Duck hunting

A favorite in the blind or at the range – Winchester® Ammunition’s AA® TrAAcker™

In visiting with other instructors, shooters and outdoor enthusiasts post SHOT Show I have been asked the same question numerous times. “What was your favorite thing at SHOT Show?”

There are always many things that impress me at the show. I will over the next few weeks, be sharing some of the great new releases I was able to view at Media Day at the Range as well as SHOT Show.

Being a handgun, rifle and shotgun instructor I am always looking for things I may possibly use as training aids. The one thing that caught my eye, above all, was Winchester® Ammunition’s soon to be released AA® TrAAcker™. I personally continue to work on following through on a shot with a shotgun. I also have  sticks, balls and other props I use to demo for kids what it means to be shooting behind or not following through. While hunting in the duck blind with a group you would be able to see your shot, thus knowing who hit which bird.  AA Traaker

The minute I saw Winchester® Ammunition’s AA® TrAAcker™ I was impressed. They have come out with both a game and target load that has a weighted wad. The wad retains the velocity of the shot allowing the shooter to more easily see where his or her shot is going. The wad is available in orange or black and marked on the box. Orange is excellent when hunting or shooting targets in a treed area. Your eye can easily track it. The black wad was simple to see in the skyline, and below you will even see where I caught the wad in flight on my basic point and shoot camera.
If you look closely, you can see the black Traaker wad flying just left of the orange clay.

If you look closely in the sky, you can see the black wad of the Winchester Traaker flying just left of the orange clay.

Winchester Unveils Innovative AA® TrAAcker™: See Why You’ve Been Missing

 

EAST ALTON, Ill. – A fired 12-gauge shotgun shell unleashes a cloud of shot from a shotgun barrel at about 1,200 feet per second – too fast for the human eye to see the pellets in flight. This can make it extremely difficult to master the correct lead on flying clay targets or game birds.

What if that changed? What if it was possible to track the flight of the shot cloud?

Thanks to Winchester® Ammunition, it’s happening in 2013.


Winchester AA Traacker

Legendary innovation at Winchester continues with the AA® TrAAcker™, the first game and target load to feature a weighted wad that actually tracks with the shot cloud. This allows the shooter or an instructor to quickly determine where the shooter is missing – making it easy to adjust and nail flying targets shot after shot.

“A new shooter now can learn how to lead a clay target or game bird almost immediately – that’s the results you get with AA TrAAcker,” said Brett Flaugher, Winchester Ammunition vice president of marketing, sales and strategy. “The new AA TrAAcker is a great training tool for shooters, hunters, and shooting instructors.”

The secret of AA TrAAcker is in the revolutionary wad. Loaded with 1 1/8 oz. of shot like a standard AA shotshell, the innovative wad design includes longer, notched petals, and captures 1/8-ounce of shot, which stabilizes wad spin and ensures that the wad remains in the center of the shot cloud for optimum tracking. The AA TrAAcker load is available in two highly visible colors: orange, for overcast conditions or dark backdrop; and black for clear skies or light backdrops.

AA® TrAAcker™ specifications:

Symbol

Condition

Gauge

Shell Length

Shot Weight

Shot Size

Velocity

AAHA127TO

Overcast/Dark Backdrop

12

2 ¾”

 

1 1/8 oz.

7

 

1250

 

AAHA127TB

Clear Sky

12

2 ¾”

1 1/8 oz.

7

1250

AA128TO

Overcast/Dark Backdrop

12

2 ¾”

1 1/8 oz.

8

1145

AA128TB

Clear Sky

12

2 ¾”

1 1/8 oz.

8

1145

Since 1965, Winchester AA target loads have set the industry standard for performance on the range and in the field. Known for the legendary High Strength Hull, Winchester AA ammunition is a favorite of reloaders everywhere.

With a company heritage dating back to 1866, Winchester Ammunition was there for the taming of the American West, the Allied Forces’ victory in World War II and through the years, millions of fond memories made in the great outdoors and at the range.

Known as The American Legend™, Winchester is a global leader in sporting, law enforcement, military and personal defense ammunition production. Winchester continues to raise the bar with innovative products like Blind Side® waterfowl and PDX1® Defender® personal defense ammunition.

For more information about Winchester Ammunition, visit www.winchester.com, or connect with The American Legend on Facebook at Facebook.com/WinchesterOfficial.

Read Mia & the Little Gal’s adventures at the Women’s Outdoor News

Prois Hunting for hunting and field apparel for women.

TenPoint Crossbows for “the mark of perfection” in crossbows

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Categories: Duck hunting, hunting, kids shooting | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment

Rest in Peace Sweet Daisy

20121227-120251.jpg

A proud Daisy & Mia. A day on the lake.

Those of you who have followed me for any time at all know I have a special sidekick, a companion, a pal, a fierce protector, a lover, a hunting & fishing partner and a friend. Today I am not speaking of my Little Gal or Hank but of my Daisy, my Weimaraner.
Sweet Daisy and I clicked the very first time we met. Hank owned her first and through him we were lucky enough to connect. It was no time at all before she was MY DOG. I would shoot a duck and she would bring it back to me. Hank would shoot a duck and she would bring it back to me. Haha! Maybe not the best at her job, but she sure took care of me!
I nearly lost her to a turned stomach last spring, the week after my Dad passed. She knew I needed her then and made it through a surgery with flying colors. The vet complimented us on what wonderful shape she was in for her age. Pretty sure that’s due to our many adventures.
We had a lot of good times. Lots of hunting. Lots of hugs. Lots of hikes. Lots of camping trips. She was a chow hound by breed, and her belly constantly got her into trouble.
This Christmas was no different. Daisy mowed two mesh bags filled with gold foil covered chocolate coins. The mesh bags held the foil in a ball and stopped up her stomach. She endured a seven hour surgery to remove the debris and then to clean up stomach fluids which had spilled into her body cavity. At almost 11 years old, it was just too much. She went into shock and passed away around 11:00am December 27, 2012.
Rest in peace sweet friend. You will be missed!
A video tribute to my old friend: 

Read Mia & the Little Gal’s adventures at the Women’s Outdoor News

Prois Hunting for hunting and field apparel for women.

TenPoint Crossbows for “the mark of perfection” in crossbows

Note: Advertisements on this site to not reflect any belief or opinion of Mia Anstine, her sponsors, partners or employers.

 

Categories: Bird dog, Duck hunting, Fishing | Tags: , , | 22 Comments

Nothing But Green

It was Sunday morning.  Time to duck hunt!  Hank & I were up at the crack of dawn.  We donned our gear and started to head out the door when our friend who is visiting hollered “Only green heads!”  We laughed and chuckled because we knew what he meant.  Last week I tagged out right away because all I shot were hens.  This weekend, I promised I would try for only green heads.  Out the door we went with Daisy the bird dog in the lead.

We set up our decoys on a slow moving part of a little stream in a nice canyon.  It was only 14 degrees out but the sun was coming so I didn’t feel too chilled today.  Daisy and I were too excited to be cold and Hank never gets cold.  Once we had everything set up we hid in silence.  It is amazing how Daisy knows when it is time.  She huddled next to me with a grin on her face as we waited. 

The sun came over the hill and the valley lit up.  It was a gorgeous morning and everything sparkled in the sunlight.  As I scanned the valley, I saw some crows and then some sparrows.  Not ducks just….  Wait!  In the distance I saw them  They were mallards.  Daisy & Hank saw them too.  Daisy’s ears perked up and her mouth closed.  She was serious.  Hank looked at me and whispered “Here they come.”  I thought to my self “Be patient.  Wait and choose your target.”  The pair circled around and were on the left side.  My side!

As the pair of mallards circled I chose my bird.  He had a fantastic green head that sparkled in the sun.  I kept my eye on him waiting for the flair.  There it was.  I remembered to continue my swing and took my shot.  BAM!  Yes!  First green head of the day!  Daisy was impressed as she had kept her eye on him as well.  She jumped from the brush and retrieved her prize and I jumped up and cheered for myself.  Hank sat in the brush and grinned and laughed because I have such a hard time containing the excitement.  Daisy and I assumed our positions again and quietly awaited our next sighting.

Daisy retrieves the first bird

Our morning continued as such.  A couple mallards here and a couple mallards there.  I would get a green one, it would drop and Daisy would grab it up for me.  I would jump and cheer… a little more quietly than the first time.  We had a flock of about 12 fly in and I had such a “trinoble” experience.  In my book, that means I was stuck in time not knowing weather to go left or right.  I had a glitch in my system.  I was just beside myself.  I was so excited!  I looked and looked and could not focus on one green head.  Finally I picked one out just in time to see that he was way too far off in the distance for me to get a shot.  Daisy looked over at me with disgust as you could just tell she could not believe something did not fall from the sky.  Hank and I looked at each other and chuckled quietly because we both knew what she was thinking.  She was thinking I better get my act together because we had work to do.  I sat up straight with a wide grin on my face and paid attention.

In the end I had a total of four birds that day.  Daisy was very pleased with me and happy with a duck no matter what the color.  I was especially proud to take home a pouch full of nothing but green!

Daisy and I with the green heads!

Categories: Bird dog, Duck hunting, hunting, Women in the outdoors | 2 Comments

Daisy the Bird Dog

Me & my Daisy

Daisy is our Weimaraner.  She is a pointer who thinks she is a retriever, or maybe she is a retriever who is really a pointer.  She is an only child and a modest 95 pound beauty.  A little big for her bread, but don’t under-estimate her.  She does her job.  In the fall she points grouse, but just before winter she retrieves ducks.  She is our bird dog.   

Today we headed out to hunt ducks.  Daisy was excited as soon as she saw the shotguns come out of the safe.  She ran circles around us at the truck, telling us to “hurry up”.  We made a hike down to the low end of the stream and Daisy stayed close behind.  Daisy would watch every bird that flew over head closely and wait to see if it fell from the sky.  She was patient as a pointer who likes to retrieve can be.

Finally, the ducks came in.  They flew off in the distance and then lo and behold they turned and circle back.  Daisy watched and waited as Hank raised his gun and knocked one down.  The pointer, Daisy, watched it drop from the sky and ran to retrieve it.  She brought it directly back to Hank with her head held high.  She was proud to be our retriever!

Daisy is proud to retrieve Hank's duck.

It wasn’t long before we saw another flock.  The birds flew and Hank and I both got shots off.  Hank dropped two and I dropped one.  Daisy ran and retrieved Hank’s birds and then I hollard for her to come help find mine.  I ran to where I thought it had dropped, but it wasn’t there.  Daisy was proud to bring her assistance.  She gracefully jumped over the stream and began sniffing around and then jumped back over.  I have to admit, I was under estimating her when she took back to the other side.  I thought she was headed back to Hank’s birds which she already had gotten.  Then she popped her head up with a mouth full of duck as if to say “haha!  I found her!”  Shame on me for underestimating that retrieve. 

I am pretty darn proud of that Daisy.  She’s a good retriever for sure!

Daisy didn't want to stop for photos. There was work to be done.

Categories: Bird dog, Duck hunting, hunting, Outdoor life, Weimaraner, Women in the outdoors | 2 Comments

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