Amy Crow understands what it’s like to be on the line at a competition shotgun event. She also totally gets what is happening behind-the-scenes and throughout the operation of a prestigious match. She is a competitive shooter, and when not competing, you might find her doing registration and scoring for sporting clays events nationwide.
Amy pulled her first Syren shotgun out of its box in February and reports, “I love it!”
“I have been a Certified National Sporting Clays Association (NSCA) shooting instructor since 2002 and noticed it has been really hard to get a gun ‘out of the box’ that fits most women. I believe the Syren is the answer to that problem,” stated Amy.
“The first fun shoot I shot the Syren in, I scored a 44/50. I was really excited, since my only practice had been one round on the 5-stand,” said Amy. Inclement weather this winter has held Amy back somewhat. Nevertheless, she shot in a blizzard at Hopkins Game Farm to get 69/100, Lady Runner Up and B4th. Since then, she continues to improve her game and position in standings as she gets more time on her Syren.
Amy attended college in southeastern Illinois, studying Shooting Complex Management and Game Preserve Management, and later earned her BA in Management and Business Administration. “I have been everything – a dog handler, bird guide, trapper, and instructor in the world of shotgun shooting. My passion is definitely Sporting Clays,” she said.
Amy described her college program further, and said students traveled and worked as certified referees at various sporting clays events – everything from charity shoots to Nationals.” She also married one of her colleagues along the way.
Amy and her husband are the proud parents of 2 young sons. As for children and shooting, she said, “When I have parents wanting lessons for their child, I recommend that they weigh 80+ pounds, 100 is even better. This way their body weight can balance the weight of the shotgun.”
She began shooting as a child, with tutelage from her dad, a police officer and avid hunter. “I was exposed to the hunting side of shooting long before I entered college and learned there was whole other world of competitive shooting,” said Amy.
Fit is important for hunting and competitive shooting. “No 2 people are the same,” said Amy. “And for so long, the shotguns that were available for women were based off a man. We did get lucky when they came out with youth models, but then again, it was for a select few.”
Amy believes the Syren is the only gun out of the box that will fit a majority of women who want to shoot or hunt with shotguns. “Our hands are petite compared to men, so we need a more slender grip. Our upper body anatomy is different than a man’s and we need the butt of the gun toed out; so, in turn the placement in the shoulder is correct. This all affects how we look down the barrel and execute our shot on the range. The gun may still need to be adjusted, but the basics are there to get us started,” continued Amy.
Amy is seeing an upward trend in women joining shotgun sports competitions. “When I go to shoots, I see whole families. It is something that they can all do together. It doesn’t matter if you are old, young, short, tall, athletic or not. It is for anyone. Family time is precious, so why not do something that the whole family can enjoy?” In fact, she noted that you can either shoot in your back yard (if permissible, of course), at your local range, or travel to a competition and make a vacation out of it. If traveling with a shotgun, she advises these 3 things:
Note to Self: How to Land a Job Working at Professional Shotgun Competitions
Amy explained how she came to hold her job, in registration and scoring for professional matches: I was first exposed to the process on my internship at American Shooting Centers in Houston, Texas. There, I learned the ins and out of the whole complex. During my time there, we hosted a State Shoot and US Open, among many other events.
Since then, I worked at other clubs where I would do the scoring for small events. We called in the professionals when it was a large event — 200+. That’s when the wheels were set in motion. I became friends with these gals and before I knew it I was being asked to work for other clubs. It is definitely a very technical job, with making sure you stay in the set logistics to make it run smoothly when the shooters are on the course.
To learn more about Syren shotguns visit SyrenUSA.com.
Publisher/Editor Barbara Baird is a freelance writer in hunting, shooting and outdoor markets. Her bylines are found at several top hunting and shooting publications. She also is a travel writer, and you can follow her at https://www.ozarkian.com. View all posts by Barbara Baird
