973, founded with the mission of restoring wild turkey populations across North America. At that time, there were fewer than 1.5 million wild turkeys in the United States. Thanks to the hard work of this organization and its 250,000 dedicated members, wild turkey populations now exceed 6 million. It’s one of...

Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has been dedicated to the research and conservation of the wild turkey. Now with over 500,000 members and 2,000 chapters nationwide, the NWTF has brought the wild turkey back from the brink of extinction, to present day population numbers over 6.5 million. Each year in February, thousands of turkey hunting enthusiasts find their way to Nashville to c...

For almost 20 years, Jason Gilbertson has been orchestrating the marketing efforts and brand initiatives from behind the scenes at Winchester Ammunition. Born and raised in Wisconsin, the outdoors were part of the very fabric in which he was raised. After spending the first four years of his career cutting his teeth at the National Wild Turkey Federation, Jason was hired into the world of Winchest...

Since 1973, the National Wild Turkey Federation has been dedicated to the research and conservation of the wild turkey. Now with over 500,000 members and 2,000 chapters nationwide, the NWTF has brought the wild turkey back from the brink of extinction, to present day population numbers over 6.5 million. Each year in February, thousands of turkey hunting enthusiasts find their way to Nashville to c...

It’s 1989 and the outdoor industry was on the presuppose of exploding. A turf war of sorts was being waged between camouflage companies and record numbers of VHS hunting tapes were being distributed across the country to a rapidly growing contingent of hunters. In the middle of it all was a young Mark Drury, still in college and winning turkey calling contests at the state and national level at a...

While SHOT Show is a kickoff to a new year with new product offerings, it’s also a celebration of another year in the books. On the third day of SHOT, about 180 of Winchester’s employees, media partners and industry professionals gathered in an outdoor venue right on the Vegas Strip for the Winchester After Party. As the sun set and the stories began to flow, Team Winchester’s Chris Keefer, Casey...

Every year Las Vegas hosts the Shooting Hunting and Outdoor Trades show, also known as the SHOT Show, to over 60,000 attendees from over 100 countries. Throughout the week, I was there with the Winchester Life Podcast crew hunkered down in the Winchester booth while thousands of consumers and dealers checked out everything new from Winchester Ammunition and Repeating Arms. During the madness, I wa...

Every year Las Vegas hosts the Shooting Hunting and Outdoor Trades show, also known as the SHOT Show, to over 60,000 attendees from over 100 countries. Throughout the week, we hunkered down in the Winchester booth while thousands of consumers and dealers checked out everything new from Winchester Ammunition and Repeating Arms. During the madness, we were able to steal some time from about a dozen...

For almost 160 years, Winchester has been part of the American culture…and for a better part of the last two decades, Jason Brown, Chris Keefer and Casey Keefer have been behind the scenes helping spearhead how visual storytelling of Winchester Ammunition’s most groundbreaking products, and the people who use them, will reach the masses. From short films to commercials, television episodes to bran...

For nearly two decades, Melissa Bachman has been the standard. Entering the outdoor industry landscape at its peak in 2006, Melissa had her sights set on the big things…and in her own words “I just wanted to hunt every day”. Before that, she was a girl from Minnesota who grew up in the outdoors with a family who embraced the hunting lifestyle, so much so that during her high school years her paren...