US Border Crossing@ Glacier... Cabela's stop

[CaberTosser]

My wife, 5 month old son and I went for a trip down through the States ( Missoula, Coeur D'Alene, Grand Coulee) and back up through Osoyoos to Vernon for a 10 day holiday last week and had a great time. We encountered the first/perhaps only US Border guard with a sense of humor. After giving him our passports and Junior's birth certificate (which are pretty neat these days, btw), he asked the question if we have any fruit/vegetables/ammo/explosives/fireworks/medication, etc with us. I replied first that I was extra careful to have removed any ammo from the truck prior to coming down. He replied they don't much care if I had it, just that they like to know about it. Then the wife said we had Tylenol and her birth control pills, to which the guard replied "Good for you, sir!". No problems with the crossing, and a we found a crossing I'd like to visit again ....lol.

We stopped at Sportsmans Warehouse in Missoula, just lucked out in finding it driving by, as it was near our hotel. Nice store, and greats powder prices. I bought 3 lbs of Ramshot Tac for 15.99 a lb. Going west through I-90 we saw some Cabela's billboards, my eyes glazed over and my jaw started stammering and my wife gave the thumbs up. We spent 3 1/2 hours in there and she didn't even get bored as there was plenty for her to root through. Young Tristan scored himself some camo Jammies, a camo Cabela's sippy cup and a camo soother with Mom's assistance, as well as a few other bits including a $12 Columbia jacket for him. Mom found some sportswear and few things to feed us all. There was a pretty sizeable cafeteria with a big selection... including game meats, so we had wild boar sandwiches that were great. I found a few hunting clothing items and a few boxes of ammo I haven't seen up here yet ( Hornady LeverEvolution in .357 mag and some of their TAP loads in .45 ACP+P and .308).       

  I was fully prepared for declaring all my 'eyebrow raising' purchases upon our return at Canada Customs, but was pretty much passed through with the only questions being how much we spent and how long we were down, not even so much as a " Do you have anything you'd like to declare?". Hating paperwork as I do I didn't volunteer any info I wasn't asked and took the wave through with appreciation.

[AB2506]

Yep, the powder prices were quite low compared to here at Sportsman Warehouse. (There's one at Cour dalene and one at Spokane Valley). Don't forget the Black Sheep in Cour dalene. Some items there are low priced.

Cabelas is an experience not to be missed. The whole family enjoyed it.

One thing I noticed in the states, was how good the customer service is compared to here. It was awesome.

We don't have good customer service here in comparison. One clerk at Russell's still won't talk to me because I refused to listen to his advice in April 2007. (I was drawn for turkey, and from what I've read, you want small shot, so you have a dense pattern to at least get 8-10 pellet strikes in the head/neck area, you don't shoot them in the body. #4 shot is about as big as you want. I was trying to decide between 3" 1 7/8 oz copper plated #6 and 2 3/4" 1 5/8 oz copper plated #5 (they didn't have the 5s in 3" or I would have bought them as the best compromise). I asked the clerk which of the two choices he would select (he had been with his friend on a successful turkey hunt). He disregarded my choices and said "The biggest shot you can get" I asked if he meant I should choose 4s. He said "No the biggest you can get" I said "you don't mean 2s, BBs or even #4 buck?" Clerk replied "I told you the biggest you can get."

I couldn't believe that as it goes against everything I've read over the years.
I stated that I believed that he was in error and that I would go with the 3" #6. The clerk got all upset and asked if I wasn't going to listen to him, why did I ask his advice? Had I ever been on a successful turkey hunt? I should listen to him.

I apologized for not listening to his advice and tried to explain why (I believed he was wrong), but he wouldn't listen and walked away. Since then, he more or less ignores me, or is very curt and finds a reason to leave ASAP and help someone else.

No I haven't reported him, because, in reality, I could care less. I go where I find the product I want at the best price I can find, and therefore find I shop at many places. I just told the story as an example of what crappy service we have here.

At both Sportsman Warehouse in Spokane Valley (show you AB DL and pay no tax at most places in Washington) and at Cabelas, I spent hours trying on boots. The clerks who started with me, stayed with me, were polite and if they couldn't answer my questions, they found someone who could. They eagerly went and got each size or type/brand I needed to try. Excellent, excellent service, it blew me away.

I confirmed yesterday that Russell's was also bought by UFA. If BassPro (or the rumored Cabelas) have the same customer service and prices they do in the states, employees of Russell's and Wholesale had better pull up their socks or these stores may not survive long as people will flock to Basspro or Cabelas IMHO.

[diamond k]

I was in Great Falls last weekend and let me tell you the customer service at Scheels and Big R were unheard of here. I am sorry But I wont shop here in Canada anymore unless I have to. Besides I spent 1000 dollars last weekend and got 2000 dollars worth of stuff if I was to purchase here.

Diamond K

[roughneckin]

The Border Patrol at the Glacier crossing have always been good to me also. I was riding my motorcycle, crotchrocket as some may call it, across the one day and we had a great time BS'n for about 10-15 mins while there was no one in line.

[bobinthesky]

I visit the US quite a bit and shop at Cabela's, Bass pro, and just about any other place I can find. The selection is pretty good but I find that most of the Bass pro's don't have much in the way of reloading supplies. Bummer! The service however, makes our Canadian stores look pretty bad. We could learn a lot!
I was in Calgary's Whole sale sports a couple of days and listened to the clerk explain to customer who wanted to buy a 9mm handgun that it was a lady's gun and that he should buy a .45 instead! He pointed at the wall with the 1911 he was trying to sell while makeing shooting motions and told the customer that a real man would have one of those. This guy was about 50 years old and really does need to do some growing up. I don't think he's figured out yet that not all handgun purchasers want a gun to shoot people with!