Heidi Kaser launches her new column on Shotgun Life that takes you on a shotgun journey from the FBI Academy to her current role with the NRA where she is creating a Women’s Leadership Forum. Sponsored by Randolph Engineering, Heidi’s column will address the role of women in the shotgun sports. Shotgun Life has the highest percentage of women readers of any shotgun publication (34%) and we are proud to serve women involved in wing and clays shooting. Check out Heidi’s column at http://www.shotgunlife.com .

With 3 sporting clays courses, heated 5-stand, the Terrible Teals, the Progressive and Two-Man Flush the new clays-shooting facility at Seven Springs Mountain Resort is the new hot destination for folks who love to shoot clay targets. Shotgun Life covers every aspect of the place including pub food in the club house (how about a Beretta burger) and fine dining at Helen’s, plus plenty of activities for the kids. Check out the story “Clays Shooting Bliss at Seven Springs” at http://www.shotgunlife.com/.

We were the first ones outside of Ithaca to shoot their new -gauge over-under code-named Phoenix. It turned out to be the softest shooting gun of its kind that we ever shot. And it’s pretty cheap and high quality. This gun is 100% American made, down to the tiniest spring. You need to support the American men and women who make this gun and you can start by reading the story at http://www.shotgunlife.com

 The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) expanded its online efforts to protect the rights of hunters, trappers, anglers, and scientific wildlife management professionals with the addition of a new forum.

 The forum is the group’s latest Internet resource in advancing the public dialogue for the ongoing preservation of America’s hunting heritage.

 In support of the organization’s mission, Shotgun Life donated the technology and ongoing administration by creating a special forum for the USSA in its own Shotgun Life Forums. These forums are available at http://www.shotgunlife.com/forum. Shotgun Life has also provided a banner-ad link to the USSA forum on its home page at http://www.shotgunlife.com/.

 To participate in the new USSA forum, simply go to http://www.shotgunlife.com and click on the Forum tab in the top right section of the home page, or click on the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance banner-ad link. Once you are in the forum, click on the link that says “Join our Forum. Register Now!” This will give you access the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance as well as the other forums. After that, click on the “New Topic” button to start your own discussion about guarding and preserving our right to hunt.

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) provides direct lobbying and grassroots coalition support to protect and advance the rights of hunters, trappers, anglers, and scientific wildlife management professionals. The USSA is the only organization exclusively devoted to combating the attacks made on America’s sportsman traditions by anti-hunting and animal rights extremists.  This is accomplished through coalition building, ballot issue campaigning and legislative and government relations. You can find the organization on the Internet at http://www.ussportsmen.org.

Great How-to Article on Argentina Wingshooting

You’d be hard pressed to find someone who knows more about high-volume wingshooting in Argentina than John Wiles. He has more than 20 years experience as a client and outfitter and loves to share his knowledge with fellow hunters.John gives you the low-down on every possible aspect of what it takes to have a successful wingshooting trip in this world-famous destination. Travel, tips, ammo, guns, food – nothing is left untouched in this exhaustive and entertaining work.

This story was just posted and is a must-read. Go to http://www.shotgunlife.com and scroll down a bit to “Argentina Wing Shooting 101 – OR a Practical Guide to Volume Wing Shooting.”

Shotgun Life has data and images about ClayTracker, the new sporting clays app for the iPhone & iPod Touch!

Introducing ClayTracker

The days of fumbling around with a pencil and score pad are gone forever! Introducing ClayTracker, an exciting new scoring app that allows you to effortlessly keep your scores, track your percentages and review the history of all your previous rounds on your iPhone or iPod Touch.

Scoring Has Never Been Easier

ClayTracker’s intuitive interface allows for quick and easy one hand touch screen scoring. Courses can quickly be added and customized, then stored in memory ready for your next round.

Each shooter’s scores, stats, and shooting history are stored to track your progress.

Available on the iPhone App Store

ClayTracker is now available on the iPhone App Store. Add a whole new dimension to your shooting experience with this exciting new app.

Check it out at http://www.shotgunlife.com.

In a new review, Shotgun Life set down harsh ground rules to push the reliability of the Browning Silver Lightning to its limits. During a 3-day summer downpour, Shotgun Life shot 500 rounds through the gun without drying it or cleaning it. In fact, the online magazine actually left the gun out in the rain, action open, before shooting it. Did the gun stand up to the beating? We can’t give away the answer, but go to http://www.shotgunlife.com and scroll down to the story “Peer Review: Browning Silver Lightning.”

Shotgun Life just posted the most in-depth review of the little-known SKB 3-barrel set consisting of 20/28/.410 on a 20-gauge frame. In the Grade II model, the entire set cost $5,000 and was considered a great value especially compared with a Browning Citori. Check it out at http://www.shotgunlife.com.

Shotgun Life is pleased to make available direct links to best locator sites on the Internet for wing and clays shooters.

Wingshooters can use the comprehensive WingshootingUSA directory while clays shooters can access WheretoShoot.org directly from our home page.

Best of all, you can use them from your PDA or cell phone if you find yourself on the road looking for a new place to shoot (just bookmark Shotgun Life). Both directories came to us from the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Go to Shotgun Life and scroll down to find these great resources.

Shotgun Life is located at http://www.shotgunlife.com.

The Game Conservancy USA will once again host their Elegant Sporting Clays Invitational and Showcase on September 11-13, 2009 at Hudson Farm, New Jersey.

With its towering waterfall on Station 1, Hudson Farm may rank as the most spectacular sporting clays course in the country. This year’s Game Conservancy shoot is limited to 80 guns with registration on a first-come basis.

The Game Conservancy USA is a non-profit 501 (C) (3) organization founded in 1986 to support the work of The Game Conservancy Trust in the UK. The group’s primary mission is to conserve the game wildlife and their habitat, as well as animals that share their habitat with game, in the UK. Recent fundraising efforts have gone towards the Grey Partridge Biodiversity Action Plan – a program designed to halt the 30-year decline in the population of the Grey Partridge due to predation, disease and a disappearing habitat.

In addition to two different sporting clays courses, there will be a host of exhibitors including Boss & Company, Charles Boswell, Griffin & Howe, Perazzi USA, Holland & Holland and other purveyors of fine accessories, shooting trips and art.

The event kicks off Friday September 11th with a demonstration of fine gunmakers and a preview cocktail and dinner party.

On September 12th, the Showcase opens at 9:00 AM with continental breakfast and registration starting at 9:30. At 11:00 AM, the cannon shot signals the opening competition of the Quail course (100 clay targets). Lunch and the vendor showcase start at 3:00 PM.

The next day, Sunday the 13th, presents similar morning activities except that the Pheasant course competition (100 clay targets) starts at 10:00 AM. There will be closing ceremonies and afternoon brunch following the shoot.

Friday’s cocktail party and dinner is $150 per person. The Quail course Sporting Clays Invitational on September 12th is $1,300 for a team of 4, $350 for an individual and $100 for a guest (grounds entrance and lunch only). The prices are the same for the Pheasant course Sporting Clays Invitational on September 13th.

Both courses plus the Friday night cocktail party cost $2,800 for a team of 4 and $750 for an individual. Proper shooting attire is required (no jeans please) and only break-open shotguns may participate.

For more information, contact Lorraine Smario at 203/661-7900 or email her at lsmario@gcusa.org or you can visit the Griffin & Howe web site at http://www.griffin.howe.com.