Bass Pro run? Say less.
Bass Pro Shops (or Cabela’s, I generally refer to them all as Bass Pro… sorry) is a magical place for any outdoorsman, but really, anybody is going to have a good time there. We all saw the Norwegian World Cup tourists who visited one for the first time… they were in absolute awe.
Even my kids (both under five) love it there. Whether it’s staring at the massive fish tanks, walking through the museum-quality taxidermy displays, meeting Santa Claus (yes, I take my kids to Bass Pro, not the shopping mall), or just helping Dad pick out some soft plastics, it truly is fun for the whole family.
However, sometimes a trip to Bass Pro is strictly business. And as one Wisconsin man recently proved, time is of the essence.
The 20-Minute Chopper Run
According to CBS, a Wisconsin man had the police called on him at a Cabela’s location in Richfield, Wisconsin, after he casually landed a helicopter in the parking lot.
Onlookers naturally assumed there was a mechanical problem and that it was an emergency landing. However, the 69-year-old pilot confessed that the drive from his home in Rosendale (about 50 miles away) was simply “too far” to drive, and that he could just fly there in about 20 minutes instead.
Dennis Pipping, a Wisconsin helicopter pilot who owns an agricultural concrete business and flies a few times a week, says taking the chopper is quicker, more enjoyable, and honestly, not that different from how folks normally get around up north:
“Part of it is for fun, and the other part is it’s a lot faster. The first time I stopped at Cabela’s, I came out and there were about 30 cell phones staring at me… It’s no different than taking your snowmobile in the winter and going to a restaurant and getting something to eat.”
No argument there.
Is It Actually Legal?
As it turns out, there is absolutely nothing illegal about landing your helicopter in a private parking lot, and Pipping says he’ll keep doing it as long as Cabela’s doesn’t have a problem with it. And guess what? They don’t.
Believe it or not, this specific Cabela’s in Richfield is the exact same location I go to regularly (although I have to make the 40-minute drive like a peasant), and the parking lot is absolutely massive. Trust me, he can easily land a helicopter out there and be nowhere close to scratching another car or endangering any other shoppers. The next time I go, I’ll have to keep an eye out of Pipping and his chopper.
However, Wisconsin is full of great local fishing and hunting shops, and I’d venture to guess Pipping doesn’t have to go all the way to Cabela’s to get what he needs. But hey, when you can just fire up the chopper and fly there in 20 minutes… why not?
