The Team
OUR TEAM
Covey Rise is created by writers and photographers, editors and graphic designers, and a host of support staff, all of whom share a singleness of purpose when it comes to assembling an extraordinary reading experience, both in terms of content and production quality: We find good stories and tell them well.
John Thames
FOUNDER AND PUBLISHER
Growing up hunting just about everything on his family’s farm, John Thames followed his passion for upland hunting into publishing, guiding the Covey Rise transition from a trade publication into a flourishing lifestyle brand over the last five years. From the award-winning launch in 2012 to its emergence onto the national and global stages, Thames has steadied the helm of brand expansion while guiding a growing editorial staff and appetite for timeless words and images that capture the upland sporting lifestyle in the same way a Sports Afield article from the 1950s featured his grandfather in legendary print.
Matt Soberg
EDITOR
Bestowed the ways of the uplands from his father and grandfathers before him, Matt Soberg brings editorial expertise and genuine experiences afield to the Covey Rise team. Soberg earned his juris doctor degree in 2005 and learned a foundation in conservation as editor and director of communications for the Ruffled Grouse Society. When not editing or writing, you can find him with his young son roaming the woods and the prairies with their English setters.
Catherine Thames
DIGITAL PRODUCTION MANAGER
Raised in the rural countryside, Catherine Thames developed an early appreciation for land, wildlife, and the stories they inspire. Today, she blends that love of the outdoors with her passion for storytelling by managing Covey Rise’s digital presence—from the website and online shop to social media and beyond. When she’s not overseeing the brand’s online world, she contributes her own words to the pages of the magazine, sharing stories that celebrate the sporting life.
Todd Malone
ART DIRECTOR
Todd Malone brings more than twenty-five years of experience in magazine design, publishing, and creative services leadership across print and digital media. His work spans magazine production, advertising, marketing collateral, and social media creative, supported by a strong foundation in Adobe Creative Cloud and editorial layout. With a background that includes both in-house leadership and more than fifteen years running his own freelance studio, he brings a practical, experienced approach to visual storytelling and production design.
Cassie Harrelson
E-COMMERCE GROWTH SPECIALIST
With a background in business management and financial services, Cassie Harrelson brings both analytical precision and an entrepreneurial spirit to Covey Rise. Her career in banking is where she developed a strong foundation in operations, client service, and strategic growth, but her professional journey also includes owning and operating her own business, further refining her ability to create efficient systems while serving customers with care and intention. At Covey Rise, Cassie channels that same attention to detail into strengthening the brand’s online presence and elevating the e-commerce experience.
Gil Morgan
VP BRAND COMMUNICATIONS
As a long-time collector of fine guns who has traveled the world hunting birds, Gil Morgan is well-suited to his position as Covey Rise Brand Ambassador. A lawyer and accountant by training, Gil recently sold his forestry equipment business and has since focused his attention on the world of bird hunting and fine guns. Gil’s attention to detail and knack for discerning value and potential are traits that make him an ideal member of the Covey Rise team.
Russ Grimes
BRAND SPECIALIST
Being a branding specialist for over twenty years and a dedicated outdoorsman for a lifetime, Russ Grimes deploys a unique combination of experience and skill to elevate the perception of businesses inside and outside the sporting community. Growing up, you would find him in the woods and on the waters of Alabama, and that’s where you’ll find him today if he’s not bringing brands to life, spending time with his wife and two daughters, or training his English Cocker “Alice.”
Terry Allen
PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Terry Allen has spent more than 30 years capturing lifestyle, architectural, and food images. A lifelong Georgia resident, where he developed an appreciation for Southern sporting life, Allen shot album covers and publicity photos for rock bands such as REM and the B-52s before turning his camera toward his favorite pastime—fine guns. His editorial work includes books for American gunmaker L. C. Smith and British gunmaker Westley Richards.
CONTRIBUTORS
Reid Bryant
Reid Bryant is a hunter and angler living in southern Vermont. He serves as Endorsed Operations Manager for The Orvis Company. Over the years, he has written for numerous outdoor publications in addition to authoring three books, including The Orvis Guide to Upland Hunting, and hosting the Orvis Hunting and Shooting podcast. He and his wife Kim share their adventures with two freckle-faced daughters, a few bird dogs, and a handful of other critters.
Brian Grossenbacher
Brian Grossenbacher lives in Bozeman, Montana, with wife Jenny, and two daughters. He began taking photos in 2005 when asked to write Fly Fishing Montana in an effort to minimize the book’s photo budget. Since then, he has shot for Yeti, Orvis, Simms, Costa, Shimano, Mossy Oak, Case Knives, and more in New Zealand, Russia, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Panama, Belize, Guatemala, Mexico, the Bahamas, and all across the US.
Nancy Anisfield
Nancy Anisfield has worked as a hunting dog photographer, writer, and digital artist for over 25 years. She also co-founded and runs the Track2wing Project, helping mobility challenged hunters get back in the field with their sporting dogs. A dedicated bird hunter and conservationist, Nancy lives in northern Vermont where her German shorthair, two German wirehairs, and an inspirational Bracco Italiano micromanage her existence.
Dr. John C Blythe
Dr. John C. Blythe is a graduate of Baylor University and the Medical College of the University of Alabama. He practiced medical oncology and internal medicine in his hometown of Alexander City, Alabama, for more than 35 years. He and his wife, Ruth, live on their farm along with Sparky, their setter, and Shine, their Labrador. They have five children and nine grandchildren. Doc’s book The Last Hunt in Early County is available for purchase on Amazon.
Russell Graves
Russell Graves has been traveling the state of Texas telling authentic stories with his camera and his words—both written and spoken—since 1989. A graduate of Dodd City High School and East Texas State University, Russell was an ag science teacher in Childress, Texas for 16 years. His nationally published photography and film portfolio includes clients such as Field and Stream, the Smithsonian Magazine, and many others. Currently, Russell lives in the country north of Childress, Texas with his wife Kristy and their two children Bailee and Ryan. He has combined his love of photography and teaching by leading photographic workshops around the world.
Lee Kjos
Lee Thomas Kjos cannot recall a time in his life when he was not focused on the outdoors. At a young age, he could be found wading through tall grass prairieland or belly-down in Minnesotan marshes scouting upland birds and waterfowl. By age 10, he was hunting with his father with a 20-gauge and an old camera. These hunting trips are why at age 14, he got a summer job detasseling corn and invested his entire earnings in his first professional camera. Today, Lee runs Kjos Outdoors—his photography, design, and illustration company—from a farm in Webster, Minnesota, that he shares with his wife, children, dogs, and quarter horses.
Roger Catchpole
Roger Catchpole is a serial entrepreneur and outdoor writer. He grew up hunting partridge and pheasant on his family estate in rural Suffolk, England, and now enjoys hunting trips throughout Europe, North America, South America, and Africa. After completing undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Birmingham and an MBA from the University of Florida, he opened a nursing care group in the UK. Stateside, he founded Sportody.com. Roger lives in Boston with his wife Michelle and English cocker spaniel, Austin. He returns to England frequently to manage the renowned partridge shoot at Stowlangtoft Estate.
John Denney
John Denney is from Alexander City, Alabama, and often teams up on assignments with his brother, Jim. Together, the brothers focus their talents on outdoor subjects, including gamebirds. Their jointly produced illustrations for Wingshooting the Quail of North America earned this magazine a recent Ozzie Award. The Denneys have dominated the annual Alabama Waterfowl Stamp Art Contest with each of them winning the prestigious award back to back. Both have also won awards in other wildlife art shows including Best of Show at the Alabama Wildlife Federation: Alabama Flora and Fauna Arts Festival.
Ben O. Williams
Ben Williams is a former high-school teacher, architect, sculptor, photographer, outdoor writer, and dog breeder of some of the finest Brittanys used for hunting the Western plains. The phrase Renaissance man accurately describes this humble man of countless talents. He and his wife live in Livingston, Montana, along the Yellowstone River in a home that he designed himself. He has published 14 books, largely through Willow Creek Press, and his work continues to inspire upland hunters, bird dog owners, and sportsmen and women alike.
Taylor Glenn
Taylor Glenn is a photographer specializing in outdoor lifestyle and nature imagery. He has been a resident of Jackson Hole, Wyoming since 2003. Taylor’s curiosity for the world, passion for adventure, and desire to connect with new people drives his unique vision of photography. His professional assignments have taken him around the world collaborating with a wide array of clients such as Nikon USA, National Geographic, and Doctor’s Without Borders. Originally from North Carolina, he says the allure of the mountains brought him west.
Chris Batha
Chris Batha has held the position of chief instructor and gunfitter for London gunmakers E. J. Churchill and Atkin Grant & Lang, and continues to represent several renowned best gunmakers in the UK, Europe, and the US. He has written extensively on the various aspects of gunmaking, driven game, and clays shooting. Chris specializes in organizing and accompanying clients on some of the finest wingshooting adventures worldwide. His article on best London shotguns in this issue explains how the guns are manufactured, focusing on the action.
Gary Lewis
Gary Lewis is an award-winning author, TV host, speaker, and photographer. Born and raised in the Northwest, he has been walking forests and running rivers since childhood. He is a past president of the Northwest Outdoor Writers Association and a recipient of NOWA’s Enos Bradner Award. Lewis is the host of Gary Lewis’ Frontier Unlimited and the author of 14 books, including John Nosler Going Ballistic, Hunting Oregon, Complete Guide to Hunting, and more. He lives in Central Oregon with his wife, Merrilee, and three daughters.
Simon Reinhold
Simon Reinhold grew up chasing his meals in the heart of the British countryside. He has hunted and fished throughout the world and is passionate about using vintage guns for both clay and game. He is Head of Operations for Holt Auctioneers, is a widely published writer and broadcaster on shotguns and shooting, and was the English Open side-by-side champion in 2023.
Miles DeMott
Miles DeMott has been hunting compelling stories for over three decades, writing across genres for a variety of audiences in print and digital spaces. The author of two novels and a native son of the quail woods of South Georgia, he has built a career chronicling the sporting life and the people who define it. He relishes days afield with happy dogs and evenings telling tales by the fire pit.
