Sydnie Wells is a passionate bowhunter, skilled angler, and influential content creator with Barstool Outdoors and the Sportsman Channel.
As Montana Knife Company’s newest brand ambassador, we’re thrilled to join forces with Sydnie as she shares her authentic adventures and commitment to the hunting tradition.
Backwoods Beginnings
Sydnie’s childhood was anything but ordinary. The daughter of Tim “Slock Master” Wells, one of America’s most skilled primitive archers known for his popular “Relentless Pursuit” TV show, Sydnie’s introduction to bowhunting came early and in true country fashion.
“Some of my earliest memories, we would actually go fishing, catch some fish, put them in our little swimming pool, stand on a ladder and try to shoot the fish with our little recurves,” Sydnie recalls of her small-town Illinois home. “I thought that was normal.”
Family vacations weren’t trips to theme parks — they were hunting expeditions. Each spring break meant traveling to Texas for turkey and hog hunting. Even as a small child, Sydnie would sit in the blind on her parents’ laps, absorbing the thrill of the hunt.
The Twin Virtues: Patience and Persistence
For Sydnie, success in both bowhunting and fishing hinges on patience and persistence — qualities that have helped her make a name for herself in both pursuits.
“Patience has been a big reason why I’m so successful in whatever I get my hands on,” Sydnie explains. “I can sit there all day long and not get bored because I have a good mindset of being patient for the animal I’m trying to pursue.”
This mindset has made her a better hunter, woodsman, and angler. While patience keeps her in the field, persistence helps her learn from her mistakes and keep improving rather than giving up.
These same virtues served her well when she attended Illinois Wesleyan University. After earning her nursing degree, Sydnie made the bold decision to pursue her outdoor career full-time, recognizing that while nursing would “always be there,” sharing her authentic outdoor experiences was her true calling.
Moments That Test and Transform
When asked about challenges that have tested her skills, bowhunting turkeys stands out to Sydnie.
The precision required to take a turkey with a bow — shooting no farther than 15–20 yards, aiming for the head, and drawing the bow only when the turkey isn’t looking — demands exceptional skill and patience.
Equally memorable was a deer hunt during the rut that tested her composure. After rattling in a buck and missing her first shot at 30 yards when she hit a corn stalk, the deer ran to 55 yards away.
“I was able to take my time, pull back my bow appropriately, and hit him right in the pump house at 55 yards,” she says.
Respect and Remembrance
Sydnie believes the most important value to pass on to future generations of hunters and anglers is respect — not just for the animals themselves, but for the entire sport.
“Don’t get lost in social media,” she advises. “Don’t forget why you do it. It’s a passion. It’s a love. God has given us these animals to pursue, and we have domain over the animals here on Earth, so we want to remember that we are here to take care of them as well.”
She encourages hunters to be present rather than focusing on capturing content for social media. If the experience doesn’t excite you, she suggests, you might be doing it for the wrong reasons.
The MKC Connection: Passion Recognizes Passion
For Sydnie, partnering with Montana Knife Company was a no-brainer, inspired by the people behind the brand.
“When I first talked to Brandon at MKC, I was like, this is my kind of person,” she shares. “Passionate, love their own product, love the people that they were surrounded by.”
She appreciates the attention to detail in MKC’s knives and the fact that the team uses their own products. The quality speaks for itself, but it’s the passion behind the brand that resonates most with her values.
Sydnie relies on several MKC knives in the field: The Speedgoat and Whitetail accompany her on most trips, ready for everything from setting up blinds to skinning animals. For fishing expeditions, her go-to is the Flathead Fillet.
“I like the style of it because it’s easy to maneuver, especially when I’m going down towards the dorsal fin, then cutting up around the ribs to get all that meat,” she explains.
Beyond the Hunt: Life Outside the Blind
Today, Sydnie hosts Barstool Outdoors, co-hosts the Sportsman Channel, and appears on “Relentless Pursuit,” sharing her outdoor adventures with an ever-growing audience. When she’s not sharing her love of fishing and hunting with others, Sydnie enjoys other outdoor activities such as golf, horseback riding, snowboarding, and tending to her chickens.
As Sydnie continues to blaze her trail in the outdoor world with MKC’s knives in her arsenal, she carries forward not just her family’s legacy but something even more valuable — a passion for the wild and a commitment to preserving its traditions for generations to come.
Follow Sydnie’s Adventures
Keep up with Sydnie on:
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Instagram: @Sydnie_Wells
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YouTube: Barstool Outdoors
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X: @SydnieWells
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Facebook: Sydnie Wells
