Bass Pro Shops & Cabela's Merger

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dave89

Nomad
Dec 30, 2012
436
7
Sheffield
Yeah once you've spent 10 minutes browsing through microfiber towels and fleeces your pretty much at the pinical of your visit

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dave89

Nomad
Dec 30, 2012
436
7
Sheffield
Not sure what you're trying to say? Are you more satisfied with Mountain Warehouse? Or less?

I had to look them up and I couldn't see where they carry any hunting or fishing equipment. No rods, reels, tackle, powerboats, radar, sonar, marine radios, boat trailers, guns, ammo, reloading components and supplies and equipment, no bows, arrows, archery hunting accessories, tree stands, black powder, holsters, slings, no heavy tents, saddles, pack saddles, no truck/4WD accessories, no ATV accessories (nor even the ATVs themselves) etc. No heavy cast iron or homesteading equipment.

Personally I like what MW carries at least at a glance. just as I like what Cabela's and Bass Pro carry. I just am leery that the merger might not be a good thing as it'll obviously take away some pressure to compete.
Not sure you have the phrase "don't know your born" over there, it means you don't know how good you've got it

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santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
Not sure you have the phrase "don't know your born" over there, it means you don't know how good you've got it

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Thanks. That was indeed the source of my confusion. The text could have been interpreted either way without that bit of knowledge. I'll remember from now on :)
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,665
McBride, BC
We've got a third brand in western Canada = Wholesale Sports.
You need to buy a shirt, a stove, a shotgun or meal packs = all in one place.
Either that or Cabela's, I've always just assumed they would have what I need.
And they always do.
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,665
McBride, BC
They must have had a sale and run out!

Wholesale Sports in Edmonton, AB moved to a new location. Kind of one gigantic room with various subject signs hanging from the ceiling.
BUT.
If you turn to your left when you come in, there's a seperate room, a big room.
It is filled with the most exotic collection of top-brand fishing tackle that I have ever seen.
The rod building counter is like a buffet dinner.

I'm told that Cabela's has a "gun vault" like that. You have to ask on bended knee to get in.

If there's any particular reasons for Cabela's getting into financial trouble (fact?),
one could be the big sets of whole mount taxidermy game animals in every store.
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
We've got a third brand in western Canada = Wholesale Sports.
You need to buy a shirt, a stove, a shotgun or meal packs = all in one place.
Either that or Cabela's, I've always just assumed they would have what I need.
And they always do.

Except women and beer.


The Bass Pro Shops near here have an associated restaurant/bar or bowling alley/bar so you can indeed get beer and find women :)
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,665
McBride, BC
I'm OK. Ive got a partner of 20 years (Dec31/16) who has become a dang good shot and takes pride in cleaning her own kills.
It is a real pleasure to see her shoot so well.

I lent her a nice Ruger R/L shotgun 12 o/u and the bitch refused to give it back.
So I rubbed her nose in it and made it a formal birthday prezzie.
Back in that day and time, we had a real upscrew to transfer firearm ownerships.
Sorry but she has no sisters.
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,665
McBride, BC
Well, Cabela's clothing and footware fits funny, "small" to make a point. You all in the UK may not be flooded with Pacific rim import crap
but everything we get is sprinkled with rice and fits small. My point made? Grommets are oval, not round.
Maybe smells like justified bigotry. Why don't they smarten up?

Consequently, I have a dim view of shopping on line. Easy to buy and an absolute bitch to return.
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
The article I read asserted that sports equipment retail stores are seeing hard times because people are choosing to purchase their equipment online.

- Woodsorrel

Yeah, but both Bass Pro and Cabela's have been mail order for decades. In fact that's the only way I knew them until relatively recently.

Well, Cabela's clothing and footware fits funny, "small" to make a point. You all in the UK may not be flooded with Pacific rim import crap
but everything we get is sprinkled with rice and fits small.....

Woodsorrel's in northern California.
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,665
McBride, BC
Maybe there's been an overall drop in demand? Us boomers hanging up our boots for one reason or another?
I used to go grouse hunting 10-15 days in an 8 week season, I fear I'm losing interest.
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,665
McBride, BC
For the past 5+ years, the number of hunting licenses issued in B.C. is going up.
For newcomers, there are several course requirements, preconditions, which must be completed successfully.
If this has not translated into business for the sporting goods stores, I don't know what it takes.
Hard to imagine that a merger can possibly erase whatever financial woes they claim to have.

The interpretation is that there's a growing number of city people who have finally figured out what organic meat really is.
But there's no breakout to show the age classes of new hunters.

I buy a side of local bison just about every November, 15-16 years now.
Still, it means shopping at Cabela's for cure and seasoning for jerky, if nothing else.
Their Jerky pistol makes 17' of burger jerky 1/2" wide per pound of bisonburger.
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
RV the number of hunting licenses in BC may be going up, but what about Canada wide? If I remember correctly license sales US wide are going down (population is getting more urban) I'm curious about Canada because Bass Pro and Cabela's are both fairly established in both countries.

As to what financial ills the merger "might" cure, I expect they anticipate some reduction in management and some realignments. Time will tell. Like I keep saying, I'm hoping for the best, but not counting on it.
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,665
McBride, BC
Had a bit of a look. Every province has a different style of reporting licence numbers if they say anything recent at all.
I looked for resident hunter license number. Ignored non-resident and ignored fishing altogether.

BC went from less than 82,000 in 2003 to more than 97,000 in 2013. Nothing more precise. But, 1981/1982 had been 174,000.
The down and up seem directly linked to changes in license fee structure prices.

Alberta steady climb from 253,336 in 2011 to 303,212 in 2015.

Saskatchewan up and down around 100,000 then average 88,000 after 2000.

Maybe that's all meaningless. I'll bet there's an effect from the rise in gasoline prices!
I know for a fact that just to get out of Vancouver and out of the Fraser valley, you have to do about 3 hours of freeway chaos
and at least 100 miles. From home to hunting here is about 20 minutes.
 

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