Across the nation, the push to socially distance in light of COVID-19 has led to many people spending more time in the Great Outdoors.
So it’s no surprise that in a place such as Cody, with so much territory to explore, people are taking advantage even more than before.
At Roger’s Sports Center, demand for vehicles has kept the staff busy. People want to spend their time in the outdoors, one of the few activities that remain largely untouched by the pandemic. Roger’s specializes in power sports, and co-owner Jenni Rosencranse said the coronavirus has pushed sales to record heights while delays from the manufacturers have kept their showroom empty.
“I could have never predicted the year that we’ve had, I think nobody could, but I’m in the outdoor recreation business and people can’t go do other things.” Rosencranse said. “We’ve had lots of people say, ‘Well, our anniversary trip to Alaska was canceled,’ or, ‘Our family trip to Hawaii was canceled, so we want to spend the money on doing something as a family that we can enjoy in our backyard.’”
Just as with RVs and campers, people are snapping up ATVs and side-by-sides whenever they can. As with so many other industries, a spike in demand and delays at the factory have made it difficult for Rosencranse to get her customers what they’ve ordered.
“I have probably 30 to 40 units that I have down payments on that I don’t have yet, and people are waiting patiently to get them,” she said. “Then I have some that are here that are sold that accessories are back-ordered so I can’t really deliver them without the accessories. So it may look like I have stuff in my showroom, but almost everything out there is sold. I’m just waiting on accessories.”
Rocky Mountain Discount Sports is well stocked with ice fishing gear. Manager Madison Pendley said it’s because they learned their lesson from the spring and summer – more people are fishing.
“There’s lots of new people, lots of families, and I think that’s neat to see,” she said. “Fishing lures have been as hard to get as anything.”
She said the surge of equipment sales started alongside the first wave of COVID-19 restrictions in the spring that kept many people at home. It’s been mostly spin casting equipment that has left the shelves – more beginner-friendly and less-costly than getting into fly fishing.
With that in mind, Pendley said there hasn’t been the same boost in sales of hunting equipment, aside from regular hunters purchasing equipment to process their harvests themselves.
She saw two main reasons why fishing gear, but not hunting gear, was in such high demand.
“Fishing is cheaper, you can go out and buy a pole and you have $50 into it, versus hundreds for hunting,” she said. “And Wyoming people tend to keep guns and ammo on hand.”
While there is an ammo shortage and many guns are on back-order, that’s been focused on self-defense guns and ammo. So, while there are still plenty of boxes of birdshot available at the Cody store, staff are expecting people to start flocking to ice fishing equipment – just as soon as it gets cold enough.
Alta Clark, a manager at Sunlight Sports, said her store has seen an uptick in the sale of winter goods this year. Clark said this has most notably included an increase of backcountry touring gear that can take individuals off-trail into the wilderness.
“It’s selling really, really well,” Clark said.
It’s no surprise that skiers and snowboarders are seeking backcountry pursuits to escape the possible congestion of lift lines and base lodges during the pandemic. She said even ski area employees have been purchasing gear that gives them the opportunity to hike uphill.
The sales at Sunlight Sports follow a trend being seen throughout the West, leading to corresponding fears of heavy crowding at backcountry trailheads in higher population states like Colorado and Montana.
Clark said this trend has also followed for snowshoe sales as well. The store purchased higher-end snowshoes when compared to prior years this year, but still sold more product, with only 25% of total inventory remaining as of Monday.
Clark said people should use caution before heading out into the backcountry.
“Have great friends with you – people that know what they’re doing and are going to watch your back,” she said.
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