The Last Bird
Nilo Farms is far more than an upland game bird sanctuary…It’s more than a storied dog kennel operation. Nilo is a place to sharpen a shooter’s craft, with expert instruction and unmatched excitement. The Winchester Life crew sparks a spirited competition on the range, with the final tally coming down to two red-bearded brothers.
The Winchester Life crew heads to the sporting clay range at Nilo Farms, eager to share a popular pastime. Near and dear to sportsmen across the country, the clay-target shooting range at Nilo is an exciting and important part of the overall Nilo experience. Each guest arrives ready for the opportunity to shake off the rust, receive world-class coaching by Nilo staff, and most importantly…have fun. There’s nothing quite like pulverizing a floating orange disk into dust with a locked and loaded Winchester.
Trap shooting in the U.S. dates back to 1825. The original sport got its start using live pigeons, but has since evolved into an alluring event using artificial clay targets. The art of shooting at flying targets has helped sharpen the skills of upland hunters pursuing all airborne game species.
Everyone wants to improve on their craft. For many shotgun shooters, a handful of shooting mistakes create frustration in the field or on the range. The guides at Nilo observe and qualify every shooter’s skills. They make suggestions, review field safety, and correct bad habits. Shooters learn the methods that fit their own style, custom tailored to specific needs. Instruction is individual, and all skill levels are catered to.
Once dialed in, guests have the option of participating in a variety of fast-paced, skill sharpening games. Including a Nilo staple; a competition against each other, attempting to smoke 25-of-25 straight clays in Trap or Skeet.
Nilo has it all covered, and has added their own wrinkle to almost every traditional target shooting game, including Riverside Skeet and the infamous Crazy Quail. Nilo also offers guests two exciting Sporting Clay games. Sporting Clays, also known as, “golf with a shotgun,” gives shooters the opportunity to test their skills under a variety of diverse shooting conditions.
Furthermore, the range boasts a 10-Station Sporting Clays course - located throughout a wide variety of open and wooded environments, serving up targets in a realistic and unique fashion. With names like "Springing Teals," "Darting Doves," and "Whistling Woodies," fun-filled and fast-paced action is a sure thing.
In this week’s episode, a series of friendly shooting battles ensue at Nilo Farms. Nikki Boxler, Gabe Adair, Paul Sawyer, and the Keefer Brothers go head-to-head in a spirited bout. Two shooters rise above the rest. Through all the heckling and horseplay, the Keefer Brothers put on a nail-biting display of accuracy under pressure. Ultimately big brother Chris, challenges little brother Casey to a tie-breaker for Winchester Life crew bragging rights. The rest is history.
“I am a competitor, even more so when it’s against my older brother… I want to win.” -Casey Keefer
“Nilo farms was fantastic. It felt good to spend time with the entire crew and enjoy the great program Nilo has here in Illinois. I will never forget this trip.” -Chris Keefer
As co-host of Winchester Life, he feels it his responsibility to help you find your own definition of the outdoors. He takes this responsibility very seriously and will take the rest of his working life fulfilling this quest. He can go from adventurous woodsman to sharp-dressed dinner guest in no time at all.
