"Preview the new Cabela's, open today"
Article published Aug 25, 2006
by Rober Phillips and Pete Zimowsky
Preview the new Cabela's, open today
Roger and Zimo explore the sporting goods legend's vast new Boise store
We got a chance at a sneak preview of Cabela’s new store Thursday afternoon, and you can bet your last No. 2 steel shot load that we took it faster than you could drop a mallard coming into the decoys.
Decoys! Heck, there are between 150,000 and 175,000 unique items in the 132,000-square-foot super outdoors store, and that’s not counting the regular stuff they sell.
It was tough for us to stay focused because this was an official assignment, and we couldn’t buy anything. But someone had to give you a preview of the opening day, which is today.
Here goes. Zimo and Roger unleashed in Cabela’s:
Zimo: Roger, Roger, forget the big polar bear. Look at this fully furnished wall tent. It’s got cots, sleeping bags, a stove and a whole kitchen set. What a way to relax in elk camp.
Roger: Pete, you’ve seen wall tents before, check out the Conservation Mountain - it’s like a museum.
Lording over the two-story display of stuffed animals is the Grand Slam of sheep. It’s one of North America’s greatest hunting accomplishments to get all four species of wild sheep. There’s some world-class elk, mule deer and whitetails as well.
But you would expect those at a Cabela’s store. Check out the polar bear, musk ox and arctic fox, and around the corner are pronghorns and ground squirrels.
Several unique ecosystems are represented. Look on the ground near that big bull elk. That’s a spruce grouse.
I usually prefer live animals to stuffed ones, but I will make an exception with that stuffed skunk. It smells a lot better than the real thing.
Zimo: Sheep, sleep. You’ve got to see this Cabela’s cot tent. It unfolds into a cot wrapped in a tent. What convenience. You just crawl inside and go to sleep. And, you’re off the ground. My back would love this thing.
Roger: I’m heading back to the General Store. They’re making fudge in there.
I just sampled the Moose Drool Chocolate fudge. It’s one of about 30 varieties they make right in the store. The Moose Drool has peanut butter cups, walnuts, marshmallows and drizzled whipped carmel in it.
The General Store also is educational. Did you know “penuchi” is brown sugar? I didn’t. You can learn a lot hanging out at the fudge counter.
Zimo: Fudge, smudge (OK, it really did taste good). Look over here at this beavertail canoe paddle. I’ve been looking everywhere for a beavertail canoe paddle. They’re great for whitewater paddling.
Roger: Canoe paddle? I can sit around in my underwear and order one of those from the Cabela’s catalog.
You’ve got to see the Elmer Keith exhibit. He was one of Idaho’s most famous gun writers.
You’ve really got to tip your 10-gallon hat to the folks at Cabela’s who took the idea of an Elmer Keith museum and ran with it.
Elmer’s son, Ted, who lives in Nampa, and his friend Al Marion of Garden Valley planted the idea with Cabela’s top honchos back in November. Elmer’s stuff was spread all over the state, and they thought Cabela’s would be a great place to gather it for public display.
The store has a whole wing devoted to the writer, and there’s more stuff to come. I bet ol’ Elmer would give a big “aw shucks” and be mighty proud of how they recreated his writing den and displayed some of his big game trophies and favorite firearms.
Zimo: There are decoys flying around the store. Flying duck decoys. Yikes!
Wait, look over here, there are a ton of Wiggle Warts in all colors. The steelhead love them. I like the blues and greens. And look at these huge rainbow trout pillows. My grandkid’s going to love one of these.
Roger: Pulling you away from that fishing gear and other stuff is tougher than hauling a “B” run steelhead out of the Clearwater. How about looking at all these fish swimming around in the big aquariums? There’s a catfish as big as my leg in there.
It looks like Brownlee Reservoir in one of the tanks. It’s got bass, crappie, perch, bluegill and pike.
The other tank has lots of fat trout, but it looks like they had a rough trip getting there. Their fins and tails look pretty tattered. But it’s still fun to look at them, especially those goofy golden rainbow trout that you see in Hagerman. Kids will love those.
Zimo: Who wants to look at fish? I’d rather fish and hunt.
Look, this pair of waders has a clip-on shotgun shell holder. Do you know how many times I lose shotgun shells out of my pocket while duck hunting? These are awesome. Mine have holes in them.
Roger: Sorry, Pete, but you’re not going to get me out of this African diorama for waders. I’ve been fascinated with Africa since growing up with Marlon Perkins and Jim Fowler on Wild Kingdom.
It’s pretty neat seeing zebra, lion and rhino in the diorama. It’s even cooler seeing lesser-known members of the antelope family like kudu, klipspringer, duiker and gerenuk. You don’t get a chance to see those in Idaho every day.
Zimo: Look at all these spices, and there’s a jerky-making kit. ... Somehow rhino jerky doesn’t sound good.
Look here, full-body coyote, deer, turkey and bear targets for bow hunters, purple Crocs, camp PJs, a camo steering wheel for your truck, wood stove for a wall tent, Cajun duck marinade.
Quit blowing that elk call.
Whew!
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