We attended last year’s Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic, and couldn’t help but notice the presence of women hunters – in seminars, presentations, literature, ads and booth appearances. One of our favorite women shotgun instructors, Syren pro-staffer Kate Ahnstrom, appeared in seminars and worked with women on hunting tips. She will be back at this year’s event, and she’s giving us a peek at the women in upland hunting we can expect to see. ~ The Editors
Unless you’re in sunny Florida or southern California, you’re probably staying occupied with all manner of indoor activities. The winter weather this year has been particularly brutal, chasing most of us off clay courses. Hunt fields are pretty scarce as well, with no worries about someone beating you to your favorite piece of public land or booking your favorite preserve field.
With the end of January, we saw the end of most upland seasons across the country. As the harshest part of winter pushes in, it’s time to assess our season, gear, hunting locations and even our training regimen for our bird dogs. Are you looking for some new footwear to make those miles easier to traverse? Did you discover that your trusty electronics aren’t quite as trustworthy as you hoped? Will your favorite briar pants make it another season – or, is it time to start shopping?
Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic is coming to Minneapolis-St. Paul and bringing with it a huge array of products and professionals. This annual gathering of all things upland is presented by Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever so that chapters and enthusiasts may come together to learn and share ideas about outreach, education and habitat.
For the first time, Syren will proudly take the Path to the Uplands stage and present real stories from real women who really love upland hunting. This is more than just another presentation or typical panel. This is a chance to connect and grow the community for women seeking support and insight into how to balance their career and their passion which is exactly why we titled the panel, “Heels to Fields: Women in Upland Hunting.”
Syren celebrates women and everything they do to be successful in the fields and on clay courses. As the only manufacturer with a full line of shotguns made specifically to fit a woman’s physique, Syren is more than a brand, it’s a lifestyle. We celebrate the mom who shares her love of the outdoors by wandering the fields and woods with her young children. We champion for the professional putting in 40+ hours a week who slides her heels aside on the weekends to step into hunting boots and chase feathers. We adore the stories shared to us from grandmothers passing down their traditions to the next generation. It’s because of these dynamics we proudly say, “No More Compromises.”
The Syren panel taking the stage Friday and Saturday during Pheasant Fest showcases our diversity featuring Laura Schara, Courtney Bastian and me, Kate Ahnstrom. Laura Schara, Syren ambassador is an advocate for women seeking a path into the hunt field. She is the co-host of Minnesota Bound, contributing writer to “Artful Living” and owner of Wildly Living supplements. Laura lives in a world of fashion and fame, but she relishes her lifestyle behind the barrel of her Syren. Her latest endeavor, Feathers & Tweed, hosted annually at the Minnesota Horse & Hunt Club in Prior Lake, offers a safe and engaging space to learn about shotgun fundamentals, conservation, dog training and all the critical components of upland hunting. Laura brings a unique perspective on balancing a busy career path while staying true to roots and traditions.
Courtney Bastian, Syren pro-staffer, has made it her mission to introduce women to upland hunting through carefully cultivated workshops, seminars and clinics. She is known to many as the Bird Dog Babe from her popular podcast interviewing and exploring the many facets of bird hunting. Courtney saw a need for safe spaces where women could come together and learn about species, conservation, how to prep for hunts and keep yourself and your bird dog ready for a rooster road trip. She is the founder of HerUpland, a 501(c)(3) that offers courses and clinics across the country for women, by women. Life is all about finding balance and harmony. Courtney knows this better than anyone. She works full-time for Purina, manages HerUpland, produces her podcast, and is also mom to two future bird hunters!
This brings us to me, the third and final member of the panel, owner of Virginia Shooting Sports and Promotions Manager-Hunting Division for Syren USA. Unlike Laura and Courtney, I didn’t find my upland path until my 30s. When students ask how I found myself teaching sporting clays and wing-shooting, my cheeky response is to tell them it was a natural path of progression from being a flight attendant. I always wonder if their facial contortions are because they can’t imagine me as a flight attendant or they’re racking their brains to try and make sense of how in the world that path connected. Despite coming to upland hunting later in life, there is no doubt this is my path. I’ve been able to make a career out of what I truly love to do – teach. Until I discovered the shooting sports, I didn’t know what it was I was supposed to teach. It all became crystal clear soon enough.
Through the Syren panel at Pheasant Fest, the three of us hope to share, connect and inspire other women to find balance. Life isn’t easy and it seems that when you are a mom, a professional, a wife, a community member it’s even harder to find that balance and dedicate time to the hunt. There are always so many things or people biting away at our time that we quickly become exhausted, forgetting to take time for ourselves. On behalf of Laura, Courtney and myself, we invite you to join us at the Path to the Uplands stage Friday, February 20, at 5 p.m. and again on Saturday, February 21, at 12:30 p.m. We’ll offer insights into how to find that balance and share our own personal struggles and triumphs we encountered along the way.
Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic opens at noon on Friday, February 20, and continues through Sunday, February 22, at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The show boasts the largest gathering for bird hunting enthusiasts to shop, share and seek information and education into habitat, hunting, bird dogs and more.
Be sure to also visit Laura and me during our time speaking at the Women on the Wing Lounge. Laura is presenting on how to stay fit for the hunt, and I am diving into the details of how to bag more birds. Courtney can be found at the HerUpland booth where you’ll find great merch to show off your love for the upland lifestyle. Gentz Sporting Arms will be set up across from the Women on the Wing Lounge, offering a fabulous selection of Syren shotguns for you to handle and look over.
Want to actually pull the trigger on one of those amazing Syrens?! Well then, we’ll see you at the Women’s Cosmic Clay Night hosted at the Minnesota Horse & Hunt Club on Thursday, February 19, from 5 to 8 p.m. This is a limited engagement so make sure you register and secure your spot. Don’t worry about the chilly temps, the club has heated 5-stands! We’ll see y’all in Minnesota.
Are you curious about which Syren gun to get this year? Check out the extensive line at Syren’s website.
Kate Ahnstrom, owner of Virginia Shooting Sports, is a certified, professional instructor of the Paragon School of Sporting. She has dedicated her life to sharing her passion for the outdoors and diversifying the dynamics on the clay course and the hunt field. Her tireless dedication to her students’ success is obvious in each and every lesson. Kate is on the pro staff for Syren, the resident pro at Orapax Hunting Preserve and the Preserve at Dundee, department editor for “Woods and Waters” magazine and field staff member of the Sisterhood of the Outdoors. She and her husband, Mike, enjoy their small farm in central Virginia where they have a menagerie of animals and plenty of room to train and work their beloved GSPs. Kate loves getting behind the barrel of her Syren Tempio Sporting in 20 gauge for all things clay and feathered. View all posts by Kate Ahnstrom
