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It’s that time of year again when you can’t think of anything to get for your loved one. If he or she hunts, or wants to get outdoors a little more, here are ten ideas that will actually get used rather than put in a drawer.
Everything below is something I use or would happily be given. Prices are what they were when I last checked and they move around, so treat them as a bracket rather than a quote.
Under $50 — stocking stuffers
1 · Around $79 for a four-pack
Never lose your keys in the woods. There’s nothing like the feeling of losing your keys in the wild. A Tile tracker prevents it. Simple to set up with a phone, the tag goes on the key ring, and you can ring it from the truck. Buy the multi-pack and put one on a pack and a rifle case too. They are Life360-branded now, same product.
2 · $34 and up
Save your backside. Any hunter can use a good seat, and I have two favorites. I use a swivel tripod stool on almost every hunt — deer, elk, turkey, coyotes, or out camping with the family. Extremely comfortable for the size and the price.
The other is a foam seat cushion you snap to your belt, so you are not carrying it in already-full hands. A must for any deer, turkey, waterfowl or coyote hunter. I do a lot of wildlife photography too and it saves me from a dead leg quite often.
3 · Around $39
Keep the guns clean. Every hunter needs to take the time to clean their weapons to stay on top of their game. A universal kit like this makes it easy, and it covers every caliber in the cabinet — rifle, pistol, shotgun and muzzleloader.
$50 to $100 — the useful bracket
4 · Around $67
Put meat in the freezer. If your hunter actually brings home the bacon and needs to process it, get a game processing set. It has every knife you need and stores away in a case. I recommend these for anyone with preparedness on the mind, because when the lights go out these are the tools you want. Add the how-to DVD for about $9 if they have never broken an animal down before.
5 · Around $109
Two-way radios. Communication is critical in the woods. These are the ones I’d get for hunters who split up. They claim a 36-mile range. Expect a realistic two miles — most radios at this price are a two-mile radio no matter what the box says, and you have to step up in price to really reach out. Two miles is plenty when nobody separates far.
6 · $34, jacket around $89
Flannel shirts. Shirts plural, because who can have too many flannel shirts? I have seven, one for each day of the week. These are the most comfortable shirts I own, and I love the cooler season just so I can wear them. There is also a thicker hooded version I wear most days from October through April. Note: they run a bit large, so check the size chart before you buy.
$100 to $300 — the ones they’ll remember
7 · Around $151
A quality hunting pack. The real challenge in hunting predators is outsmarting them, and a good pack is what lets you stay mobile enough to do it. The Tenzing 1500 day pack carries everything you need for a day of stand-hopping without turning into a haul. Set up, sit back, and ambush.
8 · Around $245
Binoculars. These rarely leave my neck when I’m out in the woods. The Vortex Diamondback HD 10x42 is the pair I’d buy at this price: waterproof, fog proof, genuinely good glass, and Vortex’s warranty is the best in the business — unlimited, unconditional, transferable. If they hunt thicker country or want a wider field of view, the 8x42 is the same binocular in a slightly easier magnification to hold steady.
9 · Around $55
Trail camera. I love these things. They’re crucial for scouting an area and seeing what’s moving, and they’re a lot of fun for kids — my nephew quit playing video games once he found the thrill of catching animals on camera. The Moultrie Edge 3 sends pictures straight to a phone, which is the feature worth paying for: you stop burning scent and daylight walking in to swap cards. Put one on a water hole or near a carcass.
10 · Around $299
Electronic game call. A must-have for anyone getting serious. The FOXPRO Hellcat is where I’d start someone now — programmable, remote operated, and made in Pennsylvania where FOXPRO also service it. If they are already calling and want more speaker behind the sounds, the Hellcat Pro is the step up at around $399.
This is the slot where the money buys the most, because the call is the thing that brings the animal in. How I score electronic calls explains what I’m actually testing for, and the best coyote call compares what is on the market.
Bonus picks
Around $129
Shooting sticks. A must for any hunter. They let you rest the rifle while you aim, and a steady rest does more for your hit rate than almost anything else you can buy. Bog’s old camo sticks are gone; the DeathGrip Bantam tripod is what replaced them, and the clamp holding the rifle for you is a genuine upgrade over sticks you have to hold.
Around $399
Spotting scope. If your hunter goes after big game they’ll want one of these, and they get used at the range too for seeing hits downrange. The Vortex Diamondback HD 16-48x65 carries the same warranty as the binoculars above, which is the reason I keep coming back to Vortex for glass at this money.
That’s the list. If you’re buying for a coyote hunter specifically, the full gear list covers everything else that goes in the bag, and how to call coyotes is what they’ll want to read once the call is unwrapped.
Happy holidays, and good luck to whoever unwraps this lot.
From the field
Questions and answers from hunters over the years. Comments are closed; contact me if you spot something out of date.
Kimberly ·
My husbands been hunting his whole life so I am very familiar with these items but I will say this is an amazing post with awesome ideas!!! These items are very on point for what a hunter needs and thank you to whomever wrote this for the ideas!! ❤️
Ethan M. ·
Great post! I would always appreciate any of the items on this list. I just recently got more into the trail cameras and found a good deer attractant that has been working out for me. (
Troy ·
As an Elk hunter i would recommend radios with longer range. Yes more expensive but worth it. Butchering knives just a victorinox filet. Anything else is hype. Most hunters are very picky about optics and harnesses. I use an alaska guide gear harness. But for small items like stocking stuffers get wind checker. Game calls different reeds. Like from rocky mountain or phelps. I really like to try different ones to see what works best for me. Otherwise just find out what they need. Alot of gear is useless to some and great for others. It just depends on what they hunt and how they hunt.
Harvey S. ·
Looks good. Looks like good stuff I wish I knew the price