Hunting Retailers Competition

[Five Seasons]

It occurred to me as I sat in the turkey woods over the weekend that things don't look so great for our wallets. First bass pro buys cabelas, then gander is bought by camping world... we still have plenty of online retailers but local big box for urgent needs or good pricing (particularly ammo) is dwindling. Over the last 10 years I've seen Walmart and Dicks carry less and less hunting and shooting supplies. Gander was a nice option that's gone. How competitive do we expect the super retailers to be now that they're not competing with each other?

I don't know, competition is a good thing for consumers... tough times I think.

[growalot]

OK so I'm bad with names, thAT SAID i WAS TALKING TO A GUY FROM bUSHNELLS TODAY AND gANDER mNT CAME UP. hIS FIRST WORDS WERE  oH SO AND SO WILL DO GREAT THINGS FOR THEM. hE HAS A SHOW WERE HE DISCUSSES THE COMPANIES LIKE gANDER THAT HE BUYS AND TURNS AROUND. tHERE WILL BE GOOD THINGS HAPPENING WITH THEM. i SAID WELL hE PROBABLY IS A nICE GUY BUT OUR gANDER IS CLOSING..LOL..hE SAID WELL SOME WILL BUT WAIT UNTIL HE OVERHAULS THE REST. i HONESTLY CAN'T REMEMBER IF HE SAID IT WAS A rADIO OR tv SHOW THE GUY HAS

Crap... fat fingers...lol Why didn't they put Cap locks next to the Q...which is rarely used!! Sorry not redoing that whole thing.

Edited May 30, 2017 by growalot

[NYBowhunter]

Like you stated all these big box retailers want to corner the market therefore the collapse of competion from a brick and mortar perspective. Thats why most my shopping for anything not just hunting is done online. Much more price options online and almost all have free shipping at some price point. If im in a pinch and really need something is when i venture into a retail store.

[growalot]

Have to say...makes shopping at the mall a pleasure... and I hate shopping

[Five Seasons]

32 minutes ago, NYBowhunter said:

Like you stated all these big box retailers want to corner the market therefore the collapse of competion from a brick and mortar perspective. Thats why most my shopping for anything not just hunting is done online. Much more price options online and almost all have free shipping at some price point. If im in a pinch and really need something is when i venture into a retail store.

I'm the same way. There just are some things you like to see in person and of course ammo... There were some small shops down south that were just fun to visit too. Kind of like the mini-bass pros. An experience even if you didn't buy anything.

[Nomad]

ThE gUys NAMe iS , Marcus Lemomis the TV show is called , The Profit.

The operative words here being " tv show ."

[Five Seasons]

15 minutes ago, Larry302 said:

ThE gUys NAMe iS ,

[mowin]

Bass pro Cabela's deal isn't set in stone.

 

[growalot]

Thanks Larry..points for being able to read that...though I do have a point about the damn cap locks...next to a vowel ....poor engineering

[Adkhunter1590]

I'm rooting for the cabelas-bass pro deal to fall through honestly. These type of mergers, takeovers, buyouts, whatever way they end up being, usually don't end up being a good thing for consumers in my opinion. Especially when cabelas is such a good brand as is, I think they are more likely to screw it all up. I've bought a lot of cabelas brand clothing and gear over the years and they really make good stuff. Better than any other retail store brand I've ever seen. Bass pros "red head" line sucks. Don't need those bad genes wadding around in the cabelas pool. Over the years the cabelas brand stuff has only gotten better in my opinion, I'd rather see that continue than possible be screwed up forever.

[WNYBuckHunter]

In this area, there wont be much choice, at least for a while. Field & Stream/Dicks will be pretty much the only game in town until Bass Pro in Victor gets built. Sure, Runnings is around, but their prices on most things just plain suck. The only time I go there is when the local Tractor Supply is out of something I need, or if I dont have any other choice. Gander doesnt usually have what I need and their prices are crappy most of the time, but at least it was some type of competition.

[growalot]

Tractor Supply has gotten way smarter over the years in carrying hunting supplies and they have a fair collection on line as well and I think do free store pick up if I recall?

[Five Seasons]

On ‎5‎/‎31‎/‎2017 at 7:53 AM, WNYBuckHunter said:

In this area, there wont be much choice, at least for a while. Field & Stream/Dicks will be pretty much the only game in town until Bass Pro in Victor gets built. Sure, Runnings is around, but their prices on most things just plain suck. The only time I go there is when the local Tractor Supply is out of something I need, or if I dont have any other choice. Gander doesnt usually have what I need and their prices are crappy most of the time, but at least it was some type of competition.

yeah I think you're right on point. It's not that selection other than odd ammo is a problem, especially with the internet. It's the price. I just don't think we're going to find many killer deals. I noticed this off season was less spectacular than seasons past as well, but maybe it was just the stuff I was looking for.

[grampy]

19 hours ago, growalot said:

Tractor Supply has gotten way smarter over the years in carrying hunting supplies and they have a fair collection on line as well and I think do free store pick up if I recall?

I too have noticed the increase in hunting related items in Tractor Supply. The prices are also on par with the competition as well. Sometimes even better. I'm in there quite a bit so it's handy for me to pick up an item or two while there.

[growalot]

If you haven't cruised their on line you might want to as well as Walmart...Walmart has a large selection on line and I know the have store pick up.

Edited June 1, 2017 by growalot

[GreeneHunter]

Just the other day I googled "Cheap Trail Cam" and sure enough Walmart came up first ... I was sure Dicks would have come up first !

[corydd7]

Field and Stream and sportsmens guide have the best deals that I can find for most hunting stuff. Having an account for sportsmen guide saved me about $500 last year .

[turkeyfeathers]

Lucked into Federal Hvywt 7's about 6 weeks ago at our GM. 20 gauge and 12. Cabelas was useless in even acknowledging they made them. Because of Safe Act they wouldn't ship from HQ to our local location. 

Buddy just ordered 3 boxes of them for me from midway to his place in Ohio at $18 versus $35 

never been to a Bass pro so don't know much about them. 

[Five Seasons]

38 minutes ago, GreeneHunter said:

Just the other day I googled "Cheap Trail Cam" and sure enough Walmart came up first ... I was sure Dicks would have come up first !

dick cams was probably flagged by your work

[Buckmaster7600]

I have been in a chain outdoor store a total of 1 time in the last year and a half and it was the cabelas in Connecticut I bought split shots because they were lead now I have 10lbs of them and I likely won't need them again for a while. For Hunting clothes I wear wool/flannel most of the time so those stores don't carry them anyways, ammo I reload and guns I buy from small shops or online. I don't think this will affect me at all.

Prices will only go as high as the consumer lets them so I don't think it will be too big of a deal.


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[dbHunterNY]

i always thought Bass Pro wasn't up to snuff.... until i walked into the one down in Altanta GA.  holy crap are the ones up here pitiful.  if they flooded the boat department (whole different wing/bldg) they could test out new bass boats i feel like.  place was insane.  Online sales really deals a blow to sales at a retail outlet though.  I order almost all my stuff online now.  then again we don't have crap here in the capitol region for sporting goods chain stores.... Dick's/Field & Stream is all we really have.  Gander Moutain an hour or so south in Kingston.  that might be one that's staying.