Heading into SHOT Show season last year, I got an email from someone I didn’t know asking me to be on their show at SHOT. Of course, I’m going to say yes. The email was from Erica Chin. She’s the co-host of the Women’s Outdoor Media Association’s podcast called Amateurs & Experts. The other host is Jess Adanich. They talk to people in the firearm, hunting, fishing, and outdoor community. We recorded the show at the Otis Technology booth, where they host a number of podcasts, including the shows Matt Mallory and I did during SHOT 2025.
Since becoming friends with the ladies, we keep in touch. Erica said she was coming to NRA AM in Atlanta, and I said we should film a show despite Jess not being there. She is a SHOT pro, but this was her first time at NRA AM. We actually started the day off by Erica calling me and going to an award ceremony, where Anne Mauro (RSWC #146) received an award for the NRA Women’s Golden Bullseye Award for “Industry Woman of the Year.” Erica was also able to meet with her show’s sponsors.
Growing up in a household run by her father, who was a police officer, she was surrounded by firearms, hunting, and shooting sports. Yet he didn’t ask her to join him at the range. The first time she shot was while in training to be a probation officer. The training started off with a week of shooting and handling. After the initial training, they went to quarterly range sessions with one magazine for them to shoot.
After being married, she found out her husband was into shooting and wanted to get back into it. This move slowly got her into shooting competitions, but mostly it was some social time for her; she wasn’t concerned with her score. Her husband said she was more concerned with clothes and snacks at the range and suggested that maybe she should practice as much as she is concerned about those items. Then he signed her up for a 3-gun match at Babes With Bullets, which is hosted by Deb Ferns (RSWC #204) and Kay and Jerry Miculek. Yeah, she went right to the top tier of competitive shooting!
The first 3-gun match set her on a new trajectory. She became a range safety officer just to be able to help at Babe With Bullets in the future. Being around Deb “sucks you in” and Erica went in with both feet. She took a trip from Utah to Montana and went off grid for a while. Eventually, she realized and remembered she has responsibilities at home with a family and she’s been more selective of the events she goes to.
Erica shares some hunting stories and experiences she’s had with BWB & WOMA. She’s not afraid to get into the field dressing of the beasts she harvests.
With an interest in new things to explore, she and Jess have the gift of gab and were a natural to host the WOMA podcast. They’re both fun, up for new adventures, and great with everyone. They’ve got great chemistry together. They settled with Amateurs & Experts for the name of the podcast because they talk with all kinds of experts in the outdoor community and want to reach the amateurs. Their second season of pod is dropping now, so find them on your favorite podcast outlets.
Besides being an RSO with BWB, and a probation officer, she’s trained to drive Code 3, which means she can drive with lights and sirens. Being a person who enjoys expanding her horizon, she became a massage therapist so she could give massages at BWB. She’s also taken classes for funeral science. There’s a lot going on with her!
Favorite quotes:
- “Once you meet Deb Ferns, you drink the Kool-Aid.”
- “As a female, it’s tough to find places where we fit into hunting, where we fit into shooting sports, where we fit into fishing, and WOMA really encourages women to get out there.”
- “I went to school for funeral science.”
- “The last thing you can give someone is dignity in their death.”
About Riding Shotgun With Charlie
Riding Shotgun With Charlie isn’t about firearms. It is about having an intimate conversation with 2 people talking. You’re the fly on the rearview mirror. Many of the passengers are involved in the firearm community.
This is a more intimate conversation than a phone, radio, or Skype interview. You get to see the passengers. And you’ll see where the road and the conversation take you!
