Shopping for an outdoor person can be a daunting task, especially if you aren’t familiar with what your outdoors person uses or needs. I will include some basic tips that should help you find the perfect gift.
ELECTRIC SMOKER I’ve said many times that the one outdoor item that it would be tough to live without is my Smokin Tex (www.smokintex.com) electric smoker. These smokers come in various sizes and are built to last. I have cooked hundreds if not thousands of pounds of game and domestic meats on mine through the years. Smokers come in many price ranges and you get what you pay for. These units are great, long term investments.
BIG GAME TAGGING KIT How many times have you harvested a deer just before the close of legal shooting time and fumble around looking for a flashlight, pen to fill out the tag and some way of snipping out the tiny “V” for the date of harvest? Those days are over if you carry a Big Game Tagging Kit from Vineyard Max (www.vineyardmax.net). These little kits come with everything needed to make tagging your deer, even in the dark, easy. With a lighted pen, snipper to cut out the date, reusable snap ties, pockets for licenses, tags and ID and trail markers these kits make ideal stocking stuffers for the big game hunter. Larry Weishuhn’s signature hunting knives are also available through the Vineyard Max website.
OUTDOOR BOOKS Larry Weishuhn and I co wrote a couple of books , “ Poor Man’s Grizzly”, all about hog
hunting and “Campfire Talk” which is chock full of hunting tales written by these two very veteran authors. Larry’s book “Whitetail Addictions” is also available. Signed copies are available through www.larryweishuhn.net.
THERMAL SCOPE FOR NIGHT HUNTING The cost of thermal scopes has dropped appreciably the past few
years, thanks to improved manufacturing advancements. Today, a very serviceable scope for night hunting hogs and predators out to about 100 yards is available through AGM Global Vision www.agmglobalvision.com for under a thousand dollars. The Rattler V2 comes with onboard camera that also records audio and is a great buy for folks that keep their shots relatively close.
JUG LINES FOR CATFISHING Setting out a few ‘jug lines’ while rod and reel fishing is a great way to put
together a catfish fish fry. Doug’s Jugs www.dougsjugs.com makes quality jug lines from swimming pool noodles and PVC pipe. These noodles come fully rigged with sharp circle hooks and stout line that will hold the big ones. Conventional homemade jug lines work but they are extremely unhandy to store and
handle in a boat, these noodle jugs take up little space in a boat and are very easy to work with.
GUIDED FISHING OR HUNTING TRIP Even the most veteran fisherman or hunter enjoys fishing new waters or hunting different area with a veteran guide. Most guides offer gift certificates. It’s always best to check some references before booking a trip. Chances are good that your outdoor person has a circle of friends that you can quiz about a trip that would be perfectly suited. Guided hunting tips can be tailored to suit the interest of the individual, everything from a day upland bird hunt on a quality facility to a late season deer hunt on a hunting ranch. Prices vary greatly, everything from day hunts to hunts that include food, meals and lodging. Again, if you are not comfortable choosing a hunt, consult with your outdoor person’s friends, they can be of great help in helping choose the ‘just right’ outing.
FIREARMS OR HUNTING BOWS Choosing a new rifle, shotgun or bow is a personal thing and you will want to do a bit of research before making the purchase. A deer hunter doesn’t want just “a gun”. He or she wants a particular action, caliber or gauge shotgun. Rather than guess, it’s much better to give a gift certificate at a gun store which will allow your hunter to choose the firearm that suits his needs. Bows are even more specialized, with the exception of a crossbow which usually is a universal fit. Compounds bows come in different draw lengths, draw weights, etc. A bow that fits a person 5' ft 5” tall with a 26 inch draw length is next to useless to someone 6-foot-tall with a 30-inch draw length. It’s always best to shop for bows at a quality bow shop rather than a big package store, in my opinion. Experienced bow technicians can be of great help not only choosing but setting up a new bow. A gift certificate is always a
good bet when gifting a bow.
PRE PAID PASSES TO PARKS FOR CAMPING For the camper on your shopping list, consider a pre paid cabin, RV space with hookups at a nice RV Park. One such destination that comes to mind is Wind Park Park http://www.windpointparktx.com/ on Lake Tawakoni. The park offers cabins, both large and small, lakeside RV spaces and hookups in the wooded area in the interior of the park. With a couple of fishing piers that provide good action on catfish both summer and winter and a large herd of deer to observe and photograph, this is a place that I highly recommend. Chances are very good with a bit or research you can find a quality park close to you home that would be a great destination for the camper on your shopping list.
SAUSAGE AND JERKY MAKING Chances are good many of the hunters on your list butcher their own game and make sausage, cure hams, etc. Butcher Packer Supply www.butcher-packer.com is a one stop shop for spices, meat grinders, seasoning, knives, etc., everything for the home butcher. Visit the website and you will see hundreds of useful items to choose from.
HUNTING OPTICS Stealth Vision www.stealthvision.com, a Texas company headquartered in Crockett, offers top of the line rifle scopes and binoculars. Through the years, I’ve used many, many rifle scopes and these are the best I’ve used, hands down. The company also offers custom rifles topped with their
scopes that offer half-minute angle accuracy. For the hunter/rifle shooter on your list, this would be a great gift. The company invites customers to the lodge near Crockett, Tx. to try out the rifle/scopes and choose the one that is best suited to their needs.
Hopefully one of these contacts will help you with your Christmas Shopping this year. I’ve had personal experience with everything listed and give them all a bit ‘thumbs up’. Happy shopping!
Listen to Luke’s weekly podcast each week, “Catfish Radio with Luke Clayton and Friends” available everywhere podcast are hosted.
