RE: Wal-Mart
I've seen a similar trend in the last few years in our local Super Wallyworld, which is only 6 years old, and asked the sporting goods manager...
Here was the reply (of course greatly condensed and paraphrased):
Because seasonal hunting supplies are classified as annual seasonal items (grouped with Holiday decorations, LOL), they are clearanced by the Home Office in each store on specified dates.
In our store, beginning the second full year of business, the department was only selling ~25% of the inventory at full price, with the latter 75% sold below cost. SO...the Home Office decided to greatly reduce the principle inventory, so they could recover more of their initial investment.
So in a nutshell, we (the hunters) quickly determined (after the first season) that everything would be clearanced immediately after the season ended. Hence, beginning the second year of their opening, we (the hunters) bought everything on clearance, except for the occassional newby who "needed" it before the season...
IMO, you can lambaste Wallyworld all you want, but they are a shrewd business and never lose sight of the bottom line---they way a successful business NEEDS to operate to stay open...