Indianapolis, IN– HERCAMOSHOP, LLC announced today the launch of a brand new website for the company’s online store.  While the site actually launched February 2, a few bugs needed to be worked out before the formal announcement.

Shelly Ray, CEO stated  “The new website has features that bring us in line with the websites of our competition.”  She went on to say, “It will be much easier to navigate and will allow us the space for the new products we are adding for 2012.”

HERCAMOSHOP was founded the fall of 2009 with express purpose of providing a location for women hunters to outfit themselves from head to toe, literally.  By the end of 2012, HERCAMOSHOP will have added every brand of apparel that currently manufactures “true-fit” womens’ hunting apparel.  In addition, HERCAMOSHOP has included upland and a limited selection of waterfowl apparel for 2012.

HERCAMOSHOP, LLC is located  at 5118 W 79th Street, Indianapolis, IN  The new website can be viewed by visiting www.hercamoshop.com

Online hunter safety education courses are available in participating states so students should visit hunter-ed.com to take a course specific to their state. The lessons at hunter-ed.com are approved by the state agency responsible for hunter education and feature the same material that’s taught in the classroom.

Features such as detailed illustrations and interactive animations at hunter-ed.com make it easy for students to learn how to be safe and responsible hunters.  Plus, an optional narration feature allows students to listen, read or both.

Students can study for free at hunter-ed.com. Those who must receive their hunter education certification to obtain a hunting license pay a one-time fee, which is due only if they pass the test. Students can take the test as many times as they need to pass it.

In many states, students must pass an online course and a field day to complete all hunter education requirements. Field days are designed to be a hands-on, learning experience, and students are encouraged to review their state requirements about field days before beginning the online course.

To take the online portion of the course, visit www.hunter-ed.com.

HB 1048, introduced by state Representative Mark Waller (R-15), would eliminate the duplicative state-run Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) InstaCheck system for the purchase of firearms and solely utilize the existing National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).  By removing the CBI InstaCheck, HB 1048 could possibly save the state of Colorado millions of dollars and repeal an unnecessary and duplicative state program.

HB 1064, introduced by state Representative Amy Stephens (R-20), would protect your Second Amendment rights by prohibiting the state or any government agency, during a declared state of emergency, from prohibiting or restricting the otherwise lawful possession, use, carrying, transfer, transportation, storage, or display of a firearm or ammunition; seizing or confiscating a lawfully possessed firearm, or requiring registration of a firearm or ammunition for which registration is not otherwise required by law.

These critical bills need your support.  Please call AND e-mail members of the state House Judiciary Committee and respectfully urge them to SUPPORT HB 1048 and HB 1064 today!  Their contact information can be found below.

House Judiciary Committee:

Representative Bob Gardner (R-21), Chairman
bob.gardner.house@state.co.us
(303) 866-2191

Representative Mark Barker (R-17), Vice-Chairman
mark.barker.house@state.co.us
(303) 866-3069

Representative Brian DelGrosso (R-51)
brian@briandelgrosso.com
(303) 866-2947

Representative Crisanta Duran (D-5)
crisanta.duran.house@state.co.us
(303) 866-2925

Representative Daniel Kagan (D-3)
repkagan@gmail.com
(303) 866-2921

Representative Pete Lee (D-18)
pete.lee.house@state.co.us
(303) 866-2932

Representative Claire Levy (D-13)
claire.levy.house@state.co.us
(303) 866-2578

Representative B.J. Nikkel (R-49)
rep.nikkel@gmail.com
(303) 866-2907

Representative Su Ryden (D-36)
su.ryden.house@state.co.us
(303) 866-2942

Representative Jerry Sonnenberg (R-65)
jerry.sonnenberg.house@state.co.us
(303) 866-3706

Representative Mark Waller (R-15)
mark.waller.house@state.co.us
(303) 866-5525

Eddie Bauer Bringing Back Classic Shooting Look with a New Twist

(Seattle, Wash.)– January 18th, 2012 – Eddie Bauer, the Original Outdoor Outfitter®, is proud to announce the launch of its new Sport Shop Collection, the next generation of hunting, fishing and shooting apparel for the modern American sportsman and sportswoman.  Continuing a legacy of 90 years of outfitting, today’s Sport Shop line is a mix of technology and tradition, and a tribute to Eddie Bauer himself, his wife and partner Christine “Stine” Bauer, and their embrace of the outdoors.

In 1920, Eddie Bauer, an avid Northwest outdoorsman, opened his first shop in downtown Seattle. Within a year, he had saved enough money to expand the shop to include hunting and fishing gear and the store soon became a gathering place for Seattle’s best outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen.  Eddie was more than a shopkeeper; he designed and built revolutionary products that remain functional and influential to this day.  In 1940, he patented the first down jacket in America, the “Skyliner”, and later began to design and build down apparel and sleeping bags for the U.S. military. In the 1950′s – 60′s, Eddie became THE American expedition outfitter during the Golden Age of Himalayan mountaineering, providing down apparel and gear for many of the historic American expeditions, including twelve epic first ascents.

Eddie quickly realized that the successful creation of a technical and authentic product line required expert testing in the environment for which the product was designed. Every Labor Day Eddie closed his shop for five months to go hunting and fishing and field test everything he made, gathering feedback from the local guides who lived in and counted on the gear he sold. This strategy is still deeply engrained in the Eddie Bauer Guide-Built, Guide Tested® process, and is the foundation on which the Sport Shop Collection is created. This approach was also part of Eddie’s dedication to superior service and commitment to offering products that were “worthy of your high esteem,” a mantra that remains at the heart of the Eddie Bauer brand today.

The Sport Shop Collection will be built through a series of product launches, the first of which is a full lineup of apparel for sporting clays, trap and skeet shooting for Spring 2012. The Spring 2012 collection includes a Clay Break Shooting Vest, which features a leather quilted shooting patch, removable air mesh recoil pad and an upper mesh back panel. The Palouse Shooting Shirt is designed with lightweight cotton and features a vented mesh back, button down collars with diamond quilt stitched overlay, and gusseted underarms. Among the spotlighted products will also be a signature Hunting Skyliner Jacket, an updated version of the original 1936 Skyliner Model Jacket, the cornerstone of the Eddie Bauer outerwear legacy.

Following closely behind the spring release of shooting apparel will be a full product offering for upland hunting available to consumers in July 2012.  Each piece was designed and tested by guides and experts, including John Burrell, President of High Adventure Company, certified wildlife biologist and award-winning outfitter; and our in-house Sport Shop Expert, Rebecca Etchen Peters, who has been shooting and hunting since she was strong enough to hold a gun. Both have logged hundreds of hours to ensure that this product not only remains authentic to the sport and the Eddie Bauer heritage, but is also pushing the limits of innovation for technical shooting apparel.

The Fall 2012 offering includes the Mabton Flats Jacket, which is built with water-resistant CORDURA^® in body and overlays and coated, nylon-lined bellows that serve as a game bag big enough to hold a brace of Ringnecks. The Microtherm™ Featherweight Hunting Jacket is a piece Stine would have worn back in the day. It is highly packable and warm with 800-fill power, making it the perfect piece for layering under an upland vest for mid day high altitude buck hunting in the Pasayton wilderness. The Methow Valley Upland Pant is our heavy weight upland pant with Cordura^® overlays. This is a great late season and wet weather pant, one Eddie would have also used for dog training, when he had a wet Labrador at heel.

Fresh and saltwater fishing apparel will round out the collection in Spring 2013.

For more information on the Eddie Bauer Sport Shop collection, go to www.eddiebauer.com/SportShop.

About Eddie Bauer
Established in 1920 in Seattle, Eddie Bauer is a specialty retailer that sells sportswear, outerwear, gear and accessories for the active outdoor lifestyle. The Eddie Bauer brand is a nationally recognized brand that stands for high quality, innovation, style and customer service. Eddie Bauer products are available at approximately 353 stores throughout the United States and Canada, through catalog sales and online at www.eddiebauer.com. Eddie Bauer is proud to be named a J.D. Power 2011 Customer Service Champion and is only one of 40 companies so named in the U.S

SHOT Show Media Day at the Range Breaks Attendance Records

February 1, 2012 – In its sixth-year, the 2012 SHOT Show Media Day at the Range broke all attendance records. The event which is held on the day prior to SHOT Show, was attended by over 1,200 members of the media. With over 100 manufacturers exhibiting, Media Day at the Range continues to be the largest media event in the hunting and shooting industry, giving outdoor media the opportunity to shoot and test the best new products for 2012. Attending manufacturers get a jump on their competition with early media exposure highlighting their products for print, broadcast and internet coverage.

A special thanks to Media Day’s presenting sponsor NSSF as well as all our supporting sponsors, Winchester Ammunition, Caracal, Rock Island Armory, 5-11 Tactical, Tactical-Life.com, Action Target, Federal Premium Ammunition, Browning and GunBroker.com for their support in helping make this day the success it is.

“SHOT Show Media Day at the Range has become an important part of the overall SHOT Show experience,” said NSSF Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Chris Dolnack. “After its first year as title sponsor, NSSF looks forward to reviewing feedback from attendees and working with the organizers to make Media Day even better next year.”

The first annual Action Target Media Day Safety Award was presented to Remington Arms for demonstrating the highest standards of safety during the range day. Each exhibitor was judged by a panel of safety auditors from DOA Tactical. In addition to the recognition, Remington also received $3,500 towards their 2013 SHOT Show Media Day at the Range registration fee.

Open to all in the hunting and shooting industry, manufacturers, conservation groups and shooting organizations are welcomed on a first-come, first-served basis. This year’s exhibitors ranged from firearms manufacturers to tactical clothing companies. This year’s event also included an expanded short and long range shooting areas which allowed the media to test many more new products than ever before.

“Media Day dramatically improved our new product launch at SHOT Show,” said Jody Lamb, Marketing Manager for VANGUARD, a manufacturer of sporting optics and shooting accessories. “Hundreds of editors, writers and TV and radio hosts put our binoculars and spotting scopes to the test out on the range. You really can’t tell the quality of glass inside of a convention center so Media Day made it an effective setting for everyone. We’re so excited to see everyone again next year.”

Accordingly to Bill Dermody of Savage Arms, “I got more PR work done in one day than in months. It is going to take me weeks to get all the consignment guns to writers,” he said.

“Media Day funnels hundreds of people and products to the firing line– people with deep expertise in shooting gear, and products brand-new to market” said outdoor writer Wayne van Zwoll. “If you’re not part of Media Day, you’re missing a first look at tomorrow’s headline hardware, and a chance to buttonhole the engineers who designed it. No other event so clearly registers the pulse of the shooting industry!”

Media Day at the Range 2012 was also a fundraiser for Safari Club International. Through the generous donation of products to the silent auction from many of the manufacturers, funds were raised during the event in support of SCI’s many conservation programs.

Don’t miss out on next year’s Media Day at the Range to be held January 14, 2013. Details concerning exhibitor registration will be available in the coming weeks. For more information visit www.media-day.com or contact Cathy Williams (cathy@cmgmarketingandevents.com) or Cory Cannon (ccannon@triplecurl.com).

When asked to review RedRam thermal underwear I was a little hesitant because it was August and not the very best time to review long underwear, so I waited.

I am used to Under Armour and other  non-wool thermal under garments and the only thing I knew about wool clothing is that it comes from sheep  and I can’t wear it comfortably.  Wool is supposed to make you itch and sweat, stink and feel awful and it truly does…well it used to.

When I was a kid  my mom shuffled me off to grade school in -42 blinding blizzards in my dad’s wool hunting socks and wool flannel shirts. Sitting…ok, maybe not -42 but pretty darn cold…in my classroom I vowed I would rather freeze to death in front of David Peterson than EVER wear wool again and I have pretty much stuck to that theory since.

I wore my black, long-sleeved RedRam thermal shirt when I shot my bear and it was super soft and cozy that morning but it wasn’t super cold and I didn’t wear it very long so I wanted a better gauge of the product.

When Tony and I went pronghorn hunting late last fall I threw my long black RedRam leggings and black long-sleeved RedRam tank shirt to wear underneath my  hunting clothes into the bag and off we went.

The dawn arrived after setting up camp and I getting dressed, I realized that I hadn’t thrown another shirt to put under the RedRam shirt. Because of course you DO need something between you and the wool  if you are going to be in it long! I pulled the shirt out of the pack and put it on. It was really soft , but the real test would be wearing it all day hunting in different temperatures.

I quickly scrambled into it hoping the scratchy-itchies wouldn’t show up and Tony and I left camp. He drove me to where we had spotted the pronghorns the night before and I got out of the truck and crept to my hiding spot. It was around 30 degrees with a slight breeze with frost on the ground. It wasn’t horribly cold but keep in mind I don’t like to be chilled AT ALL so was a bit apprehensive about my outfit being too light.

I wore my Prois Pro-Edition jacket which is compact and  light but wind-resistant  and my Prois Pro-Edition pants over my RedRam wool long underwear and stuffed my Reversible Prois Sherpa Vest into my pack preferring to layer my clothes when I hunt.

I sat in the grass for a couple of hours and thought I might get cold or itchy but  I never did. I had a perfectly comfortable time sitting under the windmill, right where the  pronghorn weren’t.

Tony and I hunted for several days and I wore my RedRam long underwear (yes I do have several different shirts) the whole time we were out. RedRam is an  excellent product and was comfortable whether out in the field in the cold morning or alone with my jeans in the warm afternoon.

Here is how the RedRam folks describe their products and I wholeheartedly agree!

“I am breathable and soft against your skin, I am a natural fiber and am not stinky. I am warm and comfortable, I am not itchy,I am sustainable, I am pure merino.”

RedRam made a true believer out of me and  I HIGHLY recommend it. I have worn it since on several occasions even just to work when I want a great looking top to wear with jeans. The RedRam folks didn’t just make their products functional but REALLY nice looking also.

My bear and I. RedRam kept me cozy on several hunts this year and will continue to do so for many years!

RedRam products are reasonably priced and well worth any investment you put into them, they wash beautifully in the washing machine and line dry and will last for years. They come in several great colors and styles for ladies and men.

Cami

Leggings

Long-sleeved Crew

Check out their website www.RedRam.com to find the location of the nearest retailer including, Sportsman’s Warehouse, Dillards and Gander Mountain.

I am often asked by new outdoor writers for a list of writing books, magazines and suggestions to help them get started.

My first suggestion is to determine WHY you want to be an outdoor writer. This seems silly, but if you don’t REALLY love hunting, fishing and all that goes along with it and are not passionate about it, it will be torture (it will be torture sometimes anyway)but you  will not stick with it unless you really like it. I fell into outdoor writing and learned to love it, but I have been in and around hunting and  the taxidermy business for many years so it made sense for me to start  my career there. If you are not truly in love with the outdoors then write  about something else.

I am not a taxidermist nor a world class hunter yet but am great at picking their brains, research and writing about what I find. I NEVER try to come off as a hunting  EXPERT because I am not one.  I am learning along with my readers and it works for me.  I have cultivated a group of experts who can help me and that is why I don’t have to know everything. Baloney is easily recognized.

The next step is to actually READ several outdoor magazines. Pick the ones you enjoy the most and figure out WHY you like them. Could it be the writers grab your attention with great descriptions of their hunts, or maybe teach you great tips and techniques to improve your hunting or do you like the graphics and photos? What is it about the publication that you REALLY like and what don’t you care for?

Next brush up on your writing mechanics. Grab a basic high school writing book and browse through it. I don’t suggest that you try to memorize the whole thing or get bogged down trying to figure out where your commas are supposed to go, but editors do appreciate clean well flowing copy. They usually have proofreaders to make sure your spelling and punctuation is correct, but at least aim for turning in the best article you can. I am not an editor, but I am sure if I had to choose between an article with several problems or a clean easily read one, well you get the idea…

I did not go to college to become a writer, but I did and still do read loads of books, articles and blog posts about writing. I frequently browse the used writing book section of Hastings and even Goodwill to learn more. I am realistic about my skills, and know I have a load of learning to do. I am fine with that. If I had waited until I knew everything I would still be waiting and allowing my insecurity to control my dreams.

I feel that in the craft of writing one really doesn’t just wake up and know they have arrived at the pinnacle of writing genius.  Most of us have to work hard to create artful writing and in my case it is a constant struggle to improve. Some of my first articles were terrible and I am a little confused as to how they were even printed. Articles I write now are much more polished, but in a few years if I keep working at it, I know the articles I turn in then will be so much better than now. I surely have not even come close to the lofty status of  writing genius, nor ever will, but every step is closer than I was before.

I refer to several books and a few really great websites as I write, check them out.

For grammar and writing mechanics:

The Elements of Style,by Strunk and White. This book should be on everyone’s list and referred to often. It is probably stashed away in your old high school box in the attic. When an editor tells you to “tighten up” your writing, he may be a fan of this book and the concepts.

The Synonym Finder by J.I. Rodale. This is a MEGA thesaurus!

Random House Guide to Good Writing, by Mitchell Ivers

Your Writing Coach, by Jurgen Wolff.

The Chicago Manual of Style, by The University of Chicago Press. This usually sits on my desk and is too overwhelming for me to use all that much but my goal for this year is to dig into it and understand it better.

For  tips on getting published:

Secrets of a Freelance Writer by
Robert W. .Bly

Writers Digest Handbook of Magazine Article Writing, Edited by Michelle Ruberg

My favorite writing magazine is The Writer Magazine, published by Kalmbach Publishing Company. GREAT tips, and practical articles by actual writers in the business.

I do follow a few websites and one of the very BEST is Funds for Writers.com.  C. Hope Clark is so much fun and the time spent on her site is well worth it.

I also really enjoy WOW-Women on Writing.This is GREAT fun for women writers and I have learned MUCH from these gals. There is also a really fun sisterhood here.

If writing is your passion and you also love the outdoors, give it a try and don’t let anyone say you can’t.