Meet the Team
The people behind Deadnuts Outdoors.
We’re the crew behind the targets—focused on building products that motivate better practice and better results.
Team
Corey Daniels
Founder
Founder of Deadnuts Outdoors—lifelong hunter and business leader focused on ethical shot placement, realistic training, and “hit spots, not dots” practice.
Kellie Daniels
Co-Founder & CFO
Co-Founder and CFO, leading the company’s financial operations, strategy, and long-term growth.
Cole Daniels
Chief Operating Officer & Co-Founder
COO and Co-Founder, building and operating Deadnuts Outdoors full time for the past three years.
Aaron Stonehocker
VP, Marketing & Sales
15+ years of leadership and startup growth experience across DTC, eCommerce, dealer, and retail channels.
Leeroy Rindlisbacher
General Manager
Leads day-to-day operations and execution across finance, operations, and marketing.
Michael Lawson
Engineer
Mechanical design background with decades of experience in manufacturing and product development.
Carson Daniels
Team Member
Licensed guide and key contributor to Deadnuts in-field assessments and real-life shooting protocols.
Cayleb Reninger
Operations & Production
Supports fulfillment, purchasing, and day-to-day production execution across the shop.
Corey Daniels is the Founder of Deadnuts Outdoors, a lifelong hunter, devoted family man, and entrepreneur whose vision has always been rooted in the belief that true success comes from relentless effort, clarity of purpose, and the willingness to make the sacrifices others won't. Growing up in Central Oregon and spending decades chasing elk, deer, mule deer, pronghorn, and other big game across high desert plateaus, rugged mountains, and vast open country, Corey has lived the outdoors lifestyle that fuels Deadnuts—where every hunt teaches discipline, patience, and the importance of precise, ethical execution. He has become particularly well-known for his coastal Roosevelt elk hunts, where he pursues the majestic and legendary Roosevelt elk of the Pacific Northwest coast—massive, dark-antlered bulls shrouded in the misty rainforests and thick underbrush of Washington and Oregon's Olympic Peninsula and coastal ranges. These iconic animals, steeped in mystique and revered for their size, elusive nature, and challenging terrain, have shaped Corey's deep appreciation for ethical, patient hunting and the raw beauty of the wild. At the core of his life and work is a deep faith rooted in the Lord, guiding his decisions, his family, and his commitment to stewardship of the land and the resources we are entrusted with.
The spark for Deadnuts came from Corey's determination to pass on these same lessons to his four sons. Frustrated by traditional round-dot targets that offered no real insight into vital zones or big game anatomy, Corey created the Deadnuts 2D Target System initially as a personal training tool to teach anatomy and ethical shot placement. What started as a family-focused solution quickly grew into something far bigger, helping hunters everywhere train realistically, "hit spots, not dots," and build the confidence needed for clean, ethical shots in the field.
In his professional career, Corey has spent the past three decades with a large regional company specializing in transportation solutions and heavy-duty trucks in Washington and Alaska. As General Sales Manager for these territories, he oversees a large team, serves as a critical component to the company's success, and manages substantial portfolios that generate hundreds of millions in revenue. Running every aspect of large-scale business operations—from strategic planning and financial oversight to team leadership, sales execution, and performance in high-pressure, multi-state environments—has honed his expertise as a seasoned leader in finance, development, operations, and growth strategy, qualities he now applies with the same intensity to building and scaling Deadnuts Outdoors. Together with his wife Kellie, they form an unstoppable dream team—there is nothing they can't accomplish when they work side by side, blending his operational leadership and strategic vision with her financial acumen and entrepreneurial drive to turn ambitious ideas into reality. Alongside his career, Corey has also been active in real estate development and construction, partnering closely with Kellie on projects in Montana, Washington, and Arizona, including the development and construction of RV parks, multi-family properties, and subdivisions.
When he's not innovating at Deadnuts or pursuing big game in the mountains, Corey cherishes time with his wife Kellie, their four sons, and his pride and joy—his granddaughter Kennedy—sharing the same passion for the outdoors and family bonds that started it all. His vision continues to inspire the hunting community: perfect practice equals perfect results.
At Deadnuts Outdoors, our mission is simple: to produce and continually develop innovative products that inspire, motivate, and challenge those with a passion for hunting and the great outdoors. This mission is deeply tied to Corey's core values: Success in life is found by those who are willing to make the sacrifices others would not. They are the dreamers who see their target with both clarity and purpose. No obstacle is too great for the ones who dare to dream. No challenge is too difficult. They achieve in spite of undesirable conditions, and with focused determination, they are committed to hunting their dreams. Corey embodies this philosophy in every aspect of the business—leading product innovation, overseeing rigorous field testing, and ensuring every target delivers the realism serious hunters need to prepare better and hunt responsibly.
No matter what you aim for in life, know your target, see it, and hit it Deadnuts. Success will follow those who dare to chase it. ~Corey Daniels, CEO & Founder, Deadnuts Outdoors
Kellie Daniels is the Co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer of Deadnuts Outdoors and the driving force behind the company's financial operations. She oversees all aspects of the business side—including budgeting, accounting, legal, strategic planning, and growth—ensuring the company runs efficiently while staying true to its family-rooted mission of ethical hunting and conservation. As Corey's wife and the mother of their four sons, Kellie brings heart, stability, and a deep commitment to the brand that started as a family effort. Her motto to her family and team is unwavering: never be outworked—a guiding philosophy rooted in the relentless pursuit of excellence, where strong faith, effort, discipline, and unwavering determination become the driving principles that measure our every day.
A proud graduate of Washington State University with a Bachelor's in Political Science and Business, Kellie has been deeply involved in national and conservative politics in the Pacific Northwest for the past thirty years. She spent over a decade working in the U.S. Senate in Washington, D.C., serving as State Political Director and Legislative Aide for then U.S. Senator Slade Gorton (R-Washington), where she built extensive experience in policy, advocacy, and grassroots organizing. She has worked and managed statewide operations for key Washington statewide candidates, multiple U.S. Senate campaigns, as well as major presidential campaigns. She also led conservative efforts in redistricting for the state of Washington and worked closely with conservative leaders throughout the Pacific Northwest to advance shared priorities and policy measures.
After her time in public service, Kellie transitioned to private consulting, working in both political and legislative policy arenas and supporting small businesses with strategic guidance. She has owned and operated multiple businesses, with her main focus today on real estate development and construction in the states of Montana, Washington, and Arizona, specializing in the development and construction of RV parks, residential and multi-family properties, and subdivisions. An active community leader, she has served as President of her local Chamber of Commerce and has been active with numerous business, civic and nonprofit organizations, and remains deeply engaged in her church, community and statewide initiatives.
Alongside her husband Corey and son Cole, Kellie co-founded Deadnuts Outdoors to turn a family need into a broader educational impact that for her, has focused on the youth and educational aspects of hunting and conservation. What began as Corey's heartfelt effort to teach their four sons ethical shot placement, big game anatomy, and responsible hunting evolved into the company's innovative archery training solutions. The company reflects the Daniels family's commitment to better preparation, education, ethical harvests, and inspiring the hunting community to be the very best they can be.
Kellie's leadership on the financial front—combined with her extensive business, entrepreneurial, and political experience—keeps Deadnuts focused, sustainable, and poised for growth, all while delivering high-quality, American-made products that make a real difference for hunters around the world. When she's not managing the numbers, developing real estate projects, or cheering on her family in the field, Kellie cherishes time with her sons and granddaughter, riding her quarter horses and stays deeply connected to the outdoors through her own big game hunts, while continuing to build the family legacy by never being outworked.
My name is Cole Daniels, and I am the Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Deadnuts Outdoors, where I have been actively building and operating the business full time for the past three years.
I bring a strong background in early-stage business growth from my four years working in venture capital, including leading and managing Canyon Angels a seed-round investment group. In that role, I oversaw a team of more than 40 analysts, managed investor relations with over 150 accredited investors, and organized six pitch-style investment events annually featuring more than 20 companies per year. This experience gave me a disciplined understanding of capital strategy, operational execution, and scaling businesses from the ground up.
Alongside my professional background, I have a lifelong connection to the outdoors. I grew up archery hunting and have spent time hunting in every western state, with a particular passion for archery elk hunting due to the preparation, discipline, and challenge it demands.
Combining my venture capital experience with firsthand industry knowledge, I contribute directly to product development, direct to consumer sales, branding, and content creation within Deadnuts Outdoors. Over the past three years, we have secured key organizational partnerships with the Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance and the American Bear Foundation, while also launched signature custom target series in collaboration with leading creators in the hunting industry.
I co-founded Deadnuts Outdoors with the mission of helping hunters better understand animal anatomy, resulting in more ethical and successful hunts while reducing game waste. As a full-time co-founder, my long-term vision is to place true-to-scale training targets into the hands of hunters nationwide, while building meaningful partnerships with wildlife, youth, and conservation organizations to strengthen community and stewardship through archery.
Aaron Stonehocker serves as Vice President of Marketing and Sales for DEADNUTS OUTDOORS, bringing over 15 years of leadership and startup growth experience in the outdoor industry. With 10+ years building brands from the ground up, Aaron has developed and executed industry-leading grassroots and channel marketing programs, established sales territories and divisions from scratch, and helped scale organizations from early-stage growth to multi-million-dollar territories across direct-to-consumer, eCommerce, dealer networks, and big-box retail. He also has extensive experience improving customer service performance through technology-driven processes and scalable support programs. While his family relocates due to his wife’s USAF career, he is currently based in Texas with a transition to Alabama on the horizon.
Aaron’s leadership background includes six years in the U.S. Air Force, where he led 60+ airmen in flightline operations and supported outdoor recreation initiatives for base personnel and families. In the private sector, he has held key leadership roles including Communications Director at Tactacam, Western Sales Manager, Brand Manager, and Product Owner focused on customer experience.
Across his career, he has managed large-scale teams and programs—including grassroots networks exceeding 1,700 ambassadors, over 1,000 outfitter relationships, 500+ dealer accounts, and 200 influencer relationships—while overseeing marketing budgets exceeding $500,000. He currently manages DEADNUTS OUTDOORS’ marketing budget and is building the company’s B2B and DTC growth infrastructure, focusing on cost-effective grassroots strategies, scalable marketing systems, and long-term partnerships through conservation initiatives that strengthen brand credibility and community impact.
Leeroy serves as General Manager at Deadnuts Outdoors and has been with the company for five years, including one year in his current role. In this capacity, he is responsible for day-to-day operations and plays a central role in the company’s financial, operational, and marketing execution.
His responsibilities include managing accounts payable and receivable, overseeing payroll and employee scheduling, and administering social media advertising budgets. He is also involved in product operations, including management of the overall product lineup, website product listings, and coordination of product launches across digital channels.
In addition to operations, Leeroy manages the company’s direct-to-consumer marketing efforts, including social media presence, paid advertising, email marketing campaigns, and strategic partnerships. Under his management, Deadnuts Outdoors increased its direct-to-consumer sales 35% during the second year of running paid advertising campaigns.
Prior to joining Deadnuts Outdoors, Leeroy worked for Learfield (formerly Learfield IMG College) at Washington State University for three years, a collegiate sports marketing organization responsible for sponsorships, multimedia rights, and live-event brand activations. He began as a Property Assistant, supporting the setup and execution of marketing activations and gameday events for football, men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, and baseball. His responsibilities included assisting with logistical coordination of sponsor displays, signage, and hospitality areas such as the Coug Den beer garden.
He was later promoted to Lead Property Assistant, where he assumed responsibility for managing these activations end-to-end. In this role, he scheduled and oversaw event setup and teardown, coordinated catering vendors and ice and beer deliveries, managed on-site communications with sponsor representatives, and ensured smooth execution of contracted activations. He also became responsible for collecting and submitting affidavits used to verify that sponsor advertisements and activations were delivered as contracted during athletic events.
Earlier in his career, Leeroy spent two years with the YMCA as a Program Lead, where he operated the Lighthouse Program, an after-school program in partnership with a local elementary school. In that role, he managed a yearly budget, supervised a staff of ten, served as the primary liaison between the YMCA and school district representatives, and helped support the successful launch of the Lighthouse Program during the 2014–2015 school year. Following its initial two-year pilot period, the program’s grant funding was renewed for an additional five years, reflecting its operational and community impact.
Michael Lawson is an engineer with a background in mechanical design and engineering, and over two decades of experience spanning public-sector infrastructure, private-sector fabrication, and product development. He brings a deep, hands-on understanding of design, manufacturing, and execution to Deadnuts Outdoors.
Michael studied mechanical design and engineering and began his career with the City of Tacoma, where he spent approximately four years working as an Engineering Technician and Project Engineer. In that role, he supported and managed engineering projects within a regulated municipal environment, gaining experience in structured project execution, documentation, and cross-department coordination.
After transitioning to the private sector, Michael built more than 25 years of experience in graphic design, sign fabrication, and product design. His work combined creative design with practical manufacturing constraints, requiring precision, durability, and repeatability at scale.
Michael has been with D4 / Deadnuts Outdoors for six years and has been directly responsible for the design and development of the entire Deadnuts product line. His contributions include product design, artwork development, cut files, and packaging systems, as well as the engineering of the company’s hook-and-loop assembly system and related product components. His work ensures that Deadnuts products are functional, manufacturable, and consistent from concept through production.
Carson Daniels grew up as a young hunter immersed in the outdoors alongside his father, Corey Daniels, founder of Deadnuts Outdoors, and his three brothers. The original reason for starting the company stemmed from Corey's deep desire to teach their four sons ethical shot placement and a thorough understanding of big game anatomy. Frustrated with traditional round-dot targets that failed to represent real animal vitals and prepare young hunters for responsible, precise shots in the field, Corey created the Deadnuts 2D Target System as an educational back-yard tool for teaching purposes. These innovative targets were designed as both an educational tool for his own family and a way to help all bowhunters "hit spots, not dots," promoting ethical harvests through better knowledge of anatomy and shot placement. Carson and his brothers were there from the beginning, actively contributing to the early startup phase and helping bring this family-driven vision to life. His hands-on involvement was instrumental in shaping the brand's core philosophy: delivering innovative, USA-made tools that bridge back-yard practice with responsible, successful hunting.
These days, Carson is a licensed guide with Montana Bucks and Ducks in Dillon, Montana, where he’s recognized as one of the top guides on the team. He leads high-profile private hunts on exclusive lands for trophy whitetail deer, elk, and antelope, as well as premium waterfowl pursuits for ducks and geese in the stunning Beaverhead River Valley of southwest Montana. Spending so much time guiding discerning clients in these premier setups gives him unmatched, firsthand insight into animal behavior, challenging shot angles, and the real-world conditions that serious hunters encounter.
Carson has been crucial in developing Deadnuts Outdoors' "field" assessments and real-life in-field target shooting protocols. Drawing from his guiding expertise and countless hours in the field, he helps refine target designs, test durability in realistic scenarios, and ensure the products prepare hunters for ethical, precise shots when it matters most. His contributions continue to drive the company's mission to inspire and challenge the hunting community with top-tier archery training solutions.
When he's not guiding clients or testing the latest Deadnuts targets, Carson enjoys pursuing his own adventures in the mountains and sharing his knowledge to help fellow hunters succeed. Carson will graduate with a double bachelor’s degree in both Business and Agriculture/Ranch Management in the May of 2026 from the University of Montana Western. Carson is also a member of the University of Montana Western Men’s Rodeo Team in Team Roping, Tie Down Roping and Steer Wrestling.
Cayleb Reninger joined Deadnuts Outdoors in 2024 after graduating from Grand Canyon University with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management. He began his role with the company as an assembler and quickly took on expanded responsibilities across fulfillment, purchasing, and production operations.
In addition to assembly work, Cayleb is responsible for direct-to-consumer order fulfillment and the purchasing of materials required for target manufacturing. He plays a key role in maintaining the company’s just-in-time manufacturing process, helping ensure materials are available when needed while minimizing excess inventory. He also oversees fulfillment and customer satisfaction for all dealer orders.
Cayleb is an active member of the company’s tradeshow team, contributing to the conceptualization of booth layouts and supporting execution and staffing at industry events. On the production side, he is responsible for day-to-day operational support, including equipment maintenance and upkeep, ensuring manufacturing processes run efficiently and without disruption.
Outside of work, Cayleb is an avid hunter with experience across western and eastern Washington, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, and Arizona. He has hunted a variety of big game species as well as turkeys and waterfowl, giving him a firsthand connection to the hunting community that Deadnuts Outdoors serves.