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Rhinelander Walmart asks for ID for ammo purchase?

Wstar425

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Bought a box of 350 9mm the day before some hunting season started. Ducks maybe? Lots of people trying to buy licenses. Talked to a couple of guys from Illanoying who were asking me about my open carrying of a S&W six inch stainless 686. Kinda hard to miss. Couple of other hip hop baggy pants around their knees type dudes looking at knives were keeping a close eye on me out of the corner of their eye while trying not to look like it.

Came my time up and we got ammo out of the case, an older, well dressed woman was working counter. She was overwhelmed, possible management material.

Anyway she asked for my ID. I'm 56, grey beard, no way I look under 21. She took my drivers license over to the register and started punching keys. I asked her what she was doing, you do not need to enter my ID into the system to buy ammo in Wisconsin, only verify I am over 21.

She said they had to confirm I was NOT an Illinois resident or she would have to see a FOID card. I have a Wisconsin license, and resident of said state. So, when did this start?

I don't believe this is a law, maybe a Walmart driven issue. Anyone else run into this ?

I just bought ammo 10 minutes ago at WM in Fergus Falls, Mn. No ask for ID. I told the older guybhelping me if he had heard anything about this and he said no. But, MN does not have a border with Illinois tho I am sure people come here from there to hunt here.

Not too thrilled about all my intel being entered into Walmart's system tied to a specific ammo purchase, nor that they may be going above what is required by law to sell ammo to out of state residents.
 

MAC702

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I know some gun shops in AZ are doing this, too, and won't sell to CA residents at all. We had to show NV ID, which was fine. I don't know if AZ law requires it, or if they are playing nanny to "help" CA. Disgusting, either way.

I should clarify that the ID was only looked at, no data was collected.
 
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davidmcbeth

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Funny .. I was in Illinois recently and bought some ammo ... just told them I was from out of state ... no problem !

Not in Crook County of course .. I don't even think any stores carry ammo in Crook County.


WI Walmart worried about IL folks going up there and buying ammo? Even funnier.

If they would have asked me, I would have said NO THANKS ... can I still purchase? If not, empty the boxes' rounds onto the ground. That freaks them out ... super dangerous they think lol.

Maybe it was your Cutler jersey...lol
 

Grapeshot

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Funny .. I was in Illinois recently and bought some ammo ... just told them I was from out of state ... no problem !

Not in Crook County of course .. I don't even think any stores carry ammo in Crook County.


WI Walmart worried about IL folks going up there and buying ammo? Even funnier.

If they would have asked me, I would have said NO THANKS ... can I still purchase? If not, empty the boxes' rounds onto the ground. That freaks them out ... super dangerous they think lol.

Maybe it was your Cutler jersey...lol
Recommending destruction of private property not your own - bad advice.
 

Wstar425

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I'm gonna go back in there next week when I get home and buy again and see what happens. She caught me off guard, I was talking to those two guys and not really paying attention to what she was doing. I paid cash and there was WAY TOO MUCH typing going on over there for a cash transaction.

So, if that happens again I will stop them and not buy if it comes to that. I get all over the western part of the country and buy ammo all over without so much as even showing an ID. To do that to me in my home town is totally unacceptable. I'll post up results.

Rhinelander is just about, not quite, as far from Illinois as you can get in Wisconsin. Really bizarre that they would care what Illinois thinks.
 
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pkbites

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If a FIB comes up to the Majikal Land O'Cheez to do some target shooting with relatives, why on Earth would they need a FOID card to buy/possess ammo while here?

Am I ignorant of some new federal or state law?

Trying to get some of those minimum wage drones to realize they are wrong is like trying to buy condoms at the Catholic book store.
 

MAC702

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NavyLCDR said:
Their POS (Point of Sale) system was asking for ID due to the age reguirements for purchasing ammo. She was probably not experienced enough to just override the question or feel comfortable overriding the question.
...She said they had to confirm I was NOT an Illinois resident or she would have to see a FOID card...

She knows about FOID cards and specifically mentioned checking residency. Doesn't sound like just an ignorant age-checker.
 

twoskinsonemanns

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Just my $0.02. I never give my license over (unless a cop demands it). My wallet has a plastic view window and I will show it to prove my age, but it does not come out. BTW this is the reason I stopped shopping at Target. They take your license and scan it to download the information even if your only buying NyQuil lol
 

twoskinsonemanns

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Still? NyQuil was reformulated in 2006 following passage of the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act, removing the pseudoephidrine (1.2 mg/ml?) and replacing it with the placebo phenylephrine, indeed that available in only NyQuil Sinus LiquiCaps by now.

Still? oh yes. This happened to us a few weeks ago buying this:
temp-34.png

As with the Sprouts I refused to spend my money in the establishment.
 

pkbites

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Somewhat related:

The other day I went to the Riverside box office to buy concert tickets. They started asking for my name, address, phone number, etc.. When I got pissy and reminded them I was paying cash they insisted they still needed all this information. "THE HELL YOU DO!" :mad:. They sold me the tickets without getting the info.

It's bad enough having government agencies intrude into our lives under the guise of "fighting crime" or "combating terrorism", and have private businesses intrude into our lives as an arm of the government (which it sounds like the store in the OP was doing) but to have private businesses intrude into our lives "just because" is intolerable and should not be accepted. If a business asks for your zip code or phone number when you buy batteries, refuse. If they insist, take your money and walk. Do this every-single-time! I would not have bought those tickets had they refused to sell them to me without my personal data. Also, with the exception of Sams Club and other stores where you sign an agreement to join, you do not have to show your receipt to a security guard or other store personnel as you are leaving. When they ask for it I say no & just keep walking.

It does not make one an extremist to exercise ANY right, including their right to privacy and anonymity.
 
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twoskinsonemanns

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Somewhat related:

The other day I went to the Riverside box office to buy concert tickets. They started asking for my name, address, phone number, etc.. When I got pissy and reminded them I was paying cash they insisted they still needed all this information. "THE HELL YOU DO!" :mad:. They sold me the tickets without getting the info.

It's bad enough having government agencies intrude into our lives under the guise of "fighting crime" or "combating terrorism", and have private businesses intrude into our lives as an arm of the government (which it sounds like the store in the OP was doing) but to have private businesses intrude into our lives "just because" is intolerable and should not be accepted. If a business asks for your zip code or phone number when you buy batteries, refuse. If they insist, take your money and walk. Do this every-single-time! I would not have bought those tickets had they refused to sell them to me without my personal data. Also, with the exception of Sams Club and other stores where you sign an agreement to join, you do not have to show your receipt to a security guard or other store personnel as you are leaving. When they ask for it I say no & just keep walking.

It does not make one an extremist to exercise ANY right, including their right to privacy and anonymity.

Agreed. For a time Lowes was asking for a phone number or zip code (can't remember which) when checking out.
I always said "no."
They stopped that practice a year or two ago in my area.
 

MAC702

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Agreed. For a time Lowes was asking for a phone number or zip code (can't remember which) when checking out.
I always said "no."
They stopped that practice a year or two ago in my area.

Lowe's has always made it clear to me that the purpose of the phone number is to store your receipt for you in case you make a return without it. It makes perfect sense. I won't forget my phone number. They have never called me, and I've never suspected that they have done anything sinister with the number. They make it clear every time that it is completely optional. You could invent your own ten digit number and it would work just as well.

Some stores ask for a ZIP just to keep some demographic records of where their customers are coming from, again completely optional. I used to use my old ZIP from when I was stationed in the Navy, though, just for fun.

I was once ordering some wings at a pizza/wings place that specialized in carryout and delivery. They asked for my phone number. I reminded them that it was for carryout and I'm paying cash. The girl was insistent. So I told her 555-1212. She gave me a dirty look and said: "I'll just use the store's phone number." I said: "Fine, you do that." That one irritated me.
 

Wstar425

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Pp

When I get asked for ZIP I just say 90210. I've probably said that 50 times and never a blink.

The cashier ran the product, then asked for ID. I believe the register prompted her to check residency. She was the one that brought up Illinois and the FOID card, not me. When I said you are not required to who ID to purchase ammo in Wisconsin she did not respond. She had my cash at that point I think.

As I said they were very busy, I was talking to a couple of guys , not paying attention, and it was Over and on to the next customer before I knew it. In hindsight I should have stopped the transaction. I'll be back in there next week sometime.
 

chowda

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Their POS (Point of Sale) system was asking for ID due to the age reguirements for purchasing ammo.

Yup, just like when buying spray paint, cigarettes, etc. Fleet farm has this also as do I'd guess pretty much all larger retail outlets. They enter in the DOB as that's what it asks for. Some smaller places where the clerks aren't afraid of getting fired sometimes enter a random one if you appear old enough, but often there are cameras viewing the register so if they ring up ammo and don't ask for the ID, they can get fired.
 

chowda

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The cashier ran the product, then asked for ID. I believe the register prompted her to check residency.
I've found that around border areas of IL, at gunshows sometimes I'd get asked to show an ID. I guess they did this to make sure I wasn't a FIB. Didn't care as I viewed it as I was bragging I wasn't....
 

Wstar425

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I went back into Walmart yesterday. Did not buy ammo, but it was slow at the sports desk so I talked to the guy behind the counter. Very friendly, seemed like a sportsman type guy, but did not ask. He said this is a Walmart policy, that they have decided to honor Illinois FOID card requirements even though it is stricter than current law. Seems like a lawsuit in the making to me. I asked about the Minnesota Walmart where I purchased ammo without showing any iD of any sort, I'm 56 and look it, and he did not have a good answer. So, it does not seem to be a nation wide Walmart policy. I don't know if it is a Wisconsin Walmart policy or maybe just a Rhinelander Walmart policy. I mentioned to him a little bit about how she was typing in a bunch of intel from my drivers license and I did not really appreciate all of my info being in Walmart's database. I'm sure it was anyway, but now tied specifically to an ammo purchase, and he understood that he said. I did not try to buy any ammo and see how he proceeded, but I guess I should have at that point. He said they have to ask to see ID to make sure you're are NOT from Illinois and if you are they have to see a FOID card to sell to you. He did mention that if your .357 ammo is for a rifle, you are good, but if it is for a handgun, then you need the FOID card. and also only 18 years, not 21. Also, .44 and another caliber or two, which I do not remember. That all seems pretty silly to me.

So, bottom line, I didn't do a great job of investigating, but that is what I found out.
 

davidmcbeth

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Seems like its easier just to go to IL and tell them you're from out of state .... re-tardation IMO.

I had no problems buying ammo a few months ago in IL.
 
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