Syndie Wells of Barstool Outdoors opens up about her time growing up in Canton, Illinois, her childhood, and the one that got away.
As a youngster, Sydnie was immersed in the outdoors, learning the tricks of the trade from her father, making her the latest in a long line of the Wells family to be obsessed with hunting and fishing.
In this exclusive Q&A, Sydnie talk to Hook & Barrel about her outdoor upbringing and life in front of the camera.
Who is Sydnie Wells, presenter of Barstool Outdoors?
Sydnie is a familiar face across various social media channels between her 300,000 Instagram followers on @sydnie_wells and her hosting duties on the Barstool Outdoors YouTube channel.
The 26-year old has always had an adventurous and athletic streak which makes her the ideal presenter for the channel that has over 1m subscribers and counting.
Sydnie on Growing Up in Illinois & Love of the Outdoors
H&B: Tell us about growing up in Canton, Illinois, and how you got interested in the outdoors.
Sydnie Wells: I was born and raised in a very small town. It’s a big farming community, but there’s not a whole lot to do. From the get-go, I was outside in nature hunting and fishing. Before I could walk, I knew that was my lifestyle.
My parents and my grandparents all grew up loving the outdoors—my dad grew up on a farm, and my mom fished a lot. It was all I knew. My grandpa would teach us about trees and birds, and how to run a tractor and eat off the land.
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My dad, Tim Wells, learned all about hunting from his grandfather—my great-grandfather—who built him a homemade bow and arrows and took him hunting. My dad developed a love for instinctive archery (meaning he doesn’t use sights). Right before I was born, he started a show called Relentless Pursuit TV (on the air for more than 25 years, Relentless Pursuit TV now airs on the Sportsman Channel).
I grew up on national television, so people watched me grow up on the show. I grew up with a little compound bow—bowhunting has always been my thing. It’s my bread and butter—my one true love. It’s like second nature.
READ MORE: 3D Archery for Bowhunters: The Closest Rush to the Real Thing
Softball & Sports
H&B: You grew up playing sports. What did you play, and when did the outdoors take the place of those sports?
SW: I played softball and basketball growing up, and I played softball for one year at Illinois Wesleyan. At the same time, I started to build a good following on social media, so I took a step back from softball to focus more on that.
What is Sydnie Well's Favorite Thing to Hunt?
H&B: Where is your favorite place to hunt and what is your favorite thing to hunt?
SW: I’m from Illinois, so my favorite thing to hunt is whitetail. And my favorite place to hunt is on our family farm. It’s my favorite place in the world. I also like to spot and stalk, and while I haven’t been on an elk hunt (she had an elk hunt planned for this fall in Colorado before the publication of this issue) yet, I know that will be amazing. I like to hunt things with antlers.
For the Love of Bass Fishing
H&B: How about fishing?
SW: I grew up fishing for bluegill and crappie. But I love to bass fish. I’ve taught myself how to bass fish. I’ve studied the best lures and techniques. This spring, I’m getting my own bass boat, so I plan to fish a lot more. My goal is to catch a 10-pounder.
Sydnie Wells & Umarex
H&B: Tell me about your relationship with Umarex.
SW: Umarex is a great partner and a great company. They’re smart and innovative, and they’re the best in the game for airguns. They’ve come out with the NCR Komplete .22, which is a huge innovation. I’m going to use it for squirrel hunting this year.
If I’m not bowhunting, I’m using my airgun. I love it because you can shoot squirrels, birds, hogs, deer, just about anything. I’ve been shooting their products for a long time, but I’ve been partnering with them for a few years. When fall rolls around, I pick up my airgun.
On Hosting Barstool Outdoors
H&B: You host Barstool Outdoors—when did you decide you wanted to be a host, and what has been your best experience on the show?
SW: I graduated college with a nursing degree, but my passion was the outdoor industry. After school, I did my dad’s show for several months. Then a position opened at Barstool. I decided to go for it, and I sent over an email and some YouTube clips, and I landed it.
We’ve grown the YouTube channel to almost a million followers. The coolest part of my job is that I’m able to bring people into the sports that I love. And I get to meet the coolest people. It’s very rewarding to me.
Sydnie's Dream Hunting Trip
H&B: What’s your dream hunting trip—where would it be, and who would be with you?
SW: There’s so much I want to achieve, and I want my dad alongside me. I’d love to kill a moose with my bow in the Yukon. Hopefully this fall I’ll reach my goal of shooting an elk in Colorado.
The One That Got Away
H&B: Do you have a best one-that-got-away story?
SW: I was hunting whitetail on my family farm when I was about 20. When we hunt in Illinois, we hunt hard. It was during the rut, and I was hunting with my dad, and he told me I needed to get on the roof or on a ladder and practice shooting directly below me.
I’d hunted for about 50 days in a row, and I never practiced that shot. One day, a 10-pointer, just a monster, came right underneath the stand, and I shot and missed. We rattled him in, but he didn’t go the way we thought he would. We never saw the deer again. And it was because I didn’t practice my shot.
READ MORE: The Best New Bowhunting Gear From the ATA Show 2026
Sydnie Wells on Golf, Baking & Competitive Sports
H&B: What do you like to do outside of your outdoor pursuits?
SW: I love to golf. I love to bake. My homemade cinnamon rolls that I make from scratch are a winner. I love arranging flowers. I have chickens, a donkey, and horses that I tend to. And I still love competitive sports—tennis, pickleball, golf.
How Sydnie Wells Celebrates the Holidays
H&B: It’s holiday time—do you have any favorite family holiday traditions?
SW: Christmas brunch at my parents’ house is a tradition I love! Both sides of my family drive over in their PJs and we drink coffee and eat as we watch football and share stories. We usually have a “mystery meat” involved, which is provided by my father!