The story of duck hunting is the story of America. From sea to shining sea, at least 29 different duck species ply the flyways, inlets and ponds in their hundreds of thousands, igniting the imagination. It wasn't always that way; back in the 19th century, market hunting (which is very different from the sport hunting we engage in today) had nearly silenced the clatter of all those wild wings. The ecological disaster we now know as the "Dust Bowl" made it even worse. By 1937, American sportsmen and women created Ducks Unlimited (DU), a conservation and advocacy group determined to save our wetlands and waterfowl. That was 85 years ago, and DU isn't settling into any rocking chairs any time soon.
Ducks Unlimited's mission, of course, requires money. Given the fact that dedicated duck hunters love Winchester shotshells for their efficacy and consistency, the partnership is as natural as a patch of flooded timber. Winchester's celebrating the last 85 years of conservation (and looking forward to the next 85) with a limited-edition Winchester XPERT steel waterfowl load. The limited-edition Winchester XPERT steel waterfowl load, packaged in an attractive and collectible box, is available in 12-gauge, 3" shells with a 1¼-oz. payload of number 2 shot, traveling 1,400 feet per second.
Of course, no birthday gift is complete without a "card," and Winchester's sent one in the form of this fun and informative video. Wish Ducks Unlimited a happy birthday with Winchester brand ambassadors Melissa Bachman, Nikki Boxler and more ... Happy Birthday, Ducks Unlimited, and may there be many more!