Soooo… we ventured to East Hartford’s CABELAS today.
I’ve heard alot about it over the years…
some people get all giddy, as if they’re going to Disney
when they talk about Cabelas.
Oh, I knew it was a hunting goods store…
but I wasn’t quite prepared.
Now, you know we don’t hunt around here…
The guy and I agree on this one thing emphatically…
How can there be any joy in snuffing out a beautiful wild creature’s life
just for the sport of it.
I’m not talking about those who feed their families
with their game. I’m not a vegetarian, either.
But there’s a difference.
My husband once shot a squirrel with a beebee gun.
He was 12 or so. He still remembers how awful he felt
when that squirrel hit the ground with a thud, and he never did it again.
Back to Cabelas.
If you’ve never been…
There’s plenty of shopping in a two floor giant
post and beam log cabiny commercial building.
This was our stash for the day…..
There are plenty of these below…
and to be honest, I get an ominous feeling when I’m standing
with a crowd of people and they’re all gawking at guns.
And if you ask me, it’s too easy to get them.
There is a beautiful trout stream tunnel…
to help soothe the soul after browsing the arsenal upstairs.
But ,
what stays with me most..
are the dead things.
🙁
My husband does hunt….and I don't want to even hear about it.
Disgusting.
I don't understand hunting as a "sport" but, around here, most hunt to put food on the table.
My cousin is a big game hunter, has won the "Grand Slam" a number of times and his house is overflowing with trophies. He and his wife enjoy "sport hunting"…to each their own. I enjoy fishing.
I with you on All of it. I don't get hunting unless you have no choice.
I think that please would maybe creep me out…
Brenda
The Pres hunts and has wanted ME to learn, I REFUSED. Oh, I get the speech about my SIL who goes with her hubby, etc…blah, blah. I enjoy nature the natural way!…:)JP
My hubs has a love affair going with Cabelas. He gets a lot of stuff for the lake there and he loves the clothing. We fish (and release) but hunting really freaks me out. When I'm at the lake during hunting season and I hear the gunshots, I get a chill.
XO,
Jane
We have one here in Fort Worth, TX and a lot of people hunt around here but not our family. I hope you tried the fudge because it is amazing…other than that we have little use for the place! My daughter is 12 and love to play the hunting games and video but she nearly dies every time someone shoots a deer around here! She loves all animals and is especially drawn to the deer for some reason. I was ill and nearly died once when she was young and she told me that's why she loves Bambi…because she understands how he feels. Kids can be so sweet and goofy.
Hate it! I can remember going to one of my husband's client's house and they had end tables made of elephant's legs and feet and I got sick to my stomach. If you hunt to feed your family, I accept that. If you fish to feed your family, I accept that. But the rest of if makes me ill to this day.
Good post.
Carol
My husband is not a hunter. Never was. Never will be. One of my sons in law is and has a deer head on their family room wall. I think it's disgusting, but they do eat the venison, or at least they used to. Now that they have changed their eating habits significantly I'm not sure they do anymore.
I have heard of Cabelas but never lived near one so haven't been, but would like to just to see what it's like. It's a shame about that gorgeous zebra having been stuffed. UGH.
A gal I went to high school with is married to a taxidermist and they even have a school for it in Iowa where he teaches people the trade… Disgusting!
I grew up in a family that hunted, though I often wonder if my father just really liked spending time in the woods…alone! He never shot anything, so I'm thinking he wasn't an avid hunter. In my neck of the woods hunting is a way of life, but not for the trophy aspect of it. And actually it helps thin the deer population and the meat is used by those who shoot the deer, wild turkeys, ducks, etc. But I've never really understood the concept of sport hunting and wanting to mount a trophy. I really think I would be weirded out to have something stuffed staring back at me inside my house! But like someone else said…to each his/her own.
My son would be in heaven at a Cabelas store…he loves their rugged work clothing.
Kat
Im not a hunter ii just think deers are just two gorgous animals but it looks like a cool store
That reminds me a lot of the Bass Pro Shops we have. They are huge and fun to go through. We are not hunters here either. I think my youngest son would start crying if he ever shot anything. My one sil is a sportsman. He does hunt but they make venison sausage and hard tack and he gives it to friends that love it. Me? I don't eat it but I admire that he uses what he kills. xo Diana
I don't understand it either except like you say, for food that's needed. The dead things? I can't even stand to be in someone's house who has deer antlers, UGH!!! 🙁
xoxo
Hunting isn't for everyone but I can't begin to tell you how excited my 8 year old grandson was tonight after killing his first deer. It will be red meat on their table this winter.
I grew up with hunters and I have hunted. I killed one dove and quit. I cried for a couple of hours! I slept while deer hunting so I was no good there. We always eat the meat or give it to those who need it. I also understand the overpopulation aspect of it. I don't mind those who do it, but it isn't for me. I used to drive by a Cabelas from Michigan to Tennessee and never went in! Looks like an interesting place!!
I'm with you!! In our neck of the woods it's Bass Pro.. same deal.. dead things, and lots of them :-/ I'll be doing the happy dance when main deer season is over here on Tuesday also. Lots of dead things on display currently :-p -Tammy
My Dad took me hunting when I was little and I did the same thing… shot a squirrel and decided I could never do it again. That said, I would like to have a gun.
Did they have a Fudge Shoppe, like Bass Pro Shops? I'd go just for that!
We're hunters and always eat what we harvest. Population control is so important, especially with deer — too many and death by starvation or blue tongue disease is a horrible thing to see. But I respect your position — did you know Cabela's has it's original store in Sidney, Nebraska? 🙂
Wishing you a wonderful holiday Karen. xo
It's been a long time since I've been in a Cabellas.
I don't hunt but I'm okay with folks who do so to feed their families. I will say that while rifles are one thing, I don't feel like people need to own hand guns unless they are police. I probably belong in Europe 😉
The State Museum in Albany (and perhaps many others)has a large array of stuffed animals depicting the wildlife of that state. I always imagined they acquired them through zoos or other places where sick or dead animals were preserved for this purpose. I hated to think someone shot and killed them just so they could appear at the museum.
Karen, I always love your perspective…and I think I'm generally right there with you. While I'm not disgusted by a deer head or generally bothered by shooting wolves that kill our calves–it is very much part of our way of life–not sport. We ate deer meat for the first three years of our marriage, because it was literally what we could afford—and we are always a little baffled too about how simple it is to get guns in the US as well as some of the cock sure attitudes that seem to go along with the folks buying them (here too..)
I'm familiar with the Brand, I believe they have some good outdoor gear….like rain gear, not guns.
Not a hunter here either, and not one to pass judgement either, but I just don't get it, the gun thing.
I'm sure some gun owners would find something about me they find strange.
The dead things…not cool.
Ohhh..that IS kind of creepy. My ex used to hang them on the wall. I have never gotten over that!
I eat meat, we raise and kill our own chickens and can understand hunting to eat but what bothers me is trophy hunting…just don't get it. And deer…why kill the biggest buck?? That seems to me to be mismanaging the herds. And don't get me started on high powered rifles…sigh.
I don't understand it either. And don't even mention the "canned" hunts.
I'd much rather shoot with a camera any day!
I love Cabelas! Especially now that my hubs and I are campers.
My wasband (first husband) is a big hunter, gun and bow, and I always loved it when he got a deer. And we always ate what he got. Venison is so good!
I used to shoot skeet all the time, but I don't think I could shoot game. I'll eat it though. I don't know what that says about me!
Cabelas is big stuff around these parts. In fact I have my eye on a kayak. You and my wasband have convinced me it would be a blast.