Bass pro shop spotting scopes

MISSOULA, Mont. – The Boone and Crockett Club announced today that Leupold & Stevens, Inc. will be continuing its support as a Trailblazer in Conservation sponsor with the funds dedicated to the Club’s Poach & Pay project. Trailblazer in Conservation is the highest, mission-focused partnership level available with the Club. Leupold has been a strong partner of the Club for many years and this year’s support will help with research on poaching detection and prosecution rates, as well as for coordinated outreach to clearly distinguish between legal hunting and poaching. The research conducted through Poach & Pay will be the first of its kind to use a modern statistical and sociological approach to describe the complex issue of wildlife crimes in North America. 

“There is a vast difference between hunting and poaching and the Boone and Crockett Club’s Poach & Pay project aims to ensure that the public recognizes this difference, and that poachers meet the justice they deserve for their crimes,” commented Club president, James F. Arnold. “We greatly appreciate the support from industry leaders like Leupold to help us conduct the critical research necessary for this project and to help convey the message that the illegal take of wildlife is unacceptable.”

For over years, the Boone and Crockett Club has led the way on hunting ethics and the Poach & Pay project continues this tradition in an effort to raise the stakes against wildlife crime. Poach & Pay research will assess the barriers to prosecuting poachers, evaluate the detection rate and conservation impacts of wildlife crime, describe the motivational factors and potential deterrents that influence poachers, and provide solutions to improve prosecution and conviction rates, as well as a defensible framework for poaching penalties. In addition, the Poach & Pay outreach campaign will arm U.S. sportsmen and women with real poaching data that clearly separates poaching from hunting. 

“In-depth research on poaching and ways to prevent it will help protect both our nation’s hunting heritage and the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation itself,” said Bruce Pettet, President and Chief Executive Officer of Leupold & Stevens, Inc. “Leupold is proud to support the Boone and Crockett Club on this project.”

Founded in Oregon more than a century ago, Leupold & Stevens, Inc. is a fifth-generation, family-owned company that designs, machines and assembles its riflescopes, mounting systems, tactical/Gold Ring spotting scopes, and performance eyewear in the USA. The product lines include rifle, handgun and spotting scopes; binoculars; rangefinders; mounting systems; and optical tools, accessories, and pro gear. 

Other companies that support the Boone and Crockett Club as a Trailblazer in Conservation are Advanced Telemetry Systems, Bass Pro Shops, Bushnell, SITKA Gear, and YETI.

The shooting range at Vortex HQ is the best spot to fine-tune your deer rifle. Their professional personnel will be on hand to ensure that your rifle is zeroed and ready to shoot. The Vortex Month Giveaway from Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's is here to give you the chance to win a four-day vacation to Vortex headquarters with a friend! This package also includes an exclusive tour of the Vortex production facility as well as access to the Vortex manufacturing facility and more. So hurry up! and register yourself now.

Limit

Entrant should be 18 years of age or older at time of entry and not more than one entry is allowed.

How to enter

Entrant may enter the promotion several ways as follows:

• In-store: Hand print your name, complete address, daytime phone number, email address and date of birth on a 3”x5” piece of paper and deposit your entry in an official ballot box at one of the participating Bass Pro Shops or Cabela’s locations during the Promotion Period.
• Online: Visit, basspro.com/vortex or cabelas.com/vortex during the Promotion Period and complete the appropriate entry form and submit as directed.
• Vortex Optics Purchase with CLUB Mastercard: Purchase any in-stock Vortex Optics item using your CLUB Mastercard at a participating Bass Pro Shops or Cabela’s location, or online at basspro.com or cabelas.com during the Promotion Period. Doing so will earn one entry into the Promotion.

Random Drawing & Winner Notification

The potential winners of the sweepstakes will be selected in a random drawing and will be notified via e-mail.

The Promotion will run according to the schedule below:

Prize

Weekly prize: Each Weekly Drawing will award the following prizes:

• Week 1 (one prize per store): a set of Vortex Diamondback HD Binoculars, approximate retail value (ARV: $).
• Week 2 (one prize per store): a Vortex Diamondback Rifle Scope (ARV $).
• Week 3 (one prize per store): a set of Vortex Diamondback HD Binoculars (ARV $).
• Week 4 (one prize per store): a Vortex Impact Rangefinder (ARV $).

Grand and First Prizes: On or about October 1, , a random drawing will be conducted by PMI from among all eligible entries combined to award the following prizes:

(1) First Prize Vortex Tactical prize package consists of:

• An AMG UH-1 Gen II Holographic Sight;
• A Micro 3X Magnifier;
• A Viper Red Dot;
• A Strike Eagle x24;
• A Vortex Viper 30MM Cantilever;
• A Viper PST Gen II; and
• A Precision QR Cantilever 30MM.

The total ARV is $2,

(1) First Prize Vortex Hunt prize package consists of:

• A Razor HD Binocular,
• A Diamondback HD Spotting Scope;
• A Razor HD Rangefinder;
• A Summit Carbon II Tripod Kit;
• A Viper HS Riflescope; and
• A set of Pro Series 30MM Rings (”).

The total ARV is $

(1) First Prize Vortex Long Range Shooter prize package consists of:

• A Fury HD AB Laser RF Binocular;
• A Strike Eagle X56 EBR-7CMOA;
• A set of Precision Matched Rings 34MM; and
• A Radian Carbon Ball Head Kit.

The total ARV is $

(1) First Prize Vortex Hunt prize package consists of:

• A Razor LHT X42 HSR MOA;
• A Ranger LRF;
• A Viper HD Spotting Scope;
• A Ridgeview Carbon Tripod Kit;
• A Diamondback HD Binocular; and
• A set of Pro Series 30MM Rings (”).

The total ARV is $

(1) Grand Prize:

• A Vortex Long Range Shooting Experience for winner and one guest.
• Round trip coach air transportation to/from Madison,
• 3 nights’ standard double-occupancy hotel accommodations;
• Exclusive tours and access to Vortex’s manufacturing and testing facilities;
• 1 full-day of long-range and handgun training with Vortex Pro Staff;
• 1 Vortex Optics accessories gift package;
• 1 voucher for winner to spend on any Vortex Optics item(s) of winner’s choice (value up to $7,; any unused portion will not be awarded); and selected meals.

The total ARV of grand prize is $

ENTER TO WIN : https://content.basspro.com/content/sweepstakes/in

OFFICIAL RULES : https://assetshare.basspro.com/content/dam/bps-gen

So I recently picked up a used pair of Cabela's Euro HD 8x32 for a nice price. This was a bin I'd been wanting to try for a long time, and I absolutely fell in love with them. Phenomenal ergonomics, extremely wide, clear, sharp optics, wonderful balance, top notch build quality I find them more comfortable and pleasant to use than my wife's 8x32 UVHD. They give up very, very little to the Leicas optically or mechanically, with the only obvious gap being the coatings (the Leicas have great brightness, whiteness rendition and color saturation, the Meoptas still lag behind with weak blue saturation giving a slight yellow/green cast) and slightly more "luxurious" materials, but in all other respects they are basically alpha quality.

IMO, with the dark green armor and tapered black eyecups, if you changed nothing but swapping the Meopta logo for Swarovski and upgrading them to Swarobright coatings, they could be sold as "Swarovski SLC new neu" for $ and nobody would bat an eye.

These quickly became my go-to optic for daily birding, as I prefer 8x32 for general use. Thus, it was a gut wrenching morning when they failed on me. Some dirt bits fell into the left ocular, so I went to screw off the eyecup and clear the mess, as I've done many times before. With these, just like the Leicas, you screw the eyecup up to the last position, then push past a small final bit of resistance and the eyecup clicks free to screw fully off.

Well, that morning, the eyecup did not click past that stop point on the first attempt. So, not really thinking about it, I turned a little harder. I felt a twist and some friction, and the eyecup popped loose and I screwed it off. Thinking nothing of it, I blew off the debris, and screwed the eyecup back on.

When I put them back up to my eyes, I could not see through them! It was like when you accidentally leave the objective cover on one barrel, there was no image through the left barrel. Panicked (since I don't use objective covers!) I held the binoculars out away from my face, and I could see two exit pupils but the left EP was not where it was supposed to be. After a few moments of confusion and fiddling, with a sinking feeling I realized that the ocular had literally come unglued and, when the eyecup got "stuck", had rotated the entire occular completely out of alignment! Twisting the eyecup back to each end, I found I could keep twisting and rotate the eyepiece within the barrel.

Just my luck! I happen to be one of the cursed few who always experiences little issues with binoculars, some of them defects, some borne of my own fumbling ineptitude. In this case, however, I would consider it to be a clear mechanical failure, not a product of abuse.

That said, considering these are second hand, I was fully expecting and willing to pay for repairs. I wasn't looking for a handout, caveat emptor and all. I've sent binoculars for repairs with several other brands, with transparent explanations, nearly always with good results; for example, I sent in my old pair of Minox BD 8x32 BR for some focus knob and eyecup problems that were % my fault (dropped them!), admitted it was my fault and that I was not the original owner, and offered to pay for the repairs in the note I sent in with the bins. Minox sent them back, fully repaired, for zero cost, no questions asked.

So I headed to google and checked the Cabela's warranty. I had the impression they were one of those "we take care of you" outfits, considering their popularity and success within the hunting/outdoor segments. Sure enough, they proudly tout their "Legendary Guarantee", and they claim on the optics section that "Cabela's Brand Optics are guaranteed for the life of the product under normal wear and tear and against defects in workmanship." Well, I think, this certainly qualifies as a "defect in workmanship" if screwing off the eyecup caused the entire ocular assembly to twist out of alignment. It also states, "Unfortunately, Cabela's does not offer any repair or cleaning services for optics."

That's curious, and slightly ominous. How can you guarantee a binocular for its life if you can't repair it? Maybe they just swap for a comparable model from their demo / bargain cave sock if they deem it to be a defect covered by warranty?

I contacted Cabela's customer service, and explained the situation. I was clear that I wasn't looking for a refund or exchange (these have a 13xxx serial number so are production, and likely purchased at least 5 years ago), I just wanted my favorite binoculars to work again. I asked about the seeming conflict between the "guaranteed for life" part and the fact that Cabela's states they do not do repairs on optics. If you don't do repairs, how is the guarantee fulfilled?

The response: "Good afternoon, I am sorry to inform you that these being 5 years old, they would be considered to of had their life time and would no longer be covered. Defects are something that happen within the first year of use and not several years of use afterward. This would be considered a normal breakdown in materials. I am truly sorry for this. If you are interested in a new pair , we could look at a a discount for you."

I pointed out the warranty on the Meopta Meostar version, and explained that a <5 year "life" for a $ optic is absurd and completely out of line with comparable offerings from Minox, Leica, Zeiss, etc. After a bit more back and forth, this was the line they stuck with. Guaranteed for "life" but we won't repair them, and WE get to decide what the "life" actually means. So the "warranty" is essentially worthless. And why would I want a discount on a new pair that I would not have a decent warranty on?

Flummoxed, I did some googling, and found that I am not alone. For example, the top review on the Cabela's Euro HD page gives 5 stars but notes, "HOWEVER, THIS IS IMPORTANT: Buy the Meopta model to save a hundred bucks and get a lifetime warranty. Buy the Cabelas-branded version to spend more for the same product AND there will be a very good chance they will find a loophole and refuse to honor the warranty." I also found similar stories on some other hunting optics forums of Cabela's saying "too bad, it's past the product life according to us".

I should have realized I was dealing with a retailer, not an optics manufacturer that cares about their product. To a high volume retailer, servicing a product 5 years after purchase is crazy. If a Cabela's Euro HD bin/scope breaks on you after a few years, it's a paperweight. Now I will seek to contact Meopta and pray they will let me pay for the repair, although google searches indicate they may not provide any service to Cabela's branded versions. If that turns out to be the case, does anyone know of USA based repair shops that can service Meoptas?

Curiously, I could not find any mention of this on Birdforum. I know some out there, like me, end up going with the Cabelas Euro HD version instead of the Meopta Meostar for various reasons, so I expected to find some discussion. So I felt the need to post that I would emphatically encourage everyone to ONLY go for the Meopta branded version! The identical Meopta version comes with either a year or lifetime transferable warranty, depending which page loads for you. I have no doubt that Meopta will take care of you, and also no doubt that Cabela's will NOT.

Better yet, buy from a high integrity small business retailer like Doug at CameralandNY or Steve at Optics4Birding.

So if you think you may be saving a bit of $$ going for the Euro HD branded version of the Meostar binoculars or S2 scope, especially second-hand, think again. When you buy used optics, warranty coverage is crucial. Lesson learned, and hopefully I save someone some grief in the future.

Founded in , Cabela&#;s Inc. is one of the largest and most well-known outdoor recreation companies in the United States. They sell outdoor products via several channels, including direct mail, retail stores, and their website. Cabela&#;s offers brand-name outdoor products as well as third-party outdoor products made under the Cabela&#;s brand. However, the product I want to focus on in this article is the Cabela&#;s brand of rifle scopes, and specifically, the question of who makes Cabelas scopes?

At least once a week, I receive an email from someone asking a question geared towards one of the Cabela&#;s series of scopes, so I thought it might be time to put some answers down on paper.

Cabelas Scopes Overview

Before I get too deep into discussing the Cabela&#;s line of rifle scopes, there are a few items I want to mention:

• Cabela&#;s is owned and operated by Bass Pro Shops.
• Cabela&#;s does not manufacture any of their optics.
• Except for upper management, most Cabela&#;s staff does not know where or who produces these scopes for Cabela&#;s. The lone exception to that rule is the clearly marked, co-branded scope models.
• There is a substantial amount of crossover within Cabela&#;s scope lines.

Let&#;s take a second and dive into those two sub-topics:

Cabela&#;s is owned and operated by Bass Pro Shops

If you were not aware, Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela&#;s around the end of Before the sale, Cabela&#;s was publicly traded, and a private investment fund had acquired a substantial share of Cabela&#;s stock. However, due to declining sales and loss of market share to competitors like Bass Pro Shops, Field & Stream, and Gander Mountain, the investment firm forced Cabela&#;s to either sell or enter bankruptcy.

Bass Pro Shops ended purchasing the Cabela&#;s Inc. company and all their assets for billion. Since Cabela&#;s had its own commercial successes and a large, existing customer base, Bass Pro opted to maintain the Cabela&#;s brand and continue operating it as a stand-alone brand under Bass Pro ownership.

While this information isn&#;t specifically relevant to the Cabela&#;s line of scopes, it does come into play when I discuss Cabela&#;s warranty below.

Cabela&#;s does not manufacture any of its optics

Another crucial fact to mention is that Cabela&#;s does not produce or manufacture any sporting optics products. Instead, like most major outdoor brands (such as Bass Pro Shops, Scheels, Gander Mountain, etc.), Cabela&#;s outsources the manufacture of their rifle scopes (and other sporting optics) to an OEM optical manufacturer. Typically, those manufacturers are overseas, but not always, and we will get more into that down below.

These OEM optical makers build sporting optics (riflescopes, binoculars, spotting scopes, etc.) to specifications provided by Cabela&#;s and then provide the product to Cabela&#;s in Cabela&#;s branded packaging.

Just to be clear, this practice is quite common in the sports optics industry as most scope brands follow the same process. However, very few, and I mean, very few major scope brands, build their own complete optics.

And by complete, I mean the production of the scope lenses as well. Many brands follow the same process as Cabela&#;s and outsource the entire process. Some source the components from international vendors and then assemble, test, and inspect the optic at their company facility.

Except for upper management, most of the Cabela&#;s staff does not know where or who produces these scopes for Cabela&#;s. The lone exception to that rule is the clearly marked, co-branded scope models.

If you happen to be in a Cabela&#;s store and ask the staff who makes any of the Cabela&#;s scope line, they most likely won&#;t be able to answer the question with anything other than rumors they have heard or their own personal theories.

This issue is not due to the staff being uneducated about their products. Instead, it&#;s due to Cabela&#;s upper management working hard to keep the details of their specific scope manufacturer or manufacturers very close to the vest.

While Cabela&#;s can&#;t really hide the country of manufacture (commonly called the COO) as it has to be listed on the product or the product packaging, they can keep the actual scope manufacturer or optics company within a country as confidential as possible.

There is a substantial amount of crossover with the Cabela&#;s scope lines.

As you read through the list of Cabela&#;s scope models below, you may notice that Cabela&#;s has quite a bit of crossover between the different models. By crossover, I mean that they offer several scope models in the same power range or same magnification range, with only a slight bit of change between the models.

In many cases, Cabela&#;s will do what many private label brands do and re-badge or rename a specific series of scopes and market it as being a &#;new&#; line. Unfortunately, this type of marketing is prevalent in the sports optics industry and happens on a regular basis.

Cabela&#;s Scope Models

Just a note about the list of rifle scopes below: I&#;ve done my best to provide accurate details for each series of scopes. Obviously, there may be errors here and there, as the information is based on the following components:

• Older Cabela&#;s mail order catalogs
• Cached and/or screenshot versions of the Cabela&#;s website.
• My experiences mounting what seems like or more Cabela&#;s branded scopes when I worked as a scope mounter.

That being said, let&#;s talk about Cabela&#;s rifle scope models:

Cabelas Pine Ridge Scopes

The Cabela&#;s Pine Ridge series was introduced in the late s as their entry-level scope offering, and all the base Pine Ridge versions were built on a 1-inch tube.

This series was offered in 3 versions:

• Standard Pine Ridge
• Pine Ridge Muzzleloader & Shotgun
• Pine Ridge Rimfire

Standard Pine Ridge Series

This series was offered in the following magnification ranges:

All these models were only offered with a duplex reticle option.

Pine Ridge Muzzleloader & Shotgun Scopes

As the name implies, these models were designed for use with a shotgun or muzzleloader. This series included the following magnification ranges:

This series featured an expanded 4-inch eye relief and a yard fixed parallax.

Pine Ridge Rimfire Scope

Designed specifically for rimfire rifles, this scope series included the following power ranges:

Cabela&#;s would later expand this line to include a rimfire-specific BDC turret system on the model.

Cabela&#;s also briefly introduced a Pine Ridge Tactical series of scopes and some multi-caliber models with popular centerfire caliber-based turrets. The Pine Ridge Tactical scopes would eventually be replaced with the Cabela&#;s Multi-Turret scope models seen below.

All the Pine Ridge scopes were manufactured in China, and I&#;m reasonably sure they are produced at the same Chinese optical manufacturer that BSA uses. This scope series was Cabela&#;s entry-level offering for a branded scope, and the optical quality was about what you would expect for an entry-level scope in this price range.

The entire Pine Ridge series was phased out at the end of

Cabelas Alaskan Guide Scopes

The Alaskan Guide series of rifle scopes was introduced in the early s and offered an upgrade over the Cabela&#;s Pine Ridge scopes. These scopes were offered in 5 versions:

• Standard
• Compact
• 30mm versions
• Range finding models.
• Shotgun models

Standard Alaskan Guide

The standard Alaskan Guide models were built on a 1-inch tube and featured a magnification range that included the following models:

• 1X
• 4x
• 6x

All the models with an adjustable power range also featured an adjustable objective. Reticle options were mostly duplex, but the models were also available in a mil-dot version and a target dot version.

Compact Alaskan Guide

The Alaskan Guide Compact scopes seemed to be modeled after the Burris series of compact rifle scopes. This scope series was also built on a 1-inch tube and featured the following power magnification ranges:

These models were only available in a duplex reticle and featured a fixed, non-adjustable parallax.

30mm Alaskan Guide

Like the name implies, these versions of the Alaskan Guide scopes were built on a 30mm tube and featured the following power ranges:

Rangefinding Alaskan Guide

These models were built on a 1-inch tube and featured a &#;rangefinding&#; reticle that reminds me of Nikon&#;s early BDC reticle. It was designed to offer the shooter the ability to push a centerfire rifle out to distances of yards.

This series only offered the following magnification ranges:

Alaskan Guide Shotgun Models

These scopes were built on a 1-inch tube and designed specifically for use on a shotgun. These models were available in the following power ranges:

All these models came with the Cabela&#;s Diamond reticle and featured a fixed yard parallax setting.

The Guide series of riflescopes has an interesting history as the early models were made in Japan at Kenko Optics, while the later models were made by Asia Optical in China. This typically indicates that Cabela&#;s changed manufacturers at some point during the lifespan of the Alaskan Guide.

I thought the Japan-made models were pretty good for the money, especially if you caught them on sale. The optics on the Chinese-made models were lower end and not nearly as bright or clear compared to the Japan-made models. However, the Chinese-made Alaskan Guide scopes were still better optically than the Pine Ridge series.

This series is comparable to the Sightron SII scope series (which was originally made in Japan as well). The entire Alaskan Guide scope series was phased out at the end of

Cabelas Outfitter Series Scopes

As I recall, the Cabela&#;s Outfitter series of scopes were introduced in the early s and were first introduced as a step up above the Alaskan Guide standard series. This series was phased out when Cabela&#;s introduced the Alaskan Guide Premium series.

The Outfitter series was built on a 1-inch tube and were only available in the following magnification ranges:

The Outfitter series offered good glass for the costs (at that time) and were manufactured in Japan. They appear to be designed at the same facility that Bushnell was using for the Elite series as these Outfitter scopes look, feel, and perform like a Bushnell Elite scope.

In , Cabela&#;s re-introduced the Outfitter series of scopes again in 1 inch and 30mm versions. At the end of , the Outfitter line of scopes was completely phased out.

Cabelas Alaskan Guide Premium Scopes

The Alaskan Guide Premium series of scopes was introduced in and replaced the Outfitter series of scopes as Cabela&#;s top-of-the-line house brand scope offering (at that time).  These models were built on a 1-inch tube and offered better quality glass compared to the standard Alaskan Guide.

The Premium series was initially offered in the following magnification ranges:

The and models had an adjustable objective that would focus down to 50 yards.

This series was also manufactured in Japan and looked very much like, and optically performed like, the Sightron SII Big Sky scope models. I always thought that the Sightron Big Sky scopes were an absolute steal for the money, and I still own several.

The optical quality of the Premium series was noticeably better than the classic Alaskan series but also came with a higher price point.

Cabela&#;s Instinct Euro Scopes

In , Cabela&#;s partnered with Meopta Optics to produce a higher-end series of scopes called the Instinct Euro series. Cabela&#;s already an existing arrangement with Meopta for binoculars, so it made sense to offer a co-branded series of rifle scopes as well.

The Instinct Euro scopes were built on a 1-inch tube and were only available in the following power ranges:

Initially, all these models were equipped with Meopta&#;s EXT reticle or a duplex reticle.

This series was very similar to the Zeiss Conquest lines of scopes that Meopta produced for Zeiss (although not identical). The optical quality on these was extremely good for the cost, especially if you happened to catch them on sale or at a discount.

This series of rifle scopes was phased out at the end of

Cabela&#;s Instinct Euro HD Scopes (Also sometimes listed as Instinct HD scope)

In , Cabela&#;s made a few changes and renamed the Cabela&#;s/Meopta co-branded Instinct Euro scope series over to the Cabela&#;s Instinct Euro HD scope series. However, some of the models I&#;ve seen were also marked as &#;Cabela&#;s Instinct HD&#; scope.

Like the original Euro series, the Instinct Euro HD scopes were built on a 1-inch tube and manufactured by Meopta Optics. Again, like the original Instinct Euro scopes, the glass came from Europe, but the scopes were assembled at the Meopta facility in the USA.

This scope series was offered in the following magnification ranges:

This series is basically the same as the Cabela&#;s Instinct Euro series, except for the following minor changes:

• The model was changed over to a model.
• The version was changed over to a model.
• In addition to the EXT reticle and duplex reticle option, they added a long-range reticle option called the HTR EXT reticle. The HTR EXT reticle incorporates wind drift markings into the horizontal scope post.
• The model with the HTR EXT reticle features exposed turrets, while all the other Instinct scopes have capped turrets.

These scopes were (and still are, if you can find one) equipped with great glass and are/were an excellent price, even at full MSRP.

In my opinion, both of the Instinct Euro and the Instinct Euro HS scope series were the best overall scope options that Cabela&#;s has offered to date.

Cabela&#;s Lever-Action Scopes

Introduced in , these scopes were built specifically for use with lever-action rifles in certain calibers using the Hornady LEVERevolution ammunition. Initially, they made were caliber specific for the following calibers:

• Marlin
• Winchester
• Government

In , Cabela&#;s removed the caliber option from the line-up and replaced it with a Mag version. In , they added a model for the Marlin Express caliber.

This scope series was only available in a configuration and featured reticles that incorporated bullet drop compensation out to yards when used with specific Hornady LEVERevolution ammo in specific bullet grains. For example, the Magnum version was built to work exclusively with the grain LEVERevolution ammo.

All the Cabela&#;s Lever-Action scope models were manufactured in China.

Cabela&#;s Alpha Series of Scopes

Introduced in , these scopes were built on a 1-inch tube and featured Cabela&#;s EXT or DOA reticle. This series was only available in the following power magnifications:

• (Only produced for a few years)

This series always confused me as the target market for this series never seemed clear. These were more geared as an entry-level scope with limited BDC functionality designed for centerfire rifles.

All the Alpha series of rifle scopes were manufactured in China.

Cabela&#;s Caliber Specific Scopes

First introduced in , the Cabela&#;s Caliber Specific scopes were designed for use with specific calibers and featured an EXT reticle that offered bullet drop compensation capability for those calibers at specific distances.

Built on a 1-inch tube, these scopes were originally offered for the following calibers:

When first introduced, they were only available in a power configuration.

In , Cabela&#;s took the rimfire versions of this scope (which included the 22LR, 17 HMR, and 22 Mag) and renamed them the Cabela&#;s Caliber Specific Rimfire scopes.

At the same time, Cabela&#;s expanded this scope series to include the following popular centerfire rifle calibers:

• Winchester
• Winchester
• Springfield

Cabela&#;s also discontinued the power and only offered this series in a power magnification.

All the Cabela&#;s Caliber Specific scope models are produced in China and appear to come from the same facility that makes the Tasco line of rifle scopes. These models were also entry-level scopes, with the caliber-specific BDC reticle functionality being the big draw. Additionally, the optical quality is/was on the lower end of the scale.

Cabela&#;s Caliber Specific Rimfire Scopes

Initially, the Cabela&#;s Caliber Specific Rimfire scopes were part of the Cabela&#;s group of caliber-specific rifle scope series. However, in , Cabela&#;s offered these scope models are a stand-alone series called the Caliber Specific Rimfire scope series.

Built on a 1-inch tube, this series is only available in a configuration with rimfire caliber-specific versions made for the following rimfire calibers:

These models feature a reticle that offers caliber-specific bullet drop compensation functionality based on the following specifics:

• Bullet caliber
• Bullet weight
• Bullet speed

This series is sometimes confused with a related Cabela&#;s scope series called the Multi-Turret Rimfire series. The Multi-turret series offers a set of caliber-specific turrets in place of a caliber-specific BDC reticle.

Like most rifle scopes sourced for Cabela&#;s, the Caliber-Specific Rimfire scopes were/are an entry-level scope with entry-level glass sourced from China.

Cabela&#;s Multi-Turret Scopes

Initially introduced in , this series of scopes was called the Cabela&#;s Tactical Multi-Turret Scope. When introduced, this series was offered in 3 series:

• Cabela&#;s Tactical Rimfire Multi-Turret Scope
• Cabela&#;s Tactical Centerfire Multi-Turret Scope
• Cabela&#;s Tactical Big Game Multi-Turret Scope

Each Tactical series offered specific caliber-based turrets that, once configured and properly zeroed, allowed the shooter to dial the turret for specific target distances, and the bullet drop was pre-configured.

Here&#;s a quick look at each variant:

Cabela&#;s Tactical Rimfire Multi-Turret Scope

This series featured caliber-based turrets for the following calibers:

• HMR with 17 grain bullet
• Mach 2 with 17 grain bullet
• Hornet with 35 grain Hornady V-Max bullet
• LR with 40 grain bullet
• Mag with 40 grain HP bullet

Built using a 1-inch tube, this series was available in a configuration that would dial out to yards.

Cabela&#;s Tactical Centerfire Multi-Turret Scope

This scope version featured caliber-based turrets for the following calibers:

• with a 32 or 40 grain bullet
• with a 50, 55, or 60 grain bullet
• with a 50 or 55 grain bullet

The first generation of the Tactical Centerfire scope was offered in and versions with the capability to dial out to yards.

Cabela&#;s Tactical Big Game Multi-Turret Scope

This Big Game model featured caliber-based turrets for the following calibers:

• with a grain bullet
• with a or grain bullet
• with a or grain bullet
• Winchester Mag with a grain bullet

The first generation of the Tactical Big Game scopes was offered in and versions with the capability to dial out to yards.

This series would change names a few times and go through a few slight changes over time.

The latest iteration of this series was called the Cabela&#;s Multi-Turret series of rifle scopes, and it continued the multi-caliber with multi-turret concept.

This most recent version of this series is/was only available in a configuration for the following calibers:

• Remington
• Winchester
• Winchester
• Springfield
• Winchester Mag.

Each turret for each caliber is built to work with a specific brand of ammunition in a particular bullet weight. For example, the version comes with turrets that are calibrated for the following brands and bullet weight:

• gr. Rem. Core-Lokt
• gr. Winchester Super-X
• gr. Winchester Super-X
• gr. Federal Power-Shok
• gr. Federal Power-Shok
• gr. Herter&#;s

This series was also made in China at the same facility that makes several other Cabela&#;s scope models.

Cabela&#;s Multi-Turret Rimfire Scope

In , Cabela&#;s separated the multi-turret rimfire models from the Cabela&#;s Multi-Turret series, made a few updates, and offered the rimfire series as a stand-alone series called the Cabela&#;s Multi-Turret Rimfire scopes.

This series was only offered in power range and featured turrets made for the following rimfire calibers:

• HMR with Hornady gr. V-Max with a bullet speed of 2, fps or the Hornady gr. XTP® with a bullet speed of 2, fps.
• WSM with Winchester gr. Polymer Tip with a bullet speed of 3, fps, or Winchester gr. Polymer Tip with a bullet speed of 2, fps. (Which was a new addition to the line)
•   LR with Remington gr. Flat Nose bullets moving at 1, fps, or Winchester gr. HP moving at 1, fps, or Winchester gr. Round Nose bullets moving at 1, fps.
• WMR with Hornady gr. Magnum bullets moving at 2, fps, or Winchester gr. FMJ bullets moving at 1, fps.

As long as you used the suggested ammunition and the bullet speeds were close to those indicated for proper bullet drop compensation, these scopes worked reasonably well. They were an entry-level line of scopes and featured lower-end optical quality.

All the Cabela&#;s Multi-Turret Rimfire scopes were manufactured in China and were most likely made at the same Chinese facility that produced the BSA Sweet 22 and Sweet 17 series of riflescopes. As a result, the Cabela&#;s models look and function nearly identical to the BSA Sweet series that were being sold at that time.

Cabela&#;s Powderhorn Muzzleloader Scopes

First introduced in , the Powderhorn series of scopes were designed for use on muzzleloaders using a sabot style black powder grain loads with grains of powder. These scopes feature a BDC-style reticle with bullet drop compensation out to yards.

This series was available in the following magnifications:

This series was built on a 1-inch tube and featured a &#; eye relief. All the Cabela&#;s Powderhorn Muzzleloader scopes were built in China at the same facility that made muzzleloader scopes for a few other mainstream scope brands.

This line would eventually be changed over to the Cabela&#;s Muzzleloader scope series.

Cabela&#;s Muzzleloader Scope

In , Cabela&#;s discontinued the Powderhorn Muzzleloader scope series and re-introduced it as the Cabela&#;s Muzzleloader scope series.

They phased out the and power versions and replaced them with a magnification model.

This series was built on a 1-inch tube and was also manufactured in China. I thought that the Powderhorn Muzzleloaders had slightly better optics and were a little better quality than the Cabela&#;s Muzzleloader models.

Cabela&#;s Slugger Shotgun Scope

Introduced in , this scope series was specifically designed for use with a shotgun using a rifled barrel and shooting sabot-style shotgun slugs.

This scope series was only available in a magnification and featured an EXT reticle designed with bullet drop compensation marks in yard variables.

This scope is built on a 1-inch tube and features 4 inches of eye relief. It looks and functions very similar to Nikon&#;s Slughunter series of riflescopes.

This series was phased out at the end of and replaced with the Cabela&#;s Slug Shotgun scope series.

Both the Slugger scope series and the Cabela&#;s Slug Shotgun series were produced in China.

If you&#;re shopping for this specific shotgun slog scope, here are links to some:

Cabelas Intrepid HD Scopes by Vortex

Since Cabela&#;s was already selling a Vortex-built spotting scope under the Cabela&#;s name, it only made sense to do the same with riflescopes. So in , Cabela&#;s launched the Cabela&#;s Intrepid scope series, which was co-branded as being built by Vortex.

This series was built on a 30mm tube and was only available in a magnification with the Vortex VMR-1 reticle. In addition, it featured a side focus that would go down to 25 yards.

The Cabela&#;s Intrepid HD scope was manufactured in Japan and was covered under Vortex&#;s lifetime warranty (not the Cabela&#;s warranty, which could be significant in light of the Bass Pro ownership of Cabela&#;s)

Having looked through a few of these scopes, I thought the optical quality was pretty good but not as good as the Cabela&#;s Instinct Euro scopes I mentioned above.

When they were first introduced, they were $ but then dropped down to a sub-$ scope when on sale. They were a much better buy at the $ price point.

This series must not have been a great seller for Cabela&#;s as they were phased out at the end of

Cabela&#;s Covenant Tactical Scopes

Introduced in , the original Cabela&#;s Covenant Tactical scopes were offered in two series:

• Covenant Tactical SFP Scopes
• Covenant Tactical FFP Scopes

These scopes were built on a 30mm tube and offered some features not previously seen on any prior Cabela&#;s scope models.

Covenant Tactical SFP Scopes

This series was built on a second focal plane (SFP) design and was initially offered in the following magnifications ranges:

This series came equipped with a side focus feature that would focus down to 15 yards and featured a TAC reticle, which was a Christmas tree-style reticle.

Covenant Tactical FFP Scopes

The Covenant Tactical FFP models were the first scopes that Cabela&#;s ever offered in a first focal plane design.

The FFP versions were originally offered in the following magnification ranges:

This series also featured a side focus that would focus down to 15 yards and came equipped with Cabela&#;s FFP reticle option.

Both the SFP and FFP versions of this series were made in China and appear to be from the same facility that makes the Vortex Diamondback series of scopes and use to make the Diamondback HD scope models. As a result, these scopes look very similar to the Vortex Diamondback and Diamondback Tactical series of riflescopes.

Here are listings for all the Covenant Tactical FFP scopes that are still available at Cabela&#;s:

Cabela&#;s Magnitude Scopes

Introduced in , the Magnitude series of rifle scopes was offered in two series:

A 1-inch series

A 30mm series

The Cabela&#;s Magnitude series appears to be a re-make of the Cabela&#;s Pine Ridge scopes, with a few minor changes in power magnifications, reticle options, and the addition of a 30mm version.

The Magnitude scopes were marketed as a mid-level scope within the entire Cabela&#;s scope line (of that time). The optical quality seems slightly better than the Pine Ridge series, but not by much. The entire Magnitude scope series was manufactured in China.

This scope series was phased out in

Cabela&#;s Covenant 5 Scope

Introduced in , the Covenant 5 Series was/is a series of 30mm scopes that are available in both SFP and FFP versions. This series was marketed as a step up in glass quality over the standard Cabela&#;s Covenant series of scopes.

Covenant 5 SFP Scopes

The version was equipped with Cabela&#;s TACS MIL reticle, while the version was equipped with Cabela&#;s TAC-6 MIL reticle.

Covenant 5 FFP Scopes

The and versions were equipped with Cabela&#;s TAC MIL FFP reticle.

All the Covenant 5 scope models are built in China.

Here&#;s a look at all the Covenant 5 scope models that are still available at Cabela&#;s:

Cabela&#;s Covenant 7 Scopes

Introduced in , the Cabela&#;s Covenant 7 series of scopes are all built on a 34mm tube and are marketed as an upgraded optical quality and magnification over the standard Covenant series and the Covenant 5 series scopes. Like the Covenant 5 models, the Covenant 7 series comes in SFP and FFP versions.

Covenant 7 SFP Scopes

The second focal plane versions of the Covenant 7 series are/were available in the following magnifications:

Both models are equipped with Cabela&#;s TAC-8 SFP MIL reticle.

Covenant 7 FFP Scopes

The first focal plane versions of the Covenant 7 series are/were available in the following magnifications:

Both models are equipped with Cabela&#;s TAC FFP MIL reticle.

All the Cabela&#;s Covenant 7 rifle scope models are manufactured in China.

Here are a few Covenant 7 Tactical scopes that are currently for sale:

Cabela&#;s CX PRO HD Scope

Introduced in , this model is designed for long-range shooting, tactical shooting, or precision shooting. Built on a 34mm tube, this model is/was only available in a first focal plane x56mm configuration with Cabela&#;s proprietary FFP MOA or FFP MRAD reticle.

This scope is produced at the Superior Lens facility in China.

I&#;ve had the opportunity to check out a few of these CX Pro models, and the glass is surprisingly good for a Chinese-made scope in the $ to $ price range.

If you&#;re in the market for a CX Pro HD:

Cabela&#;s Scope Warranty

The original Cabela&#;s warranty program played a significant role in Cabela&#;s rapid growth from a mail-order catalog company to a major retailer in the outdoor industry. This growth was partially fueled by the fantastic lifetime warranty associated with the Cabela&#;s branded products.

I had an uncle who bought nothing but Cabela&#;s brand hunting gear (when available) simply due to the warranty. He must have gone through at least three different pairs of Cabela&#;s hunting boots when I was a teenager.

When a pair of Cabela&#;s boots started leaking water or a boot eyelet popped off, he would call Cabela&#;s for a return authorization, send the problem pair in, and would receive a new pair of boots in a few weeks.

When Cabela&#;s started opening retail stores, he would sometimes make the 8-hour drive to the nearest store (at that time) to shop for new gear and return any broken or damaged Cabela&#;s products for warranty replacement.

My first pair of briar-proof, upland bird pants were the Cabela&#;s house brand and were a Christmas gift from the same uncle. After about two years of use, when the zipper broke, he took them back on one of his &#;Cabela’s” runs to return them for brand new pair.

Their warranty program seemed too good to be true and created a loyal following for their house-branded equipment and gear.

When discussing the warranty for the Cabela’s brand of rifle scopes, you have to break the discussion down into two points in time that I like to call:

• Original Cabela’s Lifetime Warranty (Any time before )
• Bass Pro Version of Cabela’s Warranty ( to Present)

Let’s dive a little deeper into each warranty situation:

Original Cabela’s Lifetime Warranty (Any time before )

Before the Bass Pro purchase, Cabela’s basically offered a lifetime warranty on just about every Cabela’s branded product that they sold. Now, there were some limits and exclusions to the lifetime warranty, like Cabela’s branded electronics were only covered for a few years.

All the Cabela’s branded rifle scopes came with a lifetime warranty, except for the select few models that had an illuminated reticle (which was only a select few models in the Pine Ridge scope series). The electronic components of those scopes were only covered for five years.

If you had an issue with a Cabela’s brand scope, you could do the following:

(1)   Contact Cabela’s, acquire a return form, mail the scope back to Cabela’s. Upon receipt. Cabela’s would usually send you a new replacement, or, if the scope model were no longer being sold, would send you a like/kind model that was as close as they could match to the original.

(2)   If you lived close enough, you take the damaged or malfunctioning scope to a Cabela’s retail store, where they would either replace it with the same model, offer you store credit towards another scope model, or give you a like/kind exchange with the closest scope model they had on hand (within reason).

Now that’s not to say that the Cabela’s warranty program was perfect because it wasn’t. Sometimes the process might be a little more complicated (especially with in-store returns), and sometimes the return process could be annoying. However, I always had a theory that Cabela’s started making the warranty process more complicated in an effort to deter warranty claims for inexpensive items (making it not worth the struggle for a $39 item).

Obviously, this type of warranty program is ripe for exploitation and abuse, so it wasn’t surprising that Cabela’s gradually started making changes in how the lifetime warranty was handled.

However, for the most part, I always felt that Cabela’s did a pretty good job of standing behind their branded scopes.

Bass Pro Version of Cabela’s Warranty ( to Present)

After Bass Pro completed the acquisition of Cabela’s at the end of , Bass Pro had indicated that they would honor all existing Cabela’s products covered under a lifetime warranty. Bass Pro’s official position on their website is (or was depending on when you are reading this:

“Will my Cabela&#;s lifetime guarantees be honored by the new company, and can these items be returned at Bass Pro Shops locations?”

“Bass Pro Shops and Cabela&#;s will continue honoring all lifetime guarantees and any other warranties on its products. Customers can make a return or claim at any location for a refund or exchange for a comparable item.”

From: https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/together-FAQs?storeId=

However, in reality, it appears that Bass Pro is interpreting the warranty as being the estimated lifetime of the product versus a blanket lifetime. And they are the source setting the estimated product lifetime.

Here’s a personal example: Just before the Bass Pro merger, I bought a pair of Cabela’s boots made by Meindl that were on sale at a price that I just couldn’t pass on. This was my second pair of Meindl’s made Cabela’s boots, and these were purchased specifically for future use.

They were purchased at a local Cabela’s before the merger and were supposedly covered by Cabela’s lifetime guarantee (which did play a small role in my buying decision).

The boots sat in the box for a year and then were deployed for the upcoming hunting season.  Midway through the season, one boot developed a leak. Now, I’ve owned the boots for just over two years total but only hunted with them for half a season (say three months of wear).

With the original receipt in hand and boots in the original Cabela’s box, I took them into my local Cabela’s (which is now owned by Bass Pro) to see about engaging the warranty.

After speaking with three different Cabela’s employees, a management team member informed me that the “lifetime” of the boots was two years, so they were out of warranty, based on my date of purchase.

Now, I’m not one of those serial returners, but I honestly expected a new pair after only three months of use.

Luckily, the nice folks at Meindl were willing to fix them for a small fee plus S/H.

If you do a quick internet search of “Cabela’s lifetime warranty,” and you’ll see several pages of complaints in various outdoor forums about the “lifetime” warranty not being honored.

I believe that the current Bass Pro position on the Cabela’s warranty will not be good for Cabela’s or Bass Pro long term. Unhappy Cabela’s customers will not migrate over to Bass Pro for their outdoor equipment shopping needs.

So, if you purchase a Cabela’s branded scope, be aware that, no matter what the warranty info says, your version of lifetime and the Cabela’s/Bass Pro version of lifetime warranty coverage probably won’t be the same.

FAQS

Here are some of the more common questions that I’ve seen regarding the Cabela’s brand of rifle scopes:

Does Vortex make Cabela&#;s scopes?

Officially speaking, Vortex Optics has only manufactured one scope model for Cabela’s, and that was a co-branded model called the Cabelas Intrepid HD Scope by Vortex. Vortex Optics was clearly listed as being the brand of the scope.

Since Vortex Optics does not officially manufacture its own line of scopes, it’s entirely possible that some of Cabela’s lines of scopes were manufactured in the same optical facility that makes the Vortex line of riflescopes.

Who makes rifle scopes for Cabela&#;s?

That’s a tricky question to answer as Cabela’s offers a broad range of branded rifle scopes that come from several different sources.

Some of the scopes are co-branded models made by a mainstream brand like Meopta Optics or Vortex optics.

Aside from the co-branded scope models, most Cabela’s riflescopes are manufactured at different optical facilities in China. A select few of the higher-end models were manufactured in Japan.

Who makes Cabelas 17 wsm scope?

As discussed above, Cabela&#;s dedicated 17 WSM scope was part of their Multi-Turret Rimfire scope series and was manufactured for Cabela’s at an optical manufacturer in China.

Is the Cabelas EXT reticle any good?

The EXT reticle is not a proprietary reticle design owned by Cabela’s, as several other rifle scope makers and brands offer a version of the EXT reticle.

This reticle features bullet drop compensation marks or hashes positioned along the lower portion of the vertical axis of the reticle.

When configured correctly, those hash marks can be used to compensate for bullet drop when shooting at longer distances.

I like the EXT reticle as it’s basically a slightly modified BDC reticle, and I find it ideal for hunting and target shooting. Also, should one opt not to use the BDC functionality, the EXT reticle still functions well as a traditional duplex.

The only drawback to the EXT design is that it does not offer any marks on the horizontal reticle axis to account for wind drift at longer ranges.

Are Cabela’s brand scopes good?

Before I answer this question, here’s my caveat: Evaluating a product being good or bad is always tricky as the answer is wholly based on one’s opinion.

Cabela’s brand of scopes as a whole offers a wide range of models that cover almost every shooting or hunting need. In addition, that range of scopes includes models with a broad range of optical quality, which is a common factor determining how the quality level of a rifle scope.

• Some of the Cabela’s brands, like the models specifically made by Meopta and Vortex, have good to excellent optical quality and performance.
• Some of the Cabela’s scope models made in Japan feature good optical quality for the money.
• Most of the Cabela’s models made in China are middle-of-the-road to lower-end optical quality.

So, here’s my official answer: Some of the Cabela’s scopes are good, some are mediocre, some are meh, and some are simply not good at all.

The better-quality models tend to cost more than the lower-quality models on the new and used market.

Are the Cabelas FFP scope models any good?

The answer depends on which Cabela’s FFP scope model being discussed, as Cabela’s offers more than one FFP riflescope series.

The Cabela’s Covenant 5 and Covenant 7 model FFP scopes seem to be brighter and of better quality than the standard Cabela’s Covenant series of scopes. To me, the standard Covenant series of FFP scope models are entry-level FFP scopes, at best.

The Cabela’s CX PRO HD scope is their current top-of-the-line FFP offering. I found the Covenant 7 FFP and the CX PRO HD models to be much better than expected for the cost and the fact that they are made in China.

Where are Cabelas Covenant scopes made?

The Cabela’s Covenant series of riflescopes are offered in a few different versions, including:

• Covenant Tactical
• Covenant 4 Scope (only briefly offered)
• Covenant 5 FFP
• Covenant 7 FFP

All the Cabela’s Covenant scopes are produced at an optical manufacturing facility located in China.

Does Leupold make any scopes for Cabela’s?

Leupold does not and has not produced or manufactured any scopes for the Cabela’s brand.

However, in , Leupold introduced a scope model called the Leupold American Marksman model that was originally a Cabela’s exclusive.

This means that when the scope was first introduced for a certain amount of time, Cabela’s was the only vendor that could offer this scope model for sale.

To my knowledge, that’s as close as Leupold has been to producing or making a Cabela’s branded rifle scope.

Hopefully you found this information helpful, and I&#;ll update this page if I come across any new information.

SAN JOSE &#; It springs up beside the Almaden Expressway like a bucketmouth bass on steroids. Rising above the big-box Bacchanalia unfolding in this suburban San Jose neighborhood, the Bay Area&#;s first Bass Pro shop is not simply a store &#; it&#;s a retail theme park, puffing up its ,square-foot chest like it&#;s picking a fight with the 93,square-foot Walmart Supercenter down the street.

&#;This,&#; Mekkers said as he took in the sea of dropped jaws, &#;is the best part of my job &#; just seeing that look of amazement on their faces. You step inside and it&#;s an explosion to the senses; we&#;re going for the full experience.&#;

Calling this a &#;shop&#; is the height of understatement, as Mekkers and his promotions coordinator, Megan O&#;Connor, happily point out at every turn. Start with the walls, covered three stories high with murals of fishing and hunting scenes around California. &#;Every square inch of it was painted by hand,&#; said Mekkers. He was echoed by O&#;Connor, who added that &#;every time we stepped out of our offices there is something new on the walls.&#;

Look up and you&#;ll see a Sistine Chapel devoted to the Sierra Nevada. Look down at the polished and colored concrete floor and, Mekkers said, &#;you&#;ll see a fossil of a California condor etched into the stone.&#; To the right in the foyer is a gigantic walk-in fireplace, &#;6-and-a-half feet square,&#; he said, &#;as big as me squared.&#; Rocks weighing what the GM said are &#;several tons each&#; frame the hearth, conjuring up images of the lodges at Yosemite or Grand Teton.

Push through the turnstiles and the smorgasbord is served: a boating department stocked with fishing vessels manufactured by Bass, sold right off the floor, and then kept primed and prettified nearby in the four-bay service department; a fishing area stuffed to the gills with high-tech toys like fish-finders that can go for as much as $3,; a fly-fishing corner where customers can take fly-tying seminars; and, just for the heck of it, an 11,gallon freshwater fish tank at the back of the store with several species of bass, sturgeon, carp and catfish, all cruising under the watchful eye of the resident aquarist who, Mekkers said, &#;does nothing but handle the health of the fish. We want the fish to be happy.&#;

The fish aren&#;t the only ones. So is Sandra Echer, who came from Milpitas with her 4-year-old son, Dominic, to take it all in. Her husband, Dave, a hunting aficionado who works as a technician for AT&T, had already been to the store three times since its Oct. 28 opening.

&#;I&#;m excited Bass is here,&#; she said. &#;The Bay Area needs a store like this. You step inside, and you&#;re transported into another world. It makes you want to go camping and fishing and do more family stuff.&#;

That was music to Mekkers&#; ears. While this place is still a testosterone-fueled emporium (sausage-making machine, anyone?), Bass&#; own research shows that women are increasingly taking up hunting and fishing.&#;We now sells bows and firearms especially designed for women,&#; Mekkers said, pointing out camouflage vests, jackets and backpacks targeted toward the softer side of shooting.

Adding contrast to the more macho displays of ammo cans, spotting scopes and lever-action rifles is the store&#;s decor. It was created by a team of about 50 artists and decorators who left not just murals, but also buck, deer and wild boar stuffed by taxidermists and then perched overhead so they look as if they&#;re stepping right out of the painted landscapes. &#;The natural ambience they&#;ve created,&#; said shopper Therese Haubenstein of San Jose, &#;is so impressive.&#; Her husband, Mark, said the outdoors theme is a welcome antidote to Silicon Valley&#;s primary claim to fame.

&#;This shows that it&#;s not all about just high-tech around here,&#; he said, praising the in-the-wild feel of the interior design. &#;San Jose deserves a destination store like this. When you leave this place, you feel like you&#;ve gone somewhere beautiful, like you&#;ve stepped into another world.&#;

Mekkers moved slowly through the store, like a hulking outdoorsman in search of a customer with a concern, question or compliment. He pointed out turkey fryers, grills and an $1, charcoal-and-wood smoker: &#;That one&#;s the MacDaddy if you&#;re into grilling and smoking,&#; he said, which means it&#;s the macho man of the BBQ set.

And while the chain doesn&#;t carry what Mekkers calls &#;stick and bat&#; equipment, they&#;ve got plenty to satisfy the most demanding huntsman and angler, as well as their young children, many of whom were on hand this day.

As he wound his way past footware and special dog collars equipped with GPS (&#;We cater to bird dogs.&#;), then made a detour through the store&#;s restaurant/bar and lane bowling alley with a nautical theme (think shipwreck at the bottom of the sea as your dining venue), Mekkers was clearly as proud as the father of a newborn baby.

Then he made his way lemming-like back to the foyer at the main entrance, back to that happy place where a fire crackled in the hearth as outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes stream in through the giant front doors, each one greeted by the bigger-than-life general manager of a bigger-than-life kind of store.

Contact Patrick May at or follow him at Twitter.com/patmaymerc

Everything’s bigger in Texas and that includes big game! So, it’s a good thing that weekend hunting trips with your buddies don't have to stop because of COVID And, since the show goes on, we thought you might need some new hunting gear and equipment. ‘Tis the season for great deals, so we did some hunting to find the best deals for you.

At Bass Pro Shops, you can save up to 55% off hunting season essentials. Stay dry with a pair of waterproof rain pants for $ and keep it cool with the Under Armour scent control shirt for only $

RedHead Squaltex BONE-DRY Waterproof Rain Pants With SCENTINEL For Men - TrueTimber MC2

RedHead

www.basspro.com/

$

Shop Now

Cabela's Lightweight Performance Short-Sleeve T-Shirt for Men

Cabela's

basspro.com

$

Shop Now

Firefield Spotting Scope Kit

Firefield

basspro.com

$

Shop Now

Vortex GlassPak Binocular Harness

Vortex

basspro.com

$

Shop Now

Irish Setter Ravine Insulated Waterproof Hunting Boots For Men

Irish Setter

Bass Pro Shops

$

Shop Now

Irish Setter Ravine Insulated Waterproof Hunting Boots For Men

Irish Setter

basspro.com

$

Shop Now

Drake Waterfowl Systems MST Layering Vest For Men

Drake Waterfowl Systems

basspro.com

$

Shop Now

Hearst Newspapers participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. 

Colin Daniels is a Local Deals Curator for Hearst Newspapers. Email him at [email protected]