Episode 622 - Anna V || Tips On Wing Shooting And Dog Training From A World Champion

Summary

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The Origins Foundation Podcast

Episode 622: Anna V – Tips On Wing Shooting And Dog Training From a World Champion

Date: February 3, 2026
Guest: Anna Van Nostrand (“Anna V”)
Host(s): The Origins Foundation Team

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Episode Overview

This episode features Anna Van Nostrand, known in the outdoors world as Anna V—a champion wing shooter, accomplished trainer of both pointing and retrieving dogs, and advocate for women in hunting. Anna shares her inspiring journey into the world of clay and wing shooting (starting in her mid-30s), practical tips for beginners, philosophies on gun and dog training, her favorite places to hunt, and ways to build community among women in the outdoors. The conversation is both insightful and entertaining, laden with stories, useful guidance, and a candid, empowering tone.

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Main Topics and Discussion Points

1. Anna V’s Unconventional Start in Wing Shooting

• [05:16] Anna Van Nostrand: Reveals she didn’t pick up a shotgun until her mid-30s, dispelling myths that proficiency in shooting requires starting young.
• Hunting wasn’t new: grew up deer and turkey hunting; wing shooting was unfamiliar.
• Transitioned from teaching pistol basics (especially for women) to wing shooting after requests from local DU (Ducks Unlimited) chapters.

Notable Quote:

“No. I picked up a shotgun, like, literally in my mid-30s.” – Anna Van Nostrand [05:16]

2. Creating Opportunities for Women in Shooting

• Hosted introductory shoots for women in partnership with local lodges in Alabama and Georgia, bringing together women of all ages and backgrounds.
• Emphasized safety, fun, and building confidence over competition skills at first.
• Within two years of proper training, Anna won her state’s championship, as the only woman in her division.
• Stresses the powerful ripple effect—mothers teaching children, which further destigmatizes hunting for girls.

Notable Quote:

“We had 25 ladies there. It was a knockout of the park, right?... So April 14th of 2016, I took my first shotgun lesson, and within two years, I’d won state. And I was the only female in my class. So I beat all the boys.” – Anna Van Nostrand [10:05, 11:47]

3. Finding Coaches, Ranges, and Getting Started

• Recommends:
  • Seek out local clay courses for wing/shooting-specific training ([12:36])
  • State wildlife agencies often run shooting ranges and host classes (including women’s programs like “Becoming an Outdoor Woman”) ([13:02], [13:23])
  • Leverage organizations like SCTP (Scholastic Clay Target Program) to find youth or local coaches ([13:48])

Notable Quote:

“Shooting for, like, wing shooting and clays—I would definitely say a clay course... Just call the clay course and ask, tell them what your goals are.” – Anna Van Nostrand [12:36]

4. Journey Into Gundogs: From Short Hairs to Labs

• Anna’s first bird dog was a German Shorthaired Pointer (“short hair snob”)—eventually embraced labs as well after traveling to South Dakota and experiencing upland hunting with them.
• Describes the addictive subcultures among dog owners—different breeds, unique styles (pointing vs. flushing), and camaraderie in field trials and tournaments.
• Stress on safety, etiquette, and the steep learning curves that come with new environments (e.g., nearly losing a puppy in tall CRP grass during filming for Gundog TV).

Notable Quote:

“We do get addicted to our breed... and so I immediately changed my hashtag from ‘short hair snob’ to ‘happy hypocrite.’” – Anna Van Nostrand [16:58, 18:51]

5. Picking the Best Places for Upland and Waterfowl Hunts

• Top Recommendations:
  • Pheasant: Public land South Dakota (“Everyone needs to do that once in their life... it takes truckfuls of dogs.” [24:27])
  • Quail: South Georgia plantations
  • Grouse: Maine (hopes to organize a trip there; likens grouse hunting to “quail hunting on steroids” [26:26])
  • Ducks: Flooded timber is a favorite for Anna (“Nothing beats flooded timber... I love the serenity” [26:56]); also praises the California rice fields ([28:38])
• Tips for booking: Don’t go just on opening weekend—later in season can be just as good and less crowded.

Notable Quote:

“I love South Dakota. Everybody needs to do that once in their life. For sure, if you are a wing shooter.” – Anna Van Nostrand [25:02]
“Grouse hunting is like quail hunting on steroids.” – Anna Van Nostrand [26:26]

6. Gear and Shotguns—Fitting, Not Flashy Brands

• Shotgun Fit Is Paramount:

  • Fit trumps brand; likens shotguns to shoes—it’s about what fits your body, not what’s labeled “for women.” ([29:57])
  • Details cues for checking proper mount and fit: gun should come to your face, not your face to the gun; explains sight alignment cues ([35:24])
  • Recommends trying youth models for smaller-framed shooters.
  • Brief mentions of Beretta A400 (now discontinued), Benelli Ultralight, Benelli 12-gauge.

• Philosophy: Buy quality within your budget and prioritize a comfortable fit over accessories.

Notable Quote:

“Shotguns are like shoes. Honestly, it’s all personal preference.” – Anna Van Nostrand [29:57]
“The number one priority if you are bringing in a new shooter…is gun fit. If they understand the process but the tool…does not work for them, they will quit before they get started.” – Anna Van Nostrand [35:24]

7. Hunting Doesn’t Require Tons of Gear

• Anna and the host challenge the “outdoor industry” myth that you need heaps of gear to hunt.
• Start simple: focus on core necessities, add more gear only as your skills or comfort grows ([34:10])

Notable Quote:

“You don’t need all this stuff. No.” – Anna Van Nostrand [34:10]

8. On Building Community for Women in the Outdoors

• Founding of the “Women of Wingshooting” group—Anna’s commitment to providing mentorship, community, and resources for women looking to gain confidence and step into the world of shooting and hunting ([40:40])
• Emphasizes normalizing women (especially mothers) as hunters and mentors, and the lasting impact for families and the industry’s future.
• Advocates for more inclusive stories: “I didn’t know I was a girl...I just saw myself as a hunter.” ([40:40])

Notable Quote:

“I created this group Women of wing shooting. It’s so wonderful, and it has grown so much past wing shooting world. But I do use my stories of, you know, these past 10 years…Whether it was a lesson with a dog or raising a kid... it was the years prior of the grind.” – Anna Van Nostrand [41:59]

9. Kids, Conservation, and a Legacy Mindset

• DU (Ducks Unlimited) and Green Wing programs praised as fantastic resources for kids; Anna’s own daughter rose to leadership in collegiate DU and found both mentorship and lifelong friends in those circles ([51:07])
• Advice for parents: Encourage girls alongside boys, and recognize the social and professional opportunities available in the conservation world.

Notable Quote:

“Ducks Unlimited offers amazing opportunities for kids. I mean, that is their secret sauce that I don’t think people talk about enough.” – Anna Van Nostrand [51:11]

10. What’s Next for Anna V

• New website and online community for female wing shooters launching soon in 2026 ([53:46])
• Ongoing workshops, hunts, and mentorships—contact via annavoutdoors.com or Instagram (@AnnaVOutdoors_).
• Continued advocacy for community-building and empowering women in the outdoors.

Notable Quote:

“If you are so excited as a female to find your people, to find community online…we’re going to provide that.” – Anna Van Nostrand [54:16]

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On Gunfit:

  “The ideal thing…when you shoulder your gun, you don’t want to take your head to your gun, you want your gun to come to your head.” – Anna Van Nostrand [35:24]

• On Getting Started:

  “Just call the clay course and ask, tell them what your goals are.” – Anna Van Nostrand [12:36]

• On the Addictive Nature of Hunting Dogs:

  “You never just have one, you end up with two, and then you end up with six…” – Anna Van Nostrand [15:55]

• On Changing Outdoor Traditions:

  “Where are the chicks? …I realized that they might not know how to get to where I got…They may figure out what they want to do in the end, but they didn’t know the middle.” – Anna Van Nostrand [40:40]

• Normalizing Women Afield:

  “I didn’t know I was a girl… I just saw myself as a hunter. I had my own rig. I was hauling my own kid. I was pulling my own weight. I was just another hunter in my mind.” – Anna Van Nostrand [40:40]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• (05:16) Anna V’s late start in wing shooting
• (10:05–11:47) Building women’s shooting clinics; rapid success in competition
• (12:36–14:09) How to find coaches, ranges, and resources for beginners
• (15:06–19:39) Transition from pointers to labs; experiences in dog competitions and tournaments
• (24:27–26:56) Top hunting destinations for pheasant, quail, grouse, and ducks
• (29:57–37:56) In-depth discussion on shotgun fit and gear
• (40:40–43:04) Building women’s community in the outdoors; mentorship and legacy
• (51:07–53:12) The role of conservation groups and DU in youth education and opportunities
• (53:46–54:42) Anna V’s upcoming projects and community announcements

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Additional Resources & How to Connect

• Website & Community: annavoutdoors.com
• Instagram: @AnnaVOutdoors_
• DU/Green Wing Youth Programs: ducks.org/greenwing

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This episode offers loads of encouragement, practical wisdom, and infectious enthusiasm for anyone—especially women—curious about wing shooting, dog training, or simply starting out in the hunting and conservation world. Anna V’s honesty and humor make it clear: you don’t have to be born into hunting to become a champion or a leader in the outdoors community. Just say “yes” to the opportunity.

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Transcript

[Host]

Hey, guys, we have a really fun podcast for you Today. I am being joined by Anna Van Nostrand, better known as Anna V. In the outdoors world. She is a prolific wing shooter, accomplished. She has won numerous awards. She is accredited by all of the organizations you can be accredited by. She raises and trains gundogs, both labs and shorthairs. She is going to give us a bunch of tips on how to get involved in wing shooting, proper techniques, the suggestions on buying guns, on her favorite places to hunt, quail, pheasant, grouse. We talk about everything. We talk about how she got her start, which she didn't actually get until she was in her mid-30s. So if you are looking to get into wing shooting or just interested in the topic or just want to hear from Anna V. You will, I think, enjoy this podcast. It's very entertaining.

[Robbie]

So five years ago, there was a reason why I started this movement. And the truth then is the truth now that we need to champion our narrative. We need to champion the truth around what we do and who we are. There's a sweet spot where they got, you know, too heavy and it's a.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Burden to walk with.

[Robbie]

Too light and you whipping it. Why is the project so important to the hunting community?

[Anna Van Nostrand]

It's. It's a. I think it's not only important, I think it's. I think it's vital. I think it's. It's just in time.

[Robbie]

It's like snakes and ladders. You guys are climbing the ladder and then somebody does something stupid and you just slide down. That is such an amazing analogy. Snakes and ladders.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Yeah.

[Robbie]

You know, I. Ivory, in my opinion, was the plastic of its age. Okay.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

The expenses are going up. It goes a long way with families.

[Host]

We are families that do need it.

[Robbie]

Let me close this door because I have a little wiener dog. What are you laughing because I said wiener?

[Host]

I'm really glad you finished the sentence out. I'm sorry the first happened. What are we doing here today?

[Robbie]

You're telling the whole world.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Foreign.

[Host]

We are rolling today. And I'm so excited for my guest who I probably needs no introduction to most of our listeners. She is. A lot of people call themselves influencers. She is a hundred percent an influencer. But shy is she?

[Anna Van Nostrand]

She.

[Host]

No, you are. You are. But you are also the authentic, true deal. I mean, walks the walk. Literally one of the most amazing wing shooters out there. And I would put you up against any male or female. I can't even like. The accolades on your resume are so many that I don't Even, like, I would pull your biography up and read through them, but there's so many. The Anna V. Anna V, ladies and gentlemen, we've got on our episode today. And. And let me. How do you actually pronounce Anna Van Nostrand? How do you say your last name? Is that right?

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Okay, that's right.

[Host]

But. But I mean, everybody just calls you Anna V. I mean, we all. We all know who you are. She's beautiful. If you are watching on YouTube, she is. She popped up on my screen and I immediately felt like I needed to run upstairs and change clothes because it is nasty outside. But she looks like she should be on the COVID of Field and Stream. She is drop dead gorgeous, blonde and so talented. She has kids. She does it all. But let's talk about a few of the things that you do, because everybody knows that you're a wing shooter, but you're not just like, you don't just go on a wing shoot. You are like a champion wing shooter. You have all of these orientations. What are these certifications? I mean, there are things on your resume that I didn't even know existed. So.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Okay. So when I first started, we were talking about our mutual friend. We have. We have so many mutual friends. I'm just so excited about the light crossover.

[Host]

A lot of crossover.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

So Matt Dubnik, who is very well known throughout the DU world, is from my hometown. We grew up in the same town, and he was actually chair of Georgia DU when I first started. They reached out to me when I was in the pistol world, and they said, hey, we want to change, like, the culture of our chapter. We got a lot of young families that are on our committee now when we really want to get our wives involved and that kind of stuff. And I was like, pause for a second.

[Host]

So throw out this. So. So Matt. Matt's a good friend. Matt also happens to be a Georgia legislator, and he's chairman of Education Appropriations. Is one of the nicest guys you will ever need ever meet. He is highly, highly involved in Ducks Unlimited and just truly a public servant. Like, he's a great guy. But I want to walk back for a second. Then I started. So I. I was under the impression. I just assumed because you've had so much success that you, like, were born with a shotgun in your hand. But no. No. Okay. So that's not the case. Okay.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

No. I picked up a shotgun, like, literally in my mid-30s.

[Host]

Okay. So this gives hope, I think, to all, because I have ladies come up to me all the time. I want to learn to hunt. I want to start hunting. You know, my husband takes my kids. I want to be able to go with them. And I'm like, you can. You totally can. There's so many resources. So you did not start till you're. By the way, you look like you're in your mid-30s. So that's.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Take it.

[Host]

So you rigged up, you beat it up like yesterday. And.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

But I was, I was in the hunting world. I was raised in deer hunting and turkey hunting. So deer and turkey hunting wasn't new to me. Shooting wasn't new to me. The art of wing shooting was like total different language to me. So I was, Matt asked me to do this. And so at that time I was teaching women pistol basics. And it was when like all the public shootings started happening.

[Robbie]

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[Anna Van Nostrand]

And because we were just redneck Georgia people, all my kids, well, at that time it was just jc. JC was shooting, she was deer hunting. And her friends, parents, moms were like, will you, will you teach our kids to do this? And I was like, yeah. The next thing I know, women are like, we need to learn to shoot. We need to learn to shoot. So I ended up with teaching women to shoot pistols. And then that turned into, well, we want to go hunting. So then I teamed up with this.

[Host]

Cool.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Little lodge that was brand new, tiny little thing in, in western Alabama and in Hamilton, Alabama. Do you know where that is coming?

[Host]

I know.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Okay, well, it's on the Mississippi line, I guess. So I just started taking ladies there.

[Host]

I didn't even know what I was doing.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

I didn't know that the industry was here. All I knew is that I grew up doing this and it was fun. And I was going to take these ladies and I didn't even advertise. Like it wasn't even outside of town. Matt was doing all my advertisement. He and Katie with Forum Communications out of Gainesville. And we were literally just having a good time. Then Matt says, okay, well, you know we gotta break out with DU chapter and all this stuff. We're gonna get women involved books this shotgun day. And I was like, okay, so we're at this private farm at this five stand with clay targets. Okay. I've never shoot a moving target. I just kept them on the straightaway, like, which is called the quartering bird that I know now. But I could get them to hit that. And I was like, thank God nobody here knows what's going on. Like, everybody was safe. But the technical side of this was Greek to me. So I get done. Everybody had so much fun. We had 25 ladies there. It was a knockout of the park, right? I go back to my D chapter, and I was like, was. Y' all about outed me as an epic failure. Y' all gotta get me a coach. So we're. We're coming up on my 10th year, which is so exciting to me. April 14th of 2016, I took my first shotgun lesson, and within two years, I'd won state. And I was the only female in my class. So I'd be all the boys. And I got bored. I had a short hair at that time. And I was like, so you start taking lessons? Yeah, I started taking less. I shot every day, five, five, six days a week for two and a half years.

[Host]

With my gosh, oh, my gosh, you got the bug.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

So. And that was when hallie Jo was 2016. So she was three and she turned four at the end of that year. And so I just hauled her with me. And so I had a kid and pull ups and a pappy and her little plastic gun and my coach and. And we're still shooting together. So now he's coaching her. She just wants to find a coach.

[Host]

What's the best way for them to find somebody to teach them? I mean, so we have gun ranges around here, pistol ranges, gun ranges. That's where I would look here. What would be your advice for somebody to find a place to take a gun class, a gun course, and to find a coach. If they want to find a coach.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Shooting for, like, wing shooting and clays, I would definitely say a clay course.

[Host]

Okay.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Yep. Just call the clay course and ask, you know, tell them what your goals are. And if. If the whole thing is you just want to get started and figure out what direction you want to go. Because I shot competition clays, and then I moved in to the wing shooting world. I competed in the wing shooting world. And so it's different. There's different ways of doing things. And so you can also call Your state?

[Host]

Yeah, all of the state wildlife agencies have shooting ranges that they run, and they. Most of them will have resources. I took a shotgun class from a guy here who was an Olympic champion, and he. Our state wildlife agency actually hosted those classes. So that's a good place to start.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Becoming an outdoor woman through the. Through your state.

[Host]

That's another thing. Not every state has that. Not every state does, but some do. Some have become an elder woman, some have different. And. And I'm just talking generally for men and women, how to start. There are different women's programs in different states, depending on what state you are. But. Yeah, but just call your state wildlife agency if you want to find a coach, if you want to find a class or call your local gun range, there'll be several.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Google is so easy. And I would also look at sctp, which is a scholastic shooting club. It's an organization that's national, but it's where all the youth shooters are. And these youth shooters are so good. They know who the good coaches are. So sctp. Yeah.

[Host]

Okay. It's.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

It's kind of like a travel team for clay shooters.

[Host]

Okay. Nice. Okay. All right, Keep going. You got into the dub next through du. Got you involved helping with the chapter.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

And so we're our second generation state winners now. And so it's pretty exciting for her to take that her first year. She's gonna have to really start practicing hard to keep that. But I. I didn't love the clay world because I do have a heart of a hunter. Like, that's just who I am. And so as kind as those Du Bois have been to me, they have still never invited me to their duck camp. And I don't let them forget that, especially now that I'm the one probably has more dogs than any of them, you know.

[Host]

Okay, so that's another thing that you are into is training duck dogs, right? Or I guess bird dogs. Is it duck dogs or bird dogs?

[Anna Van Nostrand]

I switch. I started in the pointer world. This is hilarious, too. So with that original Ducks Unlimited chapter that Matt was running back in the day, and I do have a podcast with him that we did with probably two years ago, three years ago. Reminiscent about all this because it is hilarious to look back, especially because I was. I mean, I get geeked out about it now, but when it was new to me, I probably got on everybody's nerves. I was just so excited to be there, you know, And I just loaded up so big, but so my first short hair was Mercy. And I got her and. And I'M like, why does everybody want these generic dogs? You know, the short hair is just so elegant, and they're just rowdy and just big. And then everybody's lab, you know, you just see it's like laying on the couch. Like, mine is literally asleep on the couch right now.

[Host]

Right.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Mine's back.

[Host]

There's no one kitchen.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

And so I just didn't understand, like, you don't know what you don't know. Right. So out of me teasing them all the time because they odd labs and I was the oddballs. The only girl and the only short hair. I hashtag short hair snob. And the short hair people are so cultish. I mean, you never just have one, you end up with two, and then you end up with six. And I mean, it just kind of grows, you know. And so it was this really funny thing that was going around, and people started using it, and I was like, yeah, I'm going to do merch. We're going to have this whole brand. It's going to be awesome. And then at Pheasant Fest, the South Dakota thing, what's it called? The South Dakota booth, was also shared by the tournament hunt in Huron. And it's huge. And so all these people come together. They have for, like, 30 years in teams of six. Everybody brings a dog. You can only have two dogs on the ground at a time. These are draw, like dog trials.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

So you draw for a lot of dog competitions.

[Host]

Okay.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

It's competition. Yeah. And it's just for fun, but people have been doing it for, like, 30 years. So they are like, hey, come to Huron and like, be our guest for the weekend stuff. They threw me on a team with a guy who. His dad started his team, so he was like second generation of team captain. And they threw me on there. And these guys were so awesome, and it was so funny. It was like the. The baldies and the blonde. That's what we ended up calling us. And I mean, it was just. It was so sweet. Well, I get up there and they want to give me the whole South Dakota experience. Right. So here I'm in the South, Everybody's. They've got duck dogs, but everybody down here has hunt test dogs. Right. And so they're like, told what to do. All stuff. I didn't understand the game. And so we get up there and I am seeing an upland lab hunt for the first time, and I am absolutely amazed. It is so fast. It's so quick. Like, you got to stay in range. And they're just going at it. And all this stuff. And I remember getting caught on one side of a creek and his. And my buddy's dog gets birdie. And I'm like, you need to whoa. That dog. You know, and he was like, she done whoa. And so it was so funny. I like jumping the creek to get in range and stuff. It was so fun. And I was like, oh my gosh, this is it. This is what I've been waiting to experience with another breed. Because we do get addicted to our. Our breed. And a lot of times that is the first dog that we get that we are just so loyal to. And so I immediately changed my hashtag from short hair snob to happy hypocrite. And I was like, I cannot wait to get involved with labs. And so I met. I actually met a group up there and I. They booked me to host a ladies hunt in Wisconsin. And then I ended up running a tournament with them. I'd never even watched a flesher field because I'd only done pointers at that time. And so I took second with a dog that had just won the world. She'd won everything. And so those guys just took me under their wing. They got me training. Covid happened. And so I put my youngest tater bug in homeschool and we were traveling back and forth based on weather. We were all either training in Wisconsin or training in Georgia. And we were running the BDC and it was no longer being filmed as a show. The bird dog challenge one time was on the outdoor channel, but it wasn't then. And so I just got thrown into the deep end of the pool and it was so fun. So I just. Don't break.

[Host]

Hold on. I. I need to back up a second. So you are using labs to flesh and point for just flush.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

They're not pointing. Oh, yeah.

[Host]

Okay, okay. Because I'm so confused. So when I grew up. So my grandfather always had bird dogs, but short haired pointers. And you know, down here in the south, we typically use our labs for duck dogs. I mean, like my lab's a duck dog. I don't know if she wouldn't have a clue what to do in a pheasant field. So I, and I have hunted a lot of pheasants and quail in my life, but I have never hunted pheasants or quail. I've. I've done it with what? What's the monster landers? What are the. Yeah.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

[Host]

I'm screaming that wrong. Yeah.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

And little.

[Host]

The little bitty and the Whitney's and Yeah, yeah. All different kinds of milks. But I have never hunted pheasants with a lab.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Oh, my gosh, girl. I will take my lab right into the grouse woods and not think twice.

[Host]

Okay.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

And that was the world that I grew, actually. That is a grouse feather and a mallard curl that I both got with my dog. Okay.

[Host]

So this is like a whole new. I had no idea. I've just. I always think of all these other types of dogs.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Yeah, right.

[Host]

You really don't know. What. You don't. And there's so many. I mean, just the. The hunting dog world is an entire subculture in and of itself.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Oh, it's so addicting. Cattle dogs.

[Host]

I mean, like, we've got friends that do all these cattle dog competitions and it's watching them run their dogs is because they'll. They'll be running, you know, 20, 20 dogs at once in these, like, circles of these things. And it's just absolutely fascinating, just the time and effort that it takes with these beautiful, brilliant animals. I love my lab so much. I mean, she trained in Montana and she is the fattest, absolutely useless, spoiled pet now, but because we just don't hunt as much as we used to. But. But I'm just. I love dogs so much.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Just gotta throw that out there. I love them. You know, it was just such a demand to stay in. In the hot test world. And then after that, I got back into filming, so I filmed with the Gundog TV crew and Randy Lack, and he's so precious. And the first time I ever put my dogs down out west, we were filming Gundog tv. And I didn't know that you needed to have GPS collars on your dogs because once you put them on the ground, they disappear. A crp is going to be up to my nose, you know, and, oh, my gosh, I almost lost Tater's dog Dolly when she was a puppy. And the fear of that. I mean, I have taken everything to. Not just like, rules or safety, but I've taken everything in my life now, up to etiquette, like to the whole next level, just because I've learned the hard way. I will say, like, the guys were so awesome along the way. I mean, I've just. I was talking to Benny Atkinson this morning from Prairie Wildlife. I don't know if you've crossed paths with him yet or not, but I.

[Host]

Have not met him, but pray. Wildlife is so.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

He was a prayer. Like, that's where he's. He was known. He's no longer there. He's actually doing a lot of managing some filming projects and stuff, so. And then he. He helps other lodges, but that's how everybody knows him. But we were catching up today while he was driving to South Carolina and just talking about all the things that I've done, and I was like, man, I never thought I would say I was grateful for Covid, but all of us had to pivot. Like, we all had to figure out how to use what was in front of us during that time. And. And fortunately, I. I feel like I made the most of it for sure. Not that I'd ever want to go back through it, but I just.

[Host]

Well, you launched it in trailer career with it.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Yeah.

[Host]

Truly, you found your life's passion. So I want to. Because I consider you truly to be an expert in wing shooting now and one of the best. And you have done it all over. All over the country. You have worked with quail and pheasants forever. You've worked with SCI as an ambassador. You have done all these different things with all these different groups. Ducks Unlimited, I would like you to give us and our listeners some recommendations. So we've talked about, like, if people are just starting out, you know who to make a call, how to get involved, just to find someone. I do recommend taking a class. Take a shotgun class. It'll just make you feel so much more comfortable out in the field. That's my advice. Just to start. Where are your. Because there's such a difference between hunting down in Georgia and hunting up in South Dakota, and then, you know, hunting in, like, Nebraska. Give us your. And I know this is so hard, and we're not taking these as endorsements, but just, like, where are your top three recommendations to go hunt pheasants? Oh, can you. Can you give us three?

[Anna Van Nostrand]

I love South Dakota. I love it. I. I love. Is there a particular place up there?

[Host]

Oh, no.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Public land. You gotta work. Call Scott. Yeah, you gotta work hard. You gotta find all your buddies, because it's gonna take truck. Truck fulls of dogs, you know?

[Host]

Yeah. But there's some places you can book up there and you don't have to go opening weekend. Everybody wants to go opening weekend, but that's obviously the busiest and the most expensive time to go. But you don't have to opening weekend. They have great hunting throughout the entire season. So.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

And those things that if people have individual needs, if they have specific dates or if they have a specific budget or, you know, a dream hunt, whatever, like, just message me and I'll just put you Right in touch with somebody. But what about that? I love. I love. I love South Dakota. Everybody needs to do that once in their life. For sure. If you are a wing shooter. And then quail hunting. I mean, we're in Georgia. I'm a Georgia girl. Yeah, you got to go to south Georgia. You got to be able to say, like, I have been to the plantations of South Georgia.

[Host]

There's really. Honestly, like, it.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

There isn't. It's really nice. And okay, I've never. Growls nothing.

[Host]

Be gonna throw this, like, out there. I've never grouse hunted, so.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

And then.

[Host]

And I've heard it's so fun where.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

I always went, but I want to go to Maine. I'm gonna put a trip together next year to go to Maine. You want to go? I would love.

[Host]

I would really love to do that. I mean, I know there are dwindling places and shorter and shorter seasons for grouse hunting, and there's a lot of people around the country working on that, working on trying to remedy that. But I've heard it is some of the most fun hunting that you can do and some of the best eating. So, yes.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

You'Ve also got the woodcock, so don't forget the woodcock. But, yeah, you help me in for Maine. I know I'm from Georgia, and people are gonna hate me for saying this, but I would say that grouse hunting is like quail hunting on steroids. Because of the train, really. Because you're in the woods. You're in the trees, swamps. I mean, it's all over the place. Wild. It is wild, and it's so fun. Okay.

[Host]

All right. I want to do that. And then, of course, ducks. I mean, ducks are so fun.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

I mean, nothing beats flooded timber. I just absolutely love the serenity of flooded timber. And everybody says that. Everybody knows that. Maybe it's not for everybody because it's tough. There's some. There's some variables in that, especially with the weather can make it pretty nasty.

[Host]

It can be freezing, Freezing, freezing cold. But it. There isn't anything prettier than a flooded timber hunt. And honestly, you can hunt ducks all over the country. Literally all over the country. You can hunt dogs in every flyway. Canada, all the way down to south Louisiana and south Texas. And. And so there's. There's no shortage of duck hunting. It's just a matter of finding the right place and the right people to take you and the right outfitters and. And so we're.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

You know, that's very blessed. When you talk about. You don't know what you don't know. And I was such a hardcore upland hunter. I was. I mean, that, that was what we competed with. You know, we were chucker hunters and our competition stuff and that was just what I did. But I will never forget the first time that I watched. We were actually snow goose hunting and I watched the mallards come in and they just called them just, you know, just to have fun and watch those mallards like circle around and come in and decoy out there. And we're just waiting on snow geese to come in. And it was so magical because nobody was worried about pulling triggers. Nobody's worried about, you know, pulling, pulling triggers or shooting or anything. It was just, just watching birds and. Yeah, that was pretty cool. And then I love California. Nobody talks about California, but there's good.

[Host]

Waterfowl hunting out there.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Yes. And hunting in the, in the rice field. I shot eight species in one weekend.

[Host]

Really?

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Yeah.

[Host]

That's pretty awesome. Yeah. Duck love rice. They love rice and there's a lot of rice in California. And when California has water, it's, there's. You cannot beat the hunting out there.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

If you want to go to California, I would say just call the office of California Waterfowl and just let them tell you where to go. Because that organization is amazing and they're always in the know of what's going on season of season, and they have.

[Host]

A really, really strong group out there. Strong group. Strong guys. Good team players, too. Good team players in the waterfowl world. Okay, let's talk about gear for a second. Do you have a favorite and case?

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Let's.

[Host]

I'm going to go ahead and let's exclude the super, super, super fancy. I mean, you know, we can. There's obviously super expensive shotguns out there, but just for, for people that, you know, maybe don't hunt for a living. Is there a shotgun out there that you love? Let's say for women that you can just order and don't have to have cut down to fit. Is there one that you found that you think is just like, no recommend? No, not at all.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

So shotguns are like shoes. Honestly, they're, you know, it's all preference, an individual preference. Nobody's built the same. I don't shoot a lady's gun because the way that I get in the gun, my length of pull, I shoot just a regular. I shoot a regular shotgun. So I don't really do loud, taller. I do custom fit. Custom fit is the words that I like to use. 5, 4, 5, 5.

[Host]

Oh, okay, so you're not even that tall. I mean, you know, you're, you're not short, but. I'm five seven. But I do shoot usually. I mean I, I've had my sock cut down for me just because of, I mean the, you know, these right here.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Well, and that could be the pitch, the angle.

[Host]

Yeah. So they get the pitch.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

There's different variables of how you get that. And so the weight and the balance and the size of the palm swell on the fore end and then the drop at heel and toe and blah blah, blah. All those things like all that, all those variables come together to create a signature fit.

[Host]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

I want to go. Crap, I got a place to go.

[Host]

Well, and there's places all over. I'm just trying to. For like people just starting out like without them having to go by a. I, I've got two that I recommend, but one kind of more than the other. I like the gas powered Beretta 20 gauge. And. Except that for women, because sometimes we don't hold it as tightly as mentally we have. You have to hold it so tight that sometimes it's not going to chamber.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Through, you know, and so also depends on brass, the ammo that you choose. If you choose a low recoil round and you don't hold your gun tight, then it can't cycle.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

So there's gotta have a super high brass.

[Host]

But, but I think a pretty good gun for a woman.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Yeah. The A400 that they don't make anymore was perfect.

[Host]

Yeah, yeah.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

That's Brett.

[Host]

So Brett like the Vanilli Ultralight. I like the Benelli Ultralight too, Joe. Or Easy. Yeah. Carrying. And it doesn't ever hang up on me. But those two guns, I think in 20 gauges. I don't think women really even need a 12 gauge anymore for much. I mean, do you, do you what, do you shoot?

[Anna Van Nostrand]

I shoot whatever they give me.

[Host]

Yeah.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

I just shoot whatever gun lands in my hands. Now if I'm packing, I do have a Benelli 12 gauge duck gun. And I recommend it to go to Rob Roberts and get all tricked out and have just a sweet little trigger. And it's so wonderful. It's so wonderful because that is the other thing is like if you can get your gun to where it has less recoil and you feel comfortable with that, they also choke your gun to match your ammo. And everything is the way everything works.

[Host]

Ammo is so good these days.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

I mean ammo.

[Host]

And here's the thing, come so far.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

I don't want this to sound complicated. I want women to embrace the outdoor industry as the world of endless accessories.

[Host]

But see, that is, I think is what overwhelms some women.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Oh, I know.

[Host]

Like, I don't want to have to. I don't want to feel like I have to have.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Oh, you don't have to have a.

[Host]

Belt and a lariat and a belt and a, you know, I mean, like if I'm going duck hunting, I want to have waiters and a jacket and a gun and my ear protection and I want to go out there and I don't want to have to.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Tanner is going to hundred things underneath it. Like she's going to go down to the mud room and her Lululemon and then she's going to throw her waiters on and put her jacket on and.

[Host]

Yeah, like if I'm going deer hunting.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

I don't want to have to have 1900 things.

[Host]

Like I, now my husband and I differ on this and I feel like this is how the industry makes their money. Because I mean, look, you know, you go to the shows, I, I go to the shows and I walk around and I'm like, oh my gosh, I didn't know I needed that. I didn't know I needed. Look at all this stuff. What is all this stuff? And I'm like. And then you, you come away thinking, I need all this stuff to hunt in reality. You don't.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

You don't. All this stuff. No, you know, I'll answer this first.

[Host]

You can use it and it will you like, as you get more advanced and more advanced, it will make your life easier. And yes, you can like sit in the lap of luxury and everything on your body can be warm and you can see a mile away and you know all this stuff.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

And it is fun to dive into those, especially when you find brands that you really align with and then you just become like super freaks fans of them and get to know them and then it is fine going.

[Host]

I'm going to mention this right now because this is what I can just feel people's fingers itching to send me a text on like, well, you're missing out because you need this. This. I'm going to mention our Google voice number right now. If anybody would like to text and tell me what all we are missing. I'm sure I'm missing 1900 things and I need a whole lot of gear. 601-790-0607 if you would like to send us direct comments on this, we have. I've been Getting quite a lot lately. It seems like I get more than Robbie does sometimes. But 601-790-0607 if you want to send us a voice text. All right. Any kind of text, we can't take calls on that, but we can get your messages. So anyway, that's just that. That's me on my soapbox about like, you don't need that much stuff to go out there and hunt. That's just me. Okay.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Okay. But I do. I don't feel like we answered the gun question. The gun question is okay with any gear you want to buy the best quality you can in your budget. Number one, okay. When you're talking about gun fire fit, gunfit is the number one priority. If you are bringing in a new shooter in to this world. And let me tell you why. If they understand the process, but the tool that you give them does not work for them and they can't figure out what the problem is, they will quit before they get started. So number one is gunfit. Okay, how do we do this? Simplest way ever is comparing it, like to try it on your favorite shoes, especially if you're a female. And you try on those pumps because. Because not all high heels are comfortable, but when you find the brand that fits you, you will buy every color. And it's. It's just like that with the gun. So the different brands are going to be heavier on the front or more balanced, depending on how you hold it and your strength. Right. So the, the ideal thing that you want to do is when you shoulder your gun, you don't want to take your head to your gun. You want your gun to come to your head. And so in that your head's not going to move, you're going to shoulder your gun in the pocket. The back of the gun is going to be in line with the top of your shoulder. When you look down, your eye is going to sit right on top of the rib and look all the way down past the bead. So the bead should sit right there in the middle of your pupil. And it's a heavy gun. Right. Somebody should be able to look down from the barrel end and see that it's right there. Now, if it's here or here or kind of in the middle, things like that, that is where you need adjustments. There are ways to get adjustments. You can use some, like the mole tape to shift on your cheek here to move it to make sure it aligns. Or if you have a wood stock, you can take it to a gunsmith for a pretty reasonable price. They can put an adjustable cheek piece on there so that they call it adjustable comb. And that way you can move it back and forth so that you get that alignment. But you want to keep your head straight so that when you mount the gun, your head never moves so you're not having to go like this or this. Like it's literally bam, bang. And so that's. That's the soapbox on Gunfit. So we won't push brands. We're going to push whatever puts you in alignment with the muzzle is what you need, right?

[Host]

Yeah. And there aren't a lot of guns just ready made for women. And if you're small, don't be afraid to buy a youth gun. There's some really good youth guns out there that, I mean, like fit women that are, you know, 4, 11, 5 foot, 5, 1 that, that really. I think they have some great. I have little boys and so we have bought some fantastic youth guns lately. And I mean, like right now I bought a rifle for one of my sons that I'm like, I am totally going to take this thing out and wear it out because it is so great and so light and gets the job done. So don't be afraid to try a youth model as well because they're just as good, they're just smaller. Okay, so let's talk about some of the things you have coming up in the future. You, you continue. I'm excited women out and teach them and have hunts and guided things and. Yeah, talk to me about what you have coming up.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

You know, I took a break from that. That's what I got started doing and, and it was really rewarding. But then covet happened. Right. Like we talked, we had to pivot and lodges closed and all this stuff. And then I got addicted to competing and learning about lab life and all the training and stuff. And so after coming off this last show, filming and traveling, I mean, I was spending like eight months on the road.

[Host]

That's a lot.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

And it wasn't a consistent four months at home. You know, it was just kind of scattered. And so I think I just got tired. I didn't know I was tired. You know, you're living on a super high. It's so fun when you have your friends scattered across the country and, you know, and you're traveling with your dog and hopefully you see birds every stop you make. That's a really fun life. But it's not. I mean, you, you're living a life behind too.

[Host]

Right.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

And it hit Me, I was like, man, I think I want some roots again. And I came back to Georgia. Now, where I live is not a great place for the things that I love to do, but it's home. You know, the North Georgia mountains is a really special place. And so God was really dealing with my heart to get back to building my community. And, you know, like I told you, I lost my social media with the haters not wanting me to talk about gun rights.

[Host]

Right.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

But you got. And you inspire me so, so much. And I was so excited when Robbie hired you. I was like, yes, another powerhouse blonde bombshell that's gonna, like, keep me fueled. I was so excited. And so the thing about it is that I felt like the women that I were meeting across the. The. You know, the country, I was. I was always the only female in camp.

[Host]

Always.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

I'm like, where are the chicks? Like, this is so fun. Where are they? And so I realized that they might not know how to get to where I got. Yeah. Not to say that they don't want to be there, but they just don't know. Like, they may have the idea, and they may figure out what they want to do in the end, but they didn't know the middle, and I didn't know the middle. And I realized, you know what? I didn't have a female mentor, but I was an only child. My dad threw me into everything, and I didn't know. Like, I look back, I'm like, I didn't know it was a girl. Do you know what I'm saying? Like, I just. I just saw myself as a hunter. I had my own rig. I was hauling my own kid. I was pulling my own weight. I was just another hunter in my mind. And it wasn't until I came home this last year and a half, actually, and slowed down and really thought about the things that I've learned, not the things that I've done. Those things were great. And I keep my trophies around because of the lessons that they taught me. It wasn't that moment of winning. It was the years prior of the grind. And I was like, okay, not only did I learn middle management with my competition world and my shooting coach that I still talk to every day, but everything that I learned applied to life. And God gave me such a special gift. And in that story, and I had to look back and I had to write it backwards, I had to say, okay, if I'd had a female mentor, now that I know where I am, like, what would she have told me? So I created this group Women of wing shooting. It's so wonderful, and it has grown so much past wing shooting world. But I do use my stories of, you know, these past 10 years of journeying through the outdoor industry, whether it was a lesson with a dog or raising a kid or literally from a baby to, you know, a state champion. You know, she just turned 12 last week. And so it was like, what. What did the outdoors teach me about being a mom? How was. How did I do this? I didn't know. I didn't know women didn't do this. I just did it. And so I think the biggest lesson of it all is that I never said no. A door presented itself to me, and I was like, this looks fun. Let's go figure it out.

[Host]

I think part of it, too, is just normalizing it, because like you said, I had all male cousins growing up, and my grandfather and my dad and, you know, they just threw me in with the boys. When we went hunting, you know, we shooting and we would, you know, shot. You shoot your cans on the fence line, you're practicing, and you just go out in the fields, and then you, you know, you're hunting, you're fishing. And so it was like, well, they were either going to leave me behind or I was going to go in them, and I wanted to go, and they always took me. And so I never thought anything about it. There was never occurred to me that was unusual. And I don't think it is unusual in a lot of families, thankfully, but the older I've gotten, I have discovered that it is unusual in a lot of families that only the boys go hunting and the girls stay home. And I, you know, guess or cook or sew or whatever they do now. I mean, not many people sew anymore, but now we're grown up and we have new generations coming up, and women are wanting to get out there more and more. And, you know, there are some types of hunting that are easier for women to do by themselves. And fortunately, wing shooting is a perfect example. It is harder to deer hunt by yourself. I mean, you know, I went out with my son during youth season a couple weeks ago, and he shot a fantastic buck. But that thing was huge, and we weren't pulling it back in by ourselves. You know, we had to call my husband to come and help us get it back up into the truck. And, you know, there are ways and there are techniques for women to haul those deer in, but it's hard. It's hard to get a big animal in. So there are just easier types of hunting for women to do solo and then even in groups of females. And so. But I think the more we normalize, women hunting, hunting together, hunting with your families, taking your kids out. I mean, you know, I love the story, and, well, I just love the fact. So the guys that founded Shin. So one of those guys, I worked for his father growing up in Memphis. He was a state senator. He was an attorney, a state senator, and is now a federal judge. And the mother in that family always took those boys hunting. And I was practicing law when I was younger and working in politics. And it was so funny because the dad was always working. He was, you know, always practicing lawn. He would always say, oh, Chris is taking the boys hunting. Oh, the boys are going this. And Chris always took them. And I thought it was the coolest thing. Yeah, mom was taking those boys hunting. And you don't hear a lot about it. And look at it now. You know, one of those sons has founded what is quickly becoming an industry leader in the waterfowl gear world because they loved it so much. And those guys founded that because they loved it. Loved it.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

I've never heard that story before. I love that.

[Host]

Well, I don't know that anybody knows that. I just knew it because I happened to work, you know, for one of their fathers and knew kind of the family and the family dynamic. But I just always thought that was the coolest mom. And so, you know, we've got to normalize.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

I want to be her when I grow up. You are her.

[Host]

You are her. You're taking. You're taking your daughter's honey. I mean, look, you've got a little champion on yourself. So I, you know, we've got to start, you know, normalizing moms taking their kids hunting. And, you know, it's okay that, you know, hey, dad, you stay home at work today, and I'm taking the kids, or we're all going together. We're all going to the family, you know, place together. We were members of a duck camp that really wasn't super conducive for the. Just the moms and the daughters didn't hang out there that much. And, you know, every family has to make a decision for themselves. But my stepdaughter, we. We only had her every the weekend. And so we wanted to maximize our time together. And because of that, we weren't duck hunting much. And my husband wasn't duck hunting as much as he, you know, he did before that. And so we made the family decision to sell our duck club and buy another piece of property. That we could all hang out together at. And. And it doesn't have. We have wood ducks. We got a whole bunch of wood ducks, but we don't.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Yay. You know, we ain't hating them, but we got.

[Host]

We have ducks and turkey galore. And so it was just a family decision to sort of shift our hunting focus so that we could be together. And now we have seasons of long.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

So, you know, I look at that, and I'm like, man, I am thrilled. I've had so many seasons. I am so excited about it now. And maybe we'll convert back.

[Host]

We're starting now, now that the boys are older and he's older, and we're now starting to go back into the duck hunting more.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Right.

[Host]

That, you know.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

But you got to do it.

[Host]

You do. And they can do. And even. Yeah, you're just fishing. You know, sometimes it may be a fishing season, because that's the easiest thing to get out there. Littles.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

I never appreciated that. But some of our friends. Sons. Bass fishing is huge down.

[Host]

Oh, it's huge. Yeah.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

And it's so fun. I'm not.

[Host]

I'm.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

I don't care about being in the bass world, but I could really get into some fly fishing, and I've been a few times because we are very well known for our trout streams up here.

[Host]

Oh, yeah.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

And of course, you know, I love the whole atmosphere and, like, environment, tradition, all the things of that type of lodge, because it's very similar to our upland lifestyle. And so we live on this piece of property that was a golf course, and I wanted to train all my dogs here. So we have. We have five ponds on this property and two, like, right in the backyard. And so that is. What sits on our back deck, is all kinds of fishing rods, and tater got into it.

[Host]

Okay, I'll make and visit you.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

I mean, like, we can shoot our clays. I mean, we do have one machine here. We try not to do it every single day because we don't want our neighbors to like.

[Host]

Right.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

But we. But, I mean, Tanger got to where she was fishing, like, every single day, and she took to it, and so she was like, mom, would you really, like, start fishing with me? And I was like, yeah, okay, I will.

[Host]

And then I would rather fish than hunt. One son would rather hunt. One son would rather fish. And that's fine. We trade back and forth. We go back and forth. I told her, though.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

I'm like, I really believe that this hunting thing that we've got going on is a little Less expensive than this fishing world because. Well, no boat world and stuff. No way. No way.

[Host]

Don't have to have a boat to fish. Ish.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

But, yeah, but she's competition minded, so she's like, I'm gonna get good at this.

[Host]

It's all, you know, getting outside. Getting those kids outside is so good for their brains. Keeping. Keeping them away from electronics and just, you know, getting back to healthy little minds. Healthy minds and healthy bodies and even a lot of trouble.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

It's easy. Oh, gosh. I know. We hit. We hit home. We hit middle school this year and we're going back to homeschool because of it. I just couldn't handle it. And ho. Our hunting bubble is so wonderful. We have, you know, I have an older daughter. She was. She came up through the outdoor industry as well and had her own life. I don't think that as soon as she came of age to go to. Is it third term? What's the du. Yeah, yeah, third term. Yes. So their leadership training. I mean, this is the coolest story. So she turned 21 and it was the last year she could go. It was on her birthday. It was always on her birthday, I think. Well, she was cowgirling in Wyoming for the summer, and the owners of the ranch loved EU so much that they said, we'll pay for your flight to go to Memphis, have your weekend come back, but you have to stay an extra week for us. And she was like, oh, twist my arm. Right. And so I had worked with the leaders at third term and they had her cake ready. It was this big surprise. All of her friends are there. You know, those kids get so tight.

[Host]

Yeah, yeah.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

And so Robbie ended up being the guest speaker.

[Host]

Oh, good.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

So awesome. It was so awesome. So I was like, that's just so cool how that turned out.

[Host]

And then.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Yeah, so D was great. She was the first female to be chair of ugadu. She won two amazing awards for, you know, fundraising while she was in college. Ducks Unlimited offers amazing opportunities for kids. I mean, that is their secret sauce that I don't think people talk about enough.

[Host]

Their green wing program, they have wonderful, wonderful training programs, wonderful workshops. Yeah, they have. And you can find it online. Go online and look up green wing stuff, look at local events. They. They do a really, really good job with kids.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

So there's a lot of resources out.

[Host]

There for kids for. From a lot of different organizations. If you look. If you look for them.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

She does. She probably doesn't want me telling this, but she'll probably never listen to it. So when she was 14, I took her to the UGA's chapters banquet, and I was like, kid, I want you to pay attention, okay? This is where all the cute boys are going to be when you get to college. This is where all the guys are that live the lifestyle that you want to be in. Like, you got to work really hard so that you can be part of this group. And no idea. That should end up being, like, the chair. Right?

[Host]

Running it. Yeah.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

And no joke. She's getting married in June, and she found her Mr. Perfect Index Unlimited, and he's a hunter, and he's so wonderful. And I was like, you know, why don't we encourage our girls to get involved younger? We want them to be with a conservative provider. You know, like, he's about it experiences. Like, boy, Ducks Unlimited offered us the perfect place to get our kids.

[Host]

Them all gonna find a good outdoor man. Unless you're hang. Hanging out in the outdoors.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

And du. I'm telling you, solid.

[Host]

That is hilarious. I don't think she minds on y' all in that story. We. We. We are all advocates for outdoor men here and women. Yeah. So. Right. I know.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

It was so funny. I'm like, jc, did you tell anybody how awesome this worked out for you? And she was like, that's so dumb. But I'm like, no, it's not, because you have a best friend that can't find a man. And you know what? She was not involved in Ducks Unlimited with you. And I went ahead and.

[Host]

So we're probably gonna go viral. We're Anna be on here saying, find you a man. Go get involved in DU it's hilarious.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

So funny.

[Host]

Okay, so we are counting down, wrapping up on time. We're gonna losing people's attention. So what. What do you want people to know? You've got anything coming up we need to be watching for?

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Yeah. So the beginning of the year, we'll have a whole new website launched with our trips with our new online community. How to get involved. If you are so excited as a female to find your people, to find community online, women just like you that are just looking to not only build confidence through wing shooting, but through the outdoors in general and through, you know, just becoming your best self.

[Host]

We.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

We're going to provide that, and we just have the best support across the country. Powerhouse ladies involved. So that'[e-mail] you can email me directly there, or you can find me on Instagram at Anna V. Outdoors. Underscore.

[Host]

Awesome. Great. Thank you for being on today. It has been great and highly entertaining. I love it. I love it. And keep me posted on that main trip.

[Anna Van Nostrand]

Yes, we'll do.

[Host]

Okay, Sounds good. Thanks guys. Thanks for listening.

[Robbie]

Well, that's it for today. I appreciate you listening as always. Leave a review, share it with your friends, and most importantly, do what's right to convey the truth around hunting.