When you have hunters, trappers, anglers or campers on your holiday shopping list, you can’t claim they make gift-giving difficult because “they already have everything.”
Why? Because outdoors-folks never have enough gear.
If you can’t find a good idea on my list that follows, visit a gun shop, archery pro shop, bait-and-tackle shop, Scheels, Cabela’s, Fleet Farm or Dick’s Sporting Goods and ask a pro for help. They regularly handle desperate gift-shoppers, and can offer suggestions you’d never think of on your own.
And if that doesn’t work, just buy your loved ones a gift card and let them decide how to use it.
With that, I offer this year’s gift ideas:
Danielle Prewett, a leading culinary creator and founder of Wild+Whole, debuts her first cookbook. “MeatEater’s Wild+Whole” offers over 80 seasonal recipes for cooking wild game and eating it consciously. Prewett thinks every meal should tell a story, and believes sustainable eating starts by reawakening our connections to food based on the seasons and nature’s rhythms. Prewett’s book is available through local bookstores, Amazon or MeatEater's website (www.themeateater.com/).
I never wore fishing gloves until this past summer. Once a couple of friends suggested them, however, I’ll never go back to bare-handed fish handling, especially when the action is fast and I’m constantly unhooking perch, bluegills and crappies. Fishing gloves also work great for cleaning fish. I haven’t yet settled on my favorite pair, but I keep a couple of pairs costing from $8 to $30 in both of my fishing boats.
Whether I’m studying and “scouting” new hunting areas in Western states, “exploring” backwater fishing holes I’ve yet to visit on the Chippewa River, or just snooping around to learn who owns the property behind our neighborhood’s dead-end road, I constantly use the onX Hunt app (www.onxmaps.com) on my iPhone. This app also lets users download maps and aerial photos of sites too remote for internet access before leaving home, and then navigate them easily once onsite in the backcountry.
If you like stuffing all your clothes into one duffel bag for hunting and camping trips, you need a bag you can throw into your boat, tent or truck bed without worrying about water sneaking in or dust settling inside while riding dirt trails on your ATV. Check out the fully airtight and waterproof duffels from Rugid Gear (www.rugidgear.com) of Three Lakes, Wisconsin. The RGD lineup offers three colors of duffel bags in 40-, 70-, 90- and 120-liter sizes.
Whether you’re gearing up for late-season deer hunts or the spring wild-turkey season, check out the special deals from Gamehide (www.gamehide.com) on its Wild Systems Parka, Whitetail Pant/Bib and Turkey Vest. The Wild Systems Parka is available in blaze-orange, Naked North camo-orange, and Realtree Edge or Mossy Oak DNA.
If you want a solid, comfortable hunting boot for deer or elk, check out Irish Setter’s Terrain (irishsetterboots.com/hunting-boots). These tough, warm, waterproof boots come in 10-inch-tall models for ankle support and 1,200 grams of Thinsulate insulation for warmth. Further, TempsSens technology wicks moisture during hot weather while pulling moisture into a thermal barrier in cold weather to keep your feet comfortable.
Whether your favorite birdwatcher, nature-watcher or amateur astronomer wants a good spotting scope that works wherever they go, check out the Crossfire HD 16-48x65 spotting scope from Vortex Optics (www.vortexoptics.com). These reliable spotters deliver a wide field of view, and come with an Arca-Swiss compatible foot that mounts to most tripods.
If you’re scraping your knuckles when yanking on cheap hitch pins and “R” clips beneath your truck or SUV, try the Pinultimate Quick-Release Hitch Pin (www.pinultimate.com). This handy, durable pin secures your hitch easily by just pushing its button. It’s available in stainless steel or titanium, and it’s treated with Cerakote to prevent rust.
To help prepare for icefishing this winter, check out the deals on tungsten jigs from Widow Maker Lures (www.widowmakerlures.com). Widow Maker offers everything from single jigs to 123-piece jig kits in countless weights and colors.
Rapala (www.Rapala.com) isn’t just about fillet knives and artificial minnows. Its lineup also includes VMC Lures, Sufix fishing lines, Luhr Jensen, Storm Lures, 13 Fishing, StrikeMaster, Blue Fox, CrushCity and Williamson Lures. Whatever your budget, you’ll find something from Rapala to fill reels and entice fish strikes.
Whether you fillet fish at a cleaning station or atop your tailgate, cooler, picnic table, countertop or portable camping table, the job is easier than ever with a Fillet Away Fish mat (www.filletaway.com). No matter where you use this 14-by-19-inch mat, it won’t slip on the surface and it anchors your fish in one place. Meanwhile, excess water, blood and slime drains below the working surface of the mat’s pegs. When you finish, simply rinse the mat or swish it in the water. It won’t absorb oils or odors, and it’s available in black, orange or green.
The RazorPro G-Saw Combo from Outdoor Edge (www.outdooredge.com) has become my favorite hunting knife, game-saw and skinning-tool pack, whether I’m breaking down deer, elk or any other big game. Its knife uses replaceable razor-sharp blades that fold away when using the unit’s sturdy gutting/skinning blade. Plus, you can’t lose this tool when laying it down when working at night. Its rubberized blaze-orange handles are easy to see, and ensure a safe, non-slip grip. This combo pack also includes a 4.4-inch aluminum-handle folding saw with triple-ground teeth for cutting bone or wood.
Fishing gloves come in several fish-gripping textures, and in insulated and uninsulated models. All are affordable, making them ideal for everyone. — Patrick Durkin photo
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