Marsha Petrie Sue is poster gal for NRA

Word on the street is that The WOMA board member Marsha Petrie Sue has been slated to be, in her own words, a “pin-up girl” for the National Rifle Association’s collection of people who make up the NRA. Marsha’s lovely smile will be featured on a banner at the upcoming NRA convention in Phoenix from May 14-17, 2009. You may read more about Marsha, an avid outdoorswoman, and her business at her website: http://www.marshapetriesue.com/

Marsha Petrie Sue is the Muhammad Ali of communicators, especially in dealing with difficult people. She can dance and look pretty, and she uses the entire ring, but she knows how and when to land a knockout punch. Think of her presentations as charm school with live ammunition.

Also known as The Accountability Master, Marsha dares people to take personal responsibility for their choices, success, and life. She is original, unique, and a one-of-a-kind professional speaker and author.

She gives you proven tactics for managing people, colleagues and clients – especially those difficult people who create perplexity, puzzlement, and pandemonium in your professional and personal life. Whether you’re dealing with a slacker, liar, loser, or bully, Marsha’s guiding principles bring sanity to a seemingly hopeless situation.

West Tennessee Outdoors wants women writers

Rob Somerville, editor of West Tennessee Outdoors magazine, is looking for women writers/photographers to help him fill the pages of his publication with exciting, interesting content/photography about women in the outdoors. Take a look at this website: www.wtomagazine.com, and contact him at twoww@ocol.net.

First annual The WOMA-IHOP breakfast held in Nashville

The WOMA hosted its first in a series of IHOP breakfasts held in conjunction with major outdoor conventions and trade shows, in Nashville on Sat., Feb. 21, 2009. WOMA Tekkie Chick Paige Eissinger and WOMA President Barb Baird, along with two women who recently applied for membership, enjoyed a breakfast as only the IHOP can serve up. Read more

NSSF’s Range Report offers freelance opportunities

NSSF’s Range Report Offers Freelance Opportunities

The best freelance opportunity that comes out of the National Shooting Sports Foundation on a regular basis is writing and providing photography for our quarterly publication, The Range Report. Subtitled “NSSF’s Magazine for Club Officers & Managers of Recreational Shooting Facilities,” the quarterly publication is, in essence, the trade magazine for the shooting range industry and community.

The magazine’s scheduled publication dates are Jan. 1, April 1, July 1 and Sept. 1. Planning meetings are held four to five months prior to that publication date to finalize the content for an upcoming issue. For example, for the Summer (July 1) 2009 edition, a planning meeting will be held the week of Feb. 16, and queries should be submitted at least a week prior to the meeting.

The goal of The Range Report is to offer information that will help shooting range owners, operators and club officers manage ranges in a more professional, environmentally sound and economical manner while providing their shooters with an optimum experience. The magazine covers good business practices, community involvement, legislation, environmental stewardship and other topics of importance to a range administrator.

Freelance opportunities include feature articles, which may range from 750 to 1,500 words, each paying $500 (for the text), and our Undercover Shooter department, which pays $500 plus range fees (and runs with no photographs). In the latter assignment, a writer unknown to the management of two shooting facilities in the same general market shoots at these two facilities and anonymously reports on his experiences. We like to compare apples to apples (two sporting clays courses; two indoor ranges; two club facilities; etc.), and if you would like to participate in this, just give us an idea of the area you’d cover and the type of facilities you’d be visiting.

Because of our desire to garner quality graphics for our features, we make what may be perhaps a unique offer to our contributors: Not only do we pay additionally for each photo by the author that we use, but we will also pay the contributor for each photo he or she submits that appears in the article, even if it wasn’t author-taken (so long as NSSF retains rights to the photo if we wish to post the article to the Web, which we do with every issue, and/or reprint the article). That should encourage contributors to contact manufacturers, organizations and other sources of photography. Contributors might even work out arrangements with other professional photographers to help supplement the submission.

LaCrosse needs PR manager

Company: LaCrosse Footwear, Inc (outdoorindustryjobs.com)
Position/Subject: Public Relations Manager, posted 2/24/09
Payment/Salary: Not Listed
Job Details:

Public Relations Manager

LaCrosse Footwear, Inc. (Nasdaq: BOOT) is a leading developer and marketer of branded, premium and innovative footwear for expert users at work and in the outdoors. The Company’s trusted Danner® and LaCrosse® brands are distributed domestically through a nationwide network of specialty retailers and distributors, and internationally through distributors in Asia and Europe. Besides making great footwear, LaCrosse is also a great place to work. We value teamwork, innovation, and commitment, and offer an environment where they are cultivated and rewarded. We are currently seeking a Public Relations Manager.

This position is responsible for planning, development, implementation and tracking of public relations and communications activities for the Danner and LaCrosse brands, and for the LaCrosse Footwear, Inc. holding company.

Activities include year-round, national and regional public relations programs in support of Danner and LaCrosse brand footwear and accessories; external communications programs; and other marketing communications projects as assigned.

The essential functions of the position include:

* Brand & Product Public Relations: Planning and execution of brand and product-related public relations programs targeting consumer publications and media outlets to support LaCrosse & Danner brand and business initiatives. Primary goal of public relations activities will be top stories, product placement, field tests, reviews and new product introductions in publications reaching each brand’s target customers.
* Manage all media contacts and serve as media liaison. Identify key media targets and actively pitch top stories to support brand and business initiatives. Develop talking points and other materials for management and staff as needed to handle media interviews. Educate and train staff on media relations skills, and assist with interviews. Serve as spokesperson when appropriate.
* Manage all elements of media relations programs, including developing and maintaining media contact lists; writing press releases and creating media kits; coordinating mailings; shipping samples; tracking and organizing media clips; reporting media activity and placements internally and externally on a monthly basis. Coordinate media relations activities related to trade show appearance for Danner and LaCrosse brands and serve as on-site media relations contact.
* Trade Public Relations: Development and execution of public relations activities targeting trade audiences, including retail dealers, vendors and competitors in the sporting, occupational, uniform and footwear/apparel markets. Primary goals of activities will be editorial placements about new products and product lines; company activities and developments; and other activities in support of corporate goals.

Qualified candidates will have:

* Must have a broad range of Public Relations development and implementation experience.
* Experience working with an advertising agency and/or public relations firm preferred.
* Must have knowledge and familiarity with digital media including blogs and social networks.
* Outdoor products category experience preferred but not necessary.
* Must be dependable and team oriented.
* Must be willing to conduct oneself in accordance with Company’s Core Values.

Education & Experience Requirements:

Bachelor degree required. Media training or public speaking education and experience preferred. Desire two to four years’ progressively responsible experience in all aspects of marketing communications for a national company. Position requires thorough knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.

LaCrosse Footwear offers competitive pay and benefits. Our generous benefit package includes Medical, Dental, and Vision, Short/Long Term Disability, Life/AD&D, 401(k) with excellent employer match, Product Discounts, Employee Assistance Program, Holiday Pay, Paid Time Off, and Tuition Assistance. Please visit www.lacrossefootwear.com to apply. All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment drug screen. LaCrosse Footwear, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer that strives for and celebrates diversity in its workforce.

Position Type: Full Time
Country: United States
Willing to Travel:
Minimum Experience Required: 3-5 years

Company Contact:

Please visit www.lacrossefootwear.com to apply. All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment drug screen. LaCrosse Footwear, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer that strives for and celebrates diversity in its workforce.

Company Name: LaCrosse Footwear, Inc.
Address: 17634 NE Airport Way
Portland, OR 97230
United States
Web Site: http://www.lacrossefootwear.com

SEOPA wants new logo

The Southeastern Outdoor Press Association (SEOPA) is urging graphic artists and others with design skills to participate in a competition to develop a new organization logo.

Entries will be accepted through April 13. The artist or designer submitting the winning work-for-hire entry will receive a $750 cash award. Read more

At Home on The Range

I have been involved in various forms of pistol matches since I began competing back in 1986. It has had its ups and downs, but I wanted to be a part of something and I wanted to stay involved.  That has paid off in the form of my current job for the past few years. I work for a gun manufacturer and travel around the country with my colleagues setting up and administering simple competitions geared toward bringing new shooters a taste of competitive shooting.

This post is to give those of you who haven’t been out to the local range a bit of instruction to help you safely on your way. If you remember these rules of gun safety, and abide by them, you will never have an accident involving a firearm. If you break any of these rules, the consequences could be tragic.

Rule #1. The Gun is ALWAYS Loaded. This rule means that you ALWAYS treat every gun (even those you KNOW are unloaded) as if it is still loaded.

Rule #2. Never point the muzzle at anything you are not willing to destroy. The muzzle (that’s the end of the barrel, where the bullet comes out) should always be pointed in a safe direction – not at any part of your body, or at the wall or anywhere else that would be a problem if the gun went off.  Walls will not stop bullets. Remember that when you are in your apartment or home. Remember that bullets travel pretty far.

Rule #3.  Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. The gun will not go off by itself – I don’t care what any of the antigunners would have you believe!  You have to put your finger on the trigger to fire the gun. If you practice keeping your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot, you will never have a problem.

Rule #4 – Be aware of your target and what is behind it. Again, bullets travel surprisingly long distances and can penetrate  many materials.

This really happened: Once upon a time,  a local gunsmith had just finished a very nice trigger job on a revolver.  He was in the store area of the shop and, making sure the gun was not loaded, snapped the trigger a few times with the revolver pointed above the shop door. Satisfied, he set the revolver down and went to help a customer. Unknown to him, someone came over and loaded the gun and set it back down. The gunsmith finished what he was doing and came back to admire the trigger job one more time.  He pointed the gun at the sign over the door just as a new customer was coming in. The gun went off. The customer didn’t say anything, but turned around and went back out the door. The gunsmith, surprised by the loud bang, bit the pipe in his mouth in two pieces. There was no word on the condition of his pants!

Additional things to be aware of when visiting your local range:

Don’t climb on the berms or allow your children to climb on them. People can get shot.

Always wear eye and ear protection while at the range. You only get one pair of each, so make sure they are protected.

If you are on a shared firing line (where you have other people to the right and/or left of you and you are all shooting), watch out for yourself and your neighbors. NEVER go downrange to check or replace your target until all shooters have stopped firing and have made their guns safe.  A “safe” gun means that the gun is unloaded and has either been placed in a container like a box, bag or case, or the gun is unloaded with the chamber locked open and is lying on the bench or table at the firing line. Shooters may NOT touch their guns (even empty ones – see Rule #1)  while ANYONE is downrange. If you are the only one who seems to want to go downrange, you politely let your neighbor(s) know and wait until the above conditions are met.

When clearing your gun on a shared firing line, be sure to keep the muzzle pointed downrange at the backstop. Do NOT point it at any part of your body.  Do NOT point it toward the side, because that is where your neighbor is standing!

If you see someone doing anything that is unsafe, be polite but tell them firmly to stop the unsafe action. If they don’t stop or become belligerent, leave the area at once and go tell the person in charge of the range. If there is no one in authority at the range, leave the range and make sure the range manager is notified.

If you are at a range that has individual pits and you have one to yourself, make sure you are shooting completely within the berms of the pit. Your target placement, especially the height, should be made carefully to avoid bullets hitting the floor of the pit and skipping outside the berms. Make sure your fired shots hit ONLY the back and/or sides of the berms. Where you stand to shoot your targets can be an important factor in keeping all the shots contained within the pit.

Last, but not least, clean up after yourself. If you bring it in, either take it back home or throw it into a trash container.

A simple practice exercise: If your range has target stands and stakes available, bring a cardboard backer and staple it between the stakes. Some of the best and least costly targets you can buy are 6-inch white paper plates.  Staple a couple of those to the cardboard backer and start off placing it about 7 feet away from you. Shoot at it six times. If all your shots are within the paper plate, move back a few feet and do it again. If any of the shots (yes, even one of them) are not within the paper plate, slow it down a little and try again. You can repeat this until you are tired or run out of ammo, but always try to end your practice session on a positive note.

What happened to all my target stakes?: We had been trying to figure out for the past couple of months why our target stakes never seemed to last us much beyond a couple of weeks. They would get all splintered and look like Swiss cheese from the bullet holes. I wondered who was such a poor shot that he or she kept hitting the stakes instead of the target. Well, I just happened to be at the range one Saturday morning to pick up a couple of things, and in driving around, I discovered a family of four in a pit practicing their shooting.  They had taken a target stand and two stakes (with no backer) and stapled up four paper plates on each stake to use as targets. Mystery solved!

Until next time, stay safe on the range.

~Cindy Noyes

BlackHawk! tactical bag perfect concealed carry purse

It’s a hip bag that can sit on your hip and carries your concealed firearm in a holster Velcroed to an interior pocket. And while on the subject of pockets and gadgets, the list goes on and on. Features include a back-of-the-flap, zippered mesh pocket, two elastic securing loops for a chem-light or small flashlight, a removable lengthwise zipper pouch, an interior key ring keeper, pen channels, hook and loop name-tag strip, and a zippered exterior compartment. Oh, there’s also a small water bottle pocket and a cell phone pocket … all in a compact 10.5″ x 7 ” x 4″ package. I’m telling you, women of the outdoor world, this bag sits up — on a waterproof Hawk-tex bottom — and takes notice. Adjust the padded shoulder strap to fit, and if you do set it down for a minute, pick it up quickly by the sure-grip, rubberized handle on top. Other features include a removable acrylic business card window on the back and waterproof interior lining.

And, this is one purse that my husband probably won’t mind picking up and carrying (OK, moving stealthily) across the room for me. After all, it is a tactical handbag, aka “Blackhawk Battle Bag.” http://blackhawk.com/

Retail: $59.99

~Barbara Baird

Arizona Pronghorn Capture

Working with Arizona Game and Fish is always a pleasure, especially when we are able to help the pronghorn antelope migrate and grow their population.  We set up fences so the animals will be pushed by helicopters into the gates, put in safe shipping containers and trucked across state to the New Mexico border. I really felt like I was helping Mother Nature help these antelope.  My challenge for The WOMA friends and fans is to get  involved in the outdoors through whatever group you prefer … and to share your adventures! ~Marsha Petrie Sue

The WOMA plans IHOP breakfast at NWTF convention

If you’re planning to attend the National Wild Turkey Federation’s upcoming convention in Nashville from Feb. 19-22, remember that you should eat breakfast before enjoying the show. Join WOMA Pres. Barb Baird and  Tekkie Chicki Paige Eissinger for the first annual The WOMA IHOP breakfast. Barb and Paige will be dining at the IHOP at the Hermitage, 5016 Old Hickory Blvd., on Sat., Feb. 21, at 0800. Come, split a waffle and veggie omelet with the ladies, or hey, just order up a big ole plate of whatever with grits — Nashville style! Remember, too, that The WOMA members who qualify may get press passes to the floor of the convention. For more information, please call 573-364-6320.

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