Sportsmen's Catalogue

My Cabela's Master Catalogue arrived yesterday. This hardcover tome is a 1270 plus page resource for everything a Sportsman or Outdoorsman could need or want.I am always reminded of a little General Store in the Adirondacks that features a sign in the front window which reads:" If we don't have it...you don't need it."

This bold statement is perfectly applicable to the Cabela's Catalogue. A hunter can find 30 or 40 types of gloves for Waterfowling or Upland game hunting in all weather conditions and in numerous camo patterns. The pages contain every type of wader and waterproof boot for duck hunting or fly-fishing. There are countless selections of hiking and hunting boots which will fit your need regardless of whether you are hunting Grouse in Sullivan County PA or chasing Elk in New Mexico. Need a Camo Balaklava in Max HD camo fleece...got it. Any kind of hat in any camo pattern or blaze orange lives in these pages. Need a wall tent and a collapsible tin stove to heat it?...got it. How about a gun rack for your ATV?...got it. Shoes for sailing,fishing, or running...got 'em. Jeans, camo and denim...polo shirts...archery hunting supplies...a gun safe...platform for your Lab to sit on on your duck boat....lay-out blind for goose hunting....pop-up blind for deer or turkey hunting...goose decoys...duck decoys...turkey calls...camo pattern burlap...replacement boat seats...canoe paddles....it's all there.

I hate to admit it, but Cabela's has really eclipsed L.L Bean in the realm of hunting and fishing outfitting.

Trolling thru some of the blogs I follow one can see frequent reverential references to J. Press or Brooks catalogues and the like. The flimsy menu of blazers, button downs, and bow ties contained therein are light work and flummery compared to the 5 lbs hard cover behemoth containing a vast banquet of gear that Cabela's slings out to the select hunting faithful.

The Tradsters and Preps hyper each other into a frenzy over madras,monk straps and mohair. Sportsmen salivate over a new full rig of flocked -head big foot goose decoys or a
wading jacket in new duck blind camo pattern or new Ducks Unlimited logo mud mats for the truck.

The beach babe over at Summerzaverb often refers to her hopes that UPS does not show up with her giant order of prep-wear when her Husband is home...I have a similar problem when a big Tyvek envelope shows up at my house emblazoned with Cabela's distinctive trade dress.
I'll come home from the office and my lovely Wife will yell from the kitchen, with an affectionate tone of sarcasm,..."There's a Cabela's package on the front porch...I guess you needed some more hunting crap huh..!?!"