A Family History Tied To Winchester
When you think of iconic brands, regardless of whether it’s in the hunting industry or not, there are few that stand out above the rest. Brand recognition is huge, but the reputation and integrity of a brand is what really makes people loyal to not only the brand but to what that brand stands for and their overall message.
This does not come overnight, it takes years of dedication and involvement to get to this point and I believe without a doubt that Winchester is one of these brands. This year marks the 150th anniversary for Winchester, a company that’s been there for hunters and shooters through the generations.
For me, it’s a very personal connection. I never got to meet my grandfather on my dad’s side before he passed, but my dad reminds me all the time how proud he’d be that I work alongside such an amazing brand. He was a Winchester guy through and through, and made sure everyone knew. He was proud to use Winchester, proud to promote it, and believed in everything the company stands for. It makes me smile to think about how happy he would have been if someone could have just told him that someday he’d have a grand daughter that loved to hunt and shoot as much as he did, and would be helping represent such an iconic company.
Grandpa was in World War II for 5 years. When he returned from the war by ship to the East Coast, he hitchhiked all the way back to Minnesota and could not wait to hunt again. He was a great shot with a .22. Matter of fact, grandpa would set matches up in boxes for local farmers, take aim to barely nick the edge of the match head, fire away…and the match would light. We still have all of grandpa’s Winchester guns in our family to this day – we love to pull them out and admire them and share stories of grandpa and his hunting adventures.
When I think of Winchester I think of dependability, not only in the ammunition and firearms, but in the company as a whole. They’ve stayed true to their customers through generations and have always been a leader in innovation. I like to know that as technologies advance, as the hunting industry grows, Winchester is a front-runner in not only hunter and shooter recruitment but also introducing new and youth hunters to the sports we so dearly love.
To me hunting and shooting isn’t just a hobby, it’s a passion. I believe my entire lifestyle revolves around it from my hobbies, to my career, to what I hope to teach the next generation of future hunters and shooters. Winchester believes in these same values and has been showcasing this for 150-years. What an amazing accomplishment for such an incredible company.