Kate Ahnstrom

As a sporting clays instructor, I’m frequently asked if I follow or know of certain titled, competitive shooters or hunting influencers. Every now and again, a name will resonate as someone I’ve heard of or follow. Most names are just another name, though, and I have to explain that I actually spend most of my time following and researching scientists, doctors and mental training experts.

Why? Well, because the human anatomy and how it works has far greater bearing on how a shooter will interact with a target. I often say this: “If you can’t see it, you can’t shoot it.” In a vision-based sport, a hunter or competitor’s ability to ascertain a target means everything. Other contributing factors to shooting success includes gun fit, stance and mount, along with an ability to correctly read a target and react accordingly.

This month we open up the biology of shooting and how your body, build and mental interactions with clays and feathers impacts your ability to connect with targets. Read More

If you 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. You are not alone. One of those 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 along with other well-known upland bird hunters, and she’s giving us a peek at what we can expect to see. Read More

You step up in the shooter’s box, feeling pretty confident as you’ve been crushing it around the course. Then, you ask for a demo and your heart sinks. What in the … yeah, the trap setter started feeling frisky halfway through the course and stuck in a few oddities. Chandelles, rabbits, rabbues and other types of presentations aren’t difficult – they’re just different. This month we break down how to break these weird birds and bunnies and give you the tools for success behind the barrel. Read More

Have you found your way into the exciting and engaging world of clay games? Perhaps, you have had the chance to chase feathers at a preserve or even on wild birds? Did you have your own gun to use, or did you need to borrow one? The holiday season is the perfect time to put in your wish list and make sure you receive the most amazing gifts. Read More

Syren pro-staffer Kate Ahnstrom understands the additional stress that waterfowling places on hunters’ bodies. Often that means bigger loads and heavier shotguns. Syren designed the XLR5 Waterfowler to meet the demands of women hunters.  Read More

“Oh, my gosh,” I think to myself. “I have to get this poor woman to settle down. What in the world happened to her that she is on the verge of tears, almost ready to pass out?”

This is unfortunately a more common occurrence than you think. A new shooter gets in the box, excited to either try a new hobby sport or maybe prep for a corporate outing or even a hunt. The moment she picks the gun up, her muscles start quivering, her eyes become almost frantic and often, the color in her face will flush as she fights through impending tears. She had no idea the scars were so deep. It’s been years since she last pulled the trigger on a shotgun. Read More

September. Just saying it rouses excitement and anticipation for the opening of the hunt season. In Virginia, it welcomes opening day for dove and goose and adds teal later in the month. While it is still hot, regularly reaching the 80s, it’s easy enough to get an early start on the day or enjoy a long sit in the late afternoon.

September also means a reality check for many that may have slacked off a bit on honing their shooting skills and quickly realizing it is now time to head back to the fields and waters. There is still plenty of time to correct any bad habits and perfect your shooting prowess. Read More

“What the heck?! I know I hit that bird, no question!” is a familiar complaint in the hunt field and on the clay course. Often, a shooter assumes she didn’t have the correct sight picture, and consequently, did something wrong. In reality, the sight picture was absolutely correct, but the shot load was incorrect for the quarry or clay presentation. This month, we geek out a bit on what it takes to drop our target, clay or feathered and how to stack the deck in our favor. Read More

I’ve made the comment, “If you can’t see it, you can’t shoot it,” no less than a million times. The shooting sports revolve around your ability to SEE a target and put the sight picture together correctly. Now, there was an astonishing young lady that was legally blind and shooting for a high school team. She and the coach worked together on having her zero in on a sound played from behind the target to assist her in aiming. It worked! This scenario is on the other end of the spectrum though and brought to your attention to showcase just how incredible we are as a species. Read More

Frigid temps find us cuddled up on the sofa or in some manner, tucked safely indoors. This time of year, it is a bit tough to get motivated to get outside and do anything – much less go shooting or hunting. As we moved through January, many of you no doubt wrote down resolutions. Some of those resolutions might have included giving back to the community or helping with a local charity. Why not combine that resolution with an incredible sport, shotgunning? Read More

By this time of year, the shorts and tank tops are tucked into the far reaches of our closets. Several of us have already enjoyed a snowy morning. December schedules heated up with holiday parties and get-togethers, but the temperatures across most of the country are quickly cooling. For some of us, these temps mean less time on the clay course; but, for those of us that brave the frigid temps, how can we get the most out of our performance – not only in our own shooting, but also with our ammunition and shotguns? Read More

Shotgun instructor and Syren pro-staff member Kate Ahnstrom lays out why we need to build up our bodies and shares her tips on strengthening your shotgun game. Read More

If you’re like me, you wish away the summer, even cursing it for interrupting your hunt season and making you hang up your bird vest. The mid-Atlantic can be a bit brutal, though, especially in September when the season comes back. It also sees its fair share of hurricanes and flat-out ugly thunderstorms. The dove migration is highly susceptible to these strong storms, and you’ll often hear chatter about the birds getting “blown out.”

It doesn’t take but a week or two for the birds to become educated and even more evasive, giving them that oh-so-appropriate name, “Grey Ghosts.” So, with such fickle and punishing weather and temperamental targets, why do so few utilize the summer months to prepare? Read More

“Dead bird! Dead bird!” Ah, so satisfying hearing the ref call those words. Anne had to work to control her excitement as she inched her way around the skeet field. She was a little nervous about the second half of her day though when she would rotate to the trap field. Some of her squad-mates told her that she shouldn’t expect to fair as well in trap unless she had a dedicated trap gun. Read More

Sporting clays is a sport. It’s even part of the name! I’m hopefully not telling you something you didn’t already know; however, it could very well be something that you didn’t fully comprehend or recognize. Sports, in general, have a game plan. In clays, it’s just you in the box. There is no one to decipher the moves of the opponent other than you and your own training and experience. So, if there is no one else to affect our performance, why is performance anxiety a constant factor? This month, we look deep into the mental game of clay shooting and how we can develop a solid plan for success. Read More

Feathers & Tweed is a one-day, limited engagement that brings together the best of the industry in a time-conscience and easy-to-engage format. This dynamic event was founded by Minnesota’s very own Laura Schara in collaboration with Minnesota Horse & Hunt Club. She wanted to showcase her tried-and true-favorites for the outdoors. Laura understands fully how busy our schedules can be and knows how difficult it can be to cut through all the “junk” to get to what really works on the course and in the field. So, she is proudly bringing you the 2^nd Annual Feathers & Tweed! Read More

Syren pro-staffer Kate Ahnstrom walks you through ways to break old, bad shooting habits.

With the new year, we all eagerly welcome the chance to hit the “reset” button. This rebirth is a way to shake off the old and start anew. But, what if some of your old habits are the only thing you know, especially when it comes to shooting? How do you break that cycle of consistent inconsistency in your shooting? Are you sure you are employing every tool in your toolbox to create success? Read More

September ushers in the long-awaited hunt season! Ladies across the country are gleefully headed to cut crop fields for doves and geese. This month, we take an in-depth look at the shotgun every lady should have in her hands, while readily glancing up for gray ghosts or sky carp. Read More

Finally! The plane has landed and is taxiing into the jetway. A well-deserved weekend getaway with your friends is imminent, just as soon as the gate agent opens the aircraft door. You’ve been planning this trip for months, excitedly taking advantage of being able to shoot a few rounds at a world-renowned sporting clays complex. You are on a trip with your shotgun, at last. Read More

Syren pro-staffer Kate Ahnstrom runs through tips for shotgun maintenance 101. This is a great how-to for newbies and a refresher for seasoned shotgunners. Take care of your shotgun and hopefully, it will perform well for you when you need it. ~BB Read More

Syren pro-staffer Kate Ahnstrom runs through the how’s and why’s of hosting a Syren Demo Day.

“Do NOT go out and buy a shotgun.” When I tell my students this, their mouths usually gape open a bit in total disbelief. The fact stands, 99% of the people that want a new shotgun, have no idea what they want to purchase. Unlike most of your Amazon purchases, there is no return policy on guns – or even ammo, for that matter. You own whatever you purchase until you can either convince your buddy that she wants it more than you do, or sell it through an online site or your local sporting goods store. None of those options will ever recoup the price you paid, because it is technically now a used a gun.

This is why I absolutely love hosting a Syren Demo Day. Twice a year, spring and fall, for a few hours at my home course, I will bring in Syren with a selection of inventory and some great swag so students, clients, even the general public may try before they buy. There is zero commitment to purchase, only encouragement to take advantage of the chance to shoot so many very fine shotguns in one event. Read More

‘Tis the season for fabulous get-togethers, overindulgences in food and drink, and that age-old desperation of shopping for those we love. That perfect gift always seems to elude us. What’s worse, when asked by our beloved, “What would you like this year?”, our response is meager at best with, “Oh, I don’t know.” Yes, you do. You totally know what you want – it’s a shiny new Syren shotgun to call your own and to take to hunts, clay fields, and beyond. When it comes to deciding on what shotgun to add to the gun safe, there are a few poignant questions that should be answered to ensure that you purchase the shotgun that is right for you and for your needs. Read More

The hunt season doors have burst open across the country and in some locations, snow already is falling! This is the best time of year. Here in Virginia, the mountains are phasing their lush green canopies into a majestic landscape of golds, reds and oranges. The chilly, frosty mornings are a welcome respite from the searing heat of August and we are all leaping at any opportunity to get out in the upland hunt field. But are you ready? Read More

Shotgun instructor Kate Ahnstrom stresses the need to dress for success while in the field, which includes making sure your bird vest fits and that you can work with it while mounting a gun. She also offers great options for finding the perfect bird vest. Read More

Full chokes, skeet chokes, duck loads, target loads, slugs. This is a field that is extremely diverse and quite often difficult to navigate. A quick Google search will yield a plethora of information, but will also inundate a new shooter and often perplex even the most experienced one. I want to preface this entire article with my humble opinion – less is seriously more. I rarely stray from set up and enjoy great success over multiple disciplines and applications. Let’s take a look at what is a choke and what it means to “choke” your gun. Read More

It’s the American way: Bigger, better, faster, now. Actually, it’s the way most of the world thinks especially when it comes to shotshells. Just a short jaunt through the ammo aisle at your local sporting goods store is enough to make your shoulder hurt just at the sight of some of those shell boxes. Will those superfast, hot and heavy loads give you more X’s on your scorecard or more birds in your bag? Meh, maybe… but some time with a professional instructor and a little practice at the clay course will take your shooting much further than 1350fps. Read More

The easiest way to complete a job successfully is to be sure you use the right tool. There are literally thousands of different tools out there in the world, but you certainly don’t want to try and hammer in a nail with a pair of pliers. Although, in an act of desperation, I have at times done exactly this instead of just taking a moment to find the actual hammer. It can be done but it ain’t pretty or even particularly functional. The exact same thing can be said about guns and whether you need more than one shotgun. Read More

There is a simpler way to keep your schedule balanced and enjoy shedding some of the stress in our lives. It’s “leaditation.” Yes, you guessed it. Get out to the course and get that gun barrel moving. But with such hectic lives full of commitments, how is it remotely possible to find the time to enjoy pulling the trigger? Read More

You love shooting your shotgun, especially if it’s a fabulous Syren. You even set aside time every couple of weeks to go to your local clay course. You break clays, you miss clays, and you have a lot of fun, especially when the weather is gorgeous, and friends are going around the course with you. But your shooting isn’t improving. As a matter of fact, some days, you would swear it looked like you had never seen a clay target in your life, which begs the question, “Are You Building Skills or Pulling the Trigger?” Read More