I posted this over on Glock Talk and, by request, am repeating it here. I understand Bass Pro is considering a store location in MN and some members of this forum may be interested in their firearms related policies/actions.


This incident occurred in Georgia, where open and concealed carry are unquestiably legal with a GFL (Georgia Firearms License).




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Hey hey, what do you know, I finally have something worth reporting.

I visited a Bass Pro Shop today. I have openly carried to this particular store at least four times previous, probably more like six times previous, and have even interacted with multiple employees before.

This is a first, for me: When I entered:



Employee: Do you have a license for that? [motions at gun on hip]

Me: Yes.

Employee: Can I see it?

Me: I prefer not to show anything to anybody othe than law enforcement.

Employee: To paraphrase: Our policy requires us to see the license if you want to carry it openly. I decided it was reasonable and quickly showed him the license, he looked at the expiration date very quickly, said thank you, and on I went, with a smile.

I noticed he then got on the phone for an extended conversation.

A short time later I was approached by a regular looking guy in jeans and a T-shirt who identified himself as loss prevention and asked if I had a badge for that. I said no. He said that a Georgia concealed weapons permit, which is what it sounded like I had, allowed concealed.....I broke in and explained the whole "it's not a concealed...it's a GFL..open or concealed is legal....in GA open carry is legal..." to which he responded with the store policy angle. I could cover the weapon or they could put a trigger lock on it. Those were the options I was given. I said "Then I will just leave." And turned around and started to walk to the front of the store. There was another customer, a man in his 50's maybe, who approached both of us, asked if it was what he thought it was (more or less) and said that he thought it was crap, and he talked to XYZ person about it, and that it wasn't a concealed license he had one he knew the laws I was perfectly legal so it would have to be a store policy, etc...

I stoppd at customer service on the way out and they called the manager down. I asked him what the policy was (and I asked about the loss prevention guy as he never showed ID and I never asked, he verified he worked there and was within his power), he says the policy is what I was told.....cover it up or put a trigger lock on. I told him how many other times I had openly carried there and the manager stated that he was shocked beause they were not doing their job all those times everybody ignored the gun. He apologized for the inconvenience but that was their policy and as a private business they had that right. I agreed, they certainly did, and now that I knew I would be leaving and not returning (they are usually over priced anyway).



My dad and brother are visiting from Indiana, they never seem to be able to believe that I openly carry everywhere, all the time, adn nobody ever says anything. I told them they are bad luck, this is the first and thus far only time any employee (or LEO) has ever asked or said anything. Go figure.





So no more Bass Pro Shops for me.






Edit: I talked at length to the other customer and hopefully he will join the GA grassroots 2A group, Georgia Carry.org.

While it maybe legal, I see little advantage in open carry.. If you're in a situation where the BG see's you before you see him, it becomes a shoot me first sign. If it's for a faster draw, situational/area awareness easily is the more important. ( the BG will mostlikely already have his weapon out)
If it's for "show", he needs to rethink his whole reason for carrying in the first place. There's other ways to be very pro 2A. My opinion and nothing more.
Be safe.

Your opinion has nothing to do with Bass Pro's treatment of legal carrying citizens..

Jim, with respect, as you are a long-time poster - the open-carry debate will go on and on. The fact of the matter is that Bass Pro asked that the pistol be covered up, not removed, and the guest was not asked to leave the store. Open carrying in a "pro-carry" establishment is a blast (forgive the pun) but open carry in a traditional retail environment is often looked upon as flaunting the right to carry and only gives the anti's more motivation to create more restrictive laws. In my opinion, (and that is what this board is for I believe) out of sight and ready for use is my standing SOP.

I personally prefer carrying concealed, but I still see the BPS position as anti-carry and will not do business with them either.

The originasl post wasn't about a open carry debate. It was about how a sports store policy effects open carry customers.

My belief is that if a store sells guns, they should not restrict the carrying (open or otherwise) of them. Sure, as a private business they can do what they please, which is fine, but well, maybe they should put a bed sheet over all of their gun selection so they don't scare off the anti-gun folks who shop there...

Is a holstered gun going to jump out and start shooting? No, just like the guns sitting in a shelf won't. (Yeah, I know those ones aren't loaded...)

Just my thoughts.

Just because one "may" be able to do something, or they "can" do something, doesn't necessarily mean doing it is a good decision. The store made a decision. They are well within their rights, and someone open carrying would be well within their rights to leave at that point.

Simply because a store sells "X" does not mean that they must provide "Y" or "Z".

How many gun stores have signs directing patrons not to keep their hands in their pockets? Same difference.

Gander Mountain may be overpriced (and downright stupid when it comes to their handling of carry classes), but they've never hassled me for open carry.

Come to think of it, neither has Target, Cub, or anywhere else I've open carried -- and that includes the synagogue I stopped in to last week.

+1

A letter to Bass Pro headquarters stating one's concern would best best in this situation.
I feel any store, especially a sportsmen store that doesn't allow a legal carry should be avoided and your money should be spent elsewhere supporting a store who honors our right to carry, however we choose..

United we stand, divided we'll fall, hard!

And fighting a non-issue might lead to our own demise.

Non issue?? A Sportsmen store that bans open carry?

No matter how you feel about open carry, Their stance is wrong and hurts our rights as gun owners.

We should be able to enjoy our rights as gun owners, but they can't enjoy their rights (so to speak) as owners/ operators of their stores? They aren't banning carry, they just require it on their terms. We can either comply or not shop there, our right. I'd rather give my money to a more "local" shop anyway, that doesn't care how I carry.

JimC, You were totally correct that my earlier post wasn't completely on subject. Thank you for the correction. Sometimes my hands aren't completely connected to my brain.
Be safe. CraigJS

I do not want public goverment walking in and telling me what I can and can not do in my business, nor do I want government or anyone else telling a store what to do with their policies,


I want the store to look at facts, and to decide for themselves that such a policy is not only stupid but counterproductive. Therefore, write them a calm, detailed letter, describe how its seen by others of the shooting community, and include cites of blogs or other forums where they are getting ripped. DO not try to get Govt involved. Do not make it a big deal externally with news coverage etc, make it private, make it powerful, and make it positive, that changes companies minds. Backed into a corner, they are tending to become very passive aggressive and resistant.

while I like Mom n Pops stores, I do say that i really like the big boxes for comparisons and stuff mom n pops can not afford to stock in wide size ranges.