Winter 2026

To Southern WINTER, With STEEL AND FEATHER!

Winter has a way of slowing the world down. The days grow shorter, the air turns sharp, and the land settles into a quiet hush. Frost clings to the fields at first light, fires burn a little longer, and every sound feels more deliberate.

In the South, winter isn’t about retreat—it’s about leaning closer to tradition, to the outdoors, and to one another.

This issue is rooted in heritage and reflection. We mark the 100th anniversary of the Whalehead Club, tell the story of a boy’s first mallards in a South Carolina marsh, and follow a senior dog who still hunts with the heart of a pup. From Southern traditions to a century of the .270 Winchester—carried from Alaska’s wild country to the whitetail woods of home—these stories honor the moments that shape us.

So set down the phone, pour a glass of something warm, and step into the season. Winter reminds us that adventure is still waiting, often closer than we think, and that the best stories aren’t just told—they’re lived, one golden evening at a time.

Welcome to Feathers & Whiskey.

Wildly Refined

Michael Maynor 

Editor-in-Chief