Paul Erhardt

Uncategorized

Congratulations To Paul Erhardt And The Outdoor Wires

March 3, 2023 by 1 Comment

Paul Erhardt starts today as the Managing Editor of the Outdoor Wire Digital Network. This is the network of newsletters that Jim Shepherd founded which includes, among others, the Shooting Wire, the Tactical Wire, and the Outdoor Wire. Paul had called me on Wednesday to give me a head’s up but I waited until it was officially announced to offer my public congratulations.

Jim Shepherd had this to say regarding the move:

Speaking of business, a bit of internal business to announce. I’m pleased to tell you we’re expanding our crew. Over the years you’ve read features from Paul Erhardt. You’ll be reading more of them going forward, because Paul’s joining the Outdoor Wire Digital Network as our Managing Editor. It’s a new position for us -and him – but reflects our commitment to continue our growth and maturing as a business.

We’re making other changes going forward this year, all part of keeping our twenty-year plus promise to you.

We’ll keep you posted.

This is a great move for Paul and a great move for the Outdoor Wire Digital Network. For OWDN, they are getting a seasoned professional who has served as marketing director for companies such as Apex Tactical and Sig Sauer as well as Director of Public Relations for NSSF. They are also getting someone who will take a lot of the day to day work load off of Jim Shepherd. For Paul, he is returning to the writing and editing that he loves as well as the opportunity for future advancement. I have no doubt that this is a win-win move for all involved.

Again, I want to offer my hearty congratulations to Paul, Jim, and the Outdoor Wire Digital Network.

Uncategorized

Comment Of The Day

December 18, 2013 by 2 Comments

The comment of the day comes from Paul Erhardt, Editor, of the Outdoor Digital Wires Network. In a discussion about shooting ranges and the need for new and expanded ranges, Paul has this to say in his Between the Berms column:

Ranges are not simply places to shoot. They are the entertainment interface for firearms. Buying a gun is cool. But if all you do is sit around you house looking at it, drooling and bragging online about the shiny new super-blaster you bought, then you are just collecting guns…and dust.

Taking that gun to the range, shooting with others, even entering competitions, is where we fully exercise our Second Amendment rights. And not only do we exercise them to their fullest, we strengthen our rights.

Ranges are where we turn a new gun owner into a gun enthusiast of the highest order. The role of the range is therefore critical.

 I never thought of a shooting range as “the entertainment interface for firearms” but that is exactly what they are. I remember the first range I ever went to with my best friend in high school. It was little more than a clearing in a power easement with a 100 yard range. I don’t remember if it even had any benches. But it was place to shoot and you could plink away to your heart’s content. It is where I learned shooting could be fun.

Uncategorized

We Need To Clone Jessie Duff

January 30, 2013 by 1 Comment

Champion shooter Jessie Duff appeared on Fox New’s Justice with Judge Jeanine speaking about firearms and the Second Amendment. She was poised, she was confident, she knew her stuff, and she looked fantastic. It is an image that needs to repeated over and over to break the barely articulate, old overweight white guy in camo stereotype that the media and the enemies of gun rights wishes to perpetuate.

Judge Jeanine Pirro served first as a county judge and then as the District Attorney of Westchester County, NY for 12 years. She lost the race for Attorney General of NY to current Gov. Andrew Cuomo in 2006.

Paul Erhardt, writing in today’s The Shooting Wire, points out the value of a Jessie Duff and how well she had done.

One bright spot in recent days has been by Jessie Duff, the Taurus sponsored national champion shooter who hosts her own show (along with husband Matt) on the Outdoor Channel. She appeared on Fox News Channel three times in the last week to 10 days and has done an excellent job.

Putting Jessie out front on the gun issue is a great move and there are a few more women from the competition world that could, and should be, utilized the same way.

However, imagine how much more effective Jessie and other women shooters would be if the industry invested in them well before all this with media training and messaging – assuming there was an actual message. We might be in a slightly better position.

 Erhardt is right. We need to be better at getting our message out and we need to be better prepared.