Cabela's in PDC is NOW OC Friendly!

I waited a week to give the corporate office ample opportunity to reply. To date, I have received no reply.

I was in PDC on Sunday August 8, 2010 at about 3:30 PM, in the Cabela's. I am approached by two individuals (Cabela's employees) and they inform me that "Corporate Policy" doesn't allow carry in the stores, ANY STORE.

I sent and email complaint to the following two addresses:
joe.arterburn@cabelas.com, product.info@cabelas.com

It is now time for me to ask you guys to contact them and let them know your displeasure with their "corporate policy" according to the store employees.

UPDATE: Cabelas has corrected this issue. See the end of the thread for details

Cabela's firearms policies, local and corporate, is a common topic that an OCDO search might elucidate.

tossed my cabellas catilog, goodbye cabellas.

bnhcomputing said:

I waited a week to give the corporate office ample opportunity to reply. To date, I have received no reply.

I was in PDC on Sunday August 8, 2010 at about 3:30 PM, in the Cabela's. I am approached by two individuals (Cabela's employees) and they inform me that "Corporate Policy" doesn't allow carry in the stores, ANY STORE.

I sent and email complaint to the following two addresses:
joe.arterburn@cabelas.com, product.info@cabelas.com

It is now time for me to ask you guys to contact them and let them know your displeasure with their "corporate policy" according to the store employees.

Click to expand...

Did you get the names of the two bums that asked you to go? I think both should be replaced, after all, this is not a new topic for Cabelas. I shop at the Richfield location a lot, and have never had any issues. I have had a few workers ask me about it, but never any problem...

Just FYI I haven't been in a Cabela's in over ten years. I didn't like their attitude then and care even less for it now.

They'll have to change their fascist, pandering ways before I spend a dime there.

This does not seem right. Two months ago my local Cabelas (Rapid City SD) put up a big orange sign at the door specifically permitting CC and OC. Before that and since then I've OC'd there numerous times, had good conversations with the manager, etc. A couple weeks ago they put up huge new signs reminding people to have they're sale/trade firearms checked at the door. The additional signs are a bit confusing, but their OC policy remains pro.

Maybe your store didn't get the memo.

According to this thread:
http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/s...iendly-Corporate-businesses&highlight=cabelas

We have made the decision to comply with state laws in regards to open carry. We do not ask customers to check concealed or open carry weapons where the state has laws governing this situation. Our signs refer to firearms that are being returned or sold to Cabela's.

If you are still having problems please feel free to let us know

Thanks again

Becky
Lead Associate
Cabela's Retail Information
1-800-905-2731
retail.contactgroup AT cabelas.com


So maybe get in touch with her, since she's familiar with the problem of associates trying to make corporate policy.

my email to Cabella's
This was sent to the email in the last post, with the subject line of "attention: Becky"


Hi, Becky -

I found your contact information in a discussion of carry-friendly businesses listed on OpenCarry.org. (see copy of email at bottom).

One of the members there had a bad experience with the store in Prairie Du Chien, WI and despite emailing someone about the problem more than a week ago he hasn't heard back yet.
In this case (discussed here: http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/s...n-WI-is-NOT-OC-Friendly&p=1331051#post1331051 )

"I was in PDC on Sunday August 8, 2010 at about 3:30 PM, in the Cabela's. I am approached by two individuals (Cabela's employees) and they inform me that "Corporate Policy" doesn't allow carry in the stores, ANY STORE."

We know that's not true, but how to explain that to uneducated employees?? It seems to be an ongoing problem in way too many places, that hourly employees try to set corporate policy or give legal advice to customers.

Would you please send me a copy of the corporate policy, on corporate letterhead, that I may post on OCDO so that members who have problems like this one can show the employees what their corporate policy says? If you can't email a scan, I'll provide my snail-mail address.

Also, would you please nudge whoever is in charge of that area so that the store involved has a re-education session with regard to this particular policy?

Thanks!


K* S*
Milwaukee, WI



#####

We have made the decision to comply with state laws in regards to open carry. We do not ask customers to check concealed or open carry weapons where the state has laws governing this situation. Our signs refer to firearms that are being returned or sold to Cabela's.

If you are still having problems please feel free to let us know

Thanks again

Becky
Lead Associate
Cabela's Retail Information

-

I have had no issues OCing multiple times at the Prarie Du Chien Cabelas. You may have just run into a bit of ignorance.

I ran into some today at Ace of La Crosse's gun shop. Most of the guys know me either by name or "the guy with the gun" but this morning there was an older employee behind the counter and as I approached the gun counter demanded loudly to know if I had a permit to carry that weapon. lol

I straightened out his sh!t right now. A friggen gun store employee should be educating me on WI gun law, not the other way around for crying out loud!

I'm not so polite as I used to be when questioned by well meaning but stupid employees. I ask to talk to a manager right away and at least they get the benefit of hearing the law.

It may take a while.

It may take a while for the Big Box Sporting Goods stores to acclimate to the ramifications of McDonald v City of Chicago. On the other hand, Cabela's is private property. They could have just as easily exercised their right under Wisconsin Law to not allow firearms, except when checked at the counter. However, Cabela's corporate (located in Sydney Nebraska) knows who buys their stuff; sportsmen, hunters, and "gun nuts" like us. They will likely go out of their way to make sure an hourly employee does not try to set corporate policy. They know the power of social networking sites like this forum. They are terrified of a bad review by Buckeye Firearms (Columbus Ohio) and/or the US Concealed Carry Association (Jackson, WI) who jointly filed Amicus briefs in McDonald v City of Chicago and were mentioned by name in that decision as having a valid legal argument. A letter from NRA would really cause a heart attack in Sydney.

My local Cabela's put up several of those big orange signs asking everyone to check their firearms. It lasted 2 days before the sign was changed to include "Does not apply to concealed carry permit holders". Open Carry in Utah is weird. Permit holders can carry with the weapon ready to fire. Persons over 21 who can lawfully own a firearm under federal and state statute can carry open, but "legally unloaded" (Utah Statute: A firearm is unloaded if it takes two mechanical actions to fire. Example: Action 1 = release the Safety, Action 2 = pull the trigger. I do not know if anyone here has tried to Open Carry in the local Cabela's. Guns are so common here that the sheeple do not freak out like they do back home in Wisconsin.

This is just me but, if I see one of those signs, I just cover the handgun and go concealed. I am looking forward to the day when my friends in WI can do the same.

Carry On

Cabela's is too expensive anyhow...I may go there to look around, but I wouldn't buy anything.

jpm84092 said:

It may take a while for the Big Box Sporting Goods stores to acclimate to the ramifications of McDonald v City of Chicago. On the other hand, Cabela's is private property. They could have just as easily exercised their right under Wisconsin Law to not allow firearms, except when checked at the counter. However, Cabela's corporate (located in Sydney Nebraska) knows who buys their stuff; sportsmen, hunters, and "gun nuts" like us. They will likely go out of their way to make sure an hourly employee does not try to set corporate policy. They know the power of social networking sites like this forum. They are terrified of a bad review by Buckeye Firearms (Columbus Ohio) and/or the US Concealed Carry Association (Jackson, WI) who jointly filed Amicus briefs in McDonald v City of Chicago and were mentioned by name in that decision as having a valid legal argument. A letter from NRA would really cause a heart attack in Sydney.

My local Cabela's put up several of those big orange signs asking everyone to check their firearms. It lasted 2 days before the sign was changed to include "Does not apply to concealed carry permit holders". Open Carry in Utah is weird. Permit holders can carry with the weapon ready to fire. Persons over 21 who can lawfully own a firearm under federal and state statute can carry open, but "legally unloaded" (Utah Statute: A firearm is unloaded if it takes two mechanical actions to fire. Example: Action 1 = release the Safety, Action 2 = pull the trigger. I do not know if anyone here has tried to Open Carry in the local Cabela's. Guns are so common here that the sheeple do not freak out like they do back home in Wisconsin.

This is just me but, if I see one of those signs, I just cover the handgun and go concealed. I am looking forward to the day when my friends in WI can do the same.

Carry On

Click to expand...

Well, I have been open carrying since before the A.G.s memo and nobody has "freaked out" yet. I have never even heard of anyone freaking out at the sight of a lawfully carried sidearm in Wisconsin. It is a myth spread by Jeff Wagner, and now you. Please stop as it just ain't so.

comp45acp said:

I have never even heard of anyone freaking out at the sight of a lawfully carried sidearm in Wisconsin.

Click to expand...

I could point you toward some church members in Brookfield from just over a month ago...
The responding police were a bit over the top too.
But that's the only trouble I've ever had.

MKEgal said:

I could point you toward some church members in Brookfield from just over a month ago...
The responding police were a bit over the top too.
But that's the only trouble I've ever had.

Click to expand...

To be fair, the church folks called the non-emergency # and asked if WWAG was legal. The cops freaked out.

Clarification from Cabela's from a "knowlegable employee".

I did some shopping today and the door greeter at the local Cabela's was very helpful. He says that Cabela's Corporate Policy is to allow any lawful open or concealed carry - provided the weapon stays holstered and on the customer's immediate person. Removing a weapon to try out a new holster would be a violation of Cabelas policy but simply open carrying (in States that allow Open Carry - or concealed carry) is not against store policy. If you are returning a firearm, selling a firearm, or having Cabela staff work on a firearm, it must be unloaded and rendered "safe" by a store employee (trigger lock and flag in the muzzle).

He cited a negligent discharge in a store in which the customer injured another shopper when he removed his weapon from his holster to try out a new holster. The handgun discharged, struck the floor, and the ricochet bullet entered another customer (got shot in the a**).

This individual did none of us a service with his negligent discharge, but after that event, Cabela's Corporate lawyers did the sign thing.

One would think that if the REALLY IS THEIR POLICY, then they could have replied by now and told as much, called the store, educated the "manager" who told me to take leave, and give me an apology. What have they done? None of the above. There treating me like a second class citizen has burned the bridge. I'll be taking my business elsewhere.

bnh, you are not the first person to have problems at a Cabelas. As far as I am concerned they have had long enough to educate their staff, tonight an e-mail was sent letting them know that enough is enough, I will take their proffits elsewhere. Thanks for the heads up, buyer beware!!!

A couple thoughts...

First, a week isn't a long time to wait in a corporate environment. In a perfect world people would respond right away, but in reality, the person who got the email may not know the policy, or may not want to, or have the authority to respond and orate the corporate policy. If your email was received, it may be heading up the chain. That takes time. Cabela's is a big organization, the expectation shouldn't be the same as a mom and pop shop or smaller organization.

Also possible your email hit a spam filter.

I almost always follow up emails with phone calls. (well actually I start with phone calls/voicemails and follow them up with emails to give the person an easy way to respond, all once I know I got the right person)

I could give someone the benefit of the doubt for missing an email. but missing and email AND a voicemail... thats covering all the bases. I might pleasantly request in an email for a response by a specific date (giving reasonable time) so that I could share info with the membership/other interested people on OCDO.

A priority for us doesn't mean its a priority for someone else.

Having said that, as always, if another company does it "better, faster, less expensive" they deserve your business more. If other companies respond to customer service inquiries faster, thats a valid factor to consider in where you take your business.

Lastly, I always like to leave the other party with a pleasant and professional departure if it comes to that: IE tell them, "I really enjoy shopping at Cabalas, and look forward to in the future just as soon as I hear from you regarding clarification of the policy. In the meantime, I'm sure you can understand that as a matter of principle I can't patronize a store that doesn't afford me the fundamental right to go armed for personal protection"

I really don't want to bump MLutz' comment off the top, but ...

http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/s...ook-my-UTAH-CC-permit-class-at-Cabellas!!-Yeh!!!

Just a heads up. I spoke with Hubert a few minutes ago on the phone.

He received a phone call from the manager of the PDC Cabela's offering a sincere apology to Hubert for the treatment he received from a store employee (being asked to leave because he was OC'ing)

As a tolken of his remorse for the situation he offered that if Hubert stops in he will offer him a nice big discount on a new handgun.

SO Carry On in the Prairie Du Chien Cabela's.