I calculated recently the number of words I am cranking out now for not only this column but several magazines and regional publications as well; somewhere around 25,000 monthly is a pretty good estimate. I can truthfully say that this week’s column is my favorite of the entire year. For the past quarter-century, I’ve written my “Christmas gifts for sportsmen (and sportswomen)” article.
We outdoor types are often difficult to buy for. I’ve often been asked for advice on purchasing hunting bows, rifles and shotguns. I always reply that these items are very personal and it’s best that the exact model is chosen by the owner. But there is a vast array of products out there that appeal to those of us that spend time on the water or in the woods. Some of the items I list are readily available at local outdoor retailers; others will have to be ordered via their website.
There’s plenty of time to get on line and select that perfect Christmas gift for your outdoors person. I hope the shopping list I’ve put together makes your gift giving a bit easier!
SMOKIN TEX ELECTRIC SMOKER www.smokintex.com - I’ve used my Smokin Tex smoker for the past seven years and I use it often for cooking everything from wild hog hams to the Christmas turkey. These smokers are built to last and their ease of operation has made them hugely popular with sportsmen. I just cured the hams of a wild hog and used my Smokin Tex to made some very tasty smoked, sugar cured ham.
Several models are available, the 1400 Model holds about 30 pounds of meat and is the unit that I have used for so many years.
TIE DOWN STRAPS - The Shock Strap www.shockstrap.com has revolutionized the way we secure ATV’s, motor bikes, etc. to trailers. There are no ratchets to worry with when using Shock Straps. With old style ratchet tie downs, loads often shift during transport and hooks become loose. The Shock Strap has a built in ‘shock absorber’ which keeps tension on the strap at all times. It’s easy to use, simply hook each end to the frame of the trailer, pull the strap and it locks into place. I can guarantee any sportsman will be thrilled to wake up Christmas morning and find a few Shock Straps in his or her stocking!
HUNTING BLINDS - Through the years, I’ve hunted from every type blind on the market and many that were homemade. I’ve made wooden blinds that were not only costly and time consuming to construct but also very heavy. Check out the Snap Lock Blinds by Formex www.snaplockhuntingblinds.com. These blinds weigh less than 80 pounds, take about 15 minutes to snap together and set up. Once assembled, they are very strong and, with double wall construction, are warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. These blinds have many advantages but I really like the fact that they can quickly and easily be disassembled and moved. Now, when I hunt a new area or ranch while on story assignment, I bring my blind with me and in a few minutes, have it set up and ‘brushed’ in with natural vegetation.
ARCHERY EQUIPMENT - If you are shopping for a bow hunter or someone who wished to become a bow hunter, check out www.dartonarchery.com. Show your sportsman all the different model compound and crossbows on the web site. Once they make a choice, you should direct them to a qualified bow technician that knows how to make the proper measurements to insure the bow is a perfect fit. Mark Ballette with B & C Archery www.bandcoutfittersllc.com is a great source for information on anything pertaining to archery. He has kept my bows in good shooting order for years. Mark has the expertise to help you choose the perfect bow.
Your bow hunter will need broad heads for hunting. Check out www.innerloc.com. Innerloc offers the Carbon Tuner broad head that allows the blades of the broad head to easily be adjusted to perfect match the vanes on the arrow, this ‘tunes’ the broad heads to the arrow which results in a super accurate flight pattern. Inner Loc also offers the EXP expandable broad heads which I’ve been very happy with for the past few years. The Carbon Tuner is the first broad head I’ve used that flies to the exact point of impact as my field points, thanks to the easy to adjust blades.
NuFletch www.nufletch.com came out with a system that completely eliminates the laborious task of fletching arrows. Instillation is simple. Remove a little less than 3 inches from the nock end of the arrow, install an insert and screw the Nufletch into place. When vanes are damaged during practice of while hunting, simply unscrew the nock, slide out the damaged vane and slip a new one into place. Nufletch comes with lighted nocks that are dependable and easy to install. Simply unscrew the nock, place the light inside and screw the nock back into place. When the arrow is released, the light turns on automatically and can easily be turned off once game is recovered.
COOK & GO COOKERS www.roypaulandbubba.com are great for home or camp use. These easy to carry cookers produce 25,000 BTU’s and come with hose to connect to 1 pound cylinders. Regulator and hose to connect to 20 pound cylinders are also available. This little very powerful cooker has solved the problem of carrying around larger propane burners that are difficult to store and transport.
NATURES COFFEE KETTLE - www.naturescoffeekettle.com Offers great tasting Columbian Coffee, hot chocolate and soups. For some of the best tasting coffee you’re enoyed, simply heat water, tear the top off the bag and pour hot water inside over a very porous filter, reseal and you your coffee’s ready! It brews right in the bag, which serves as the coffee pot. For hot chocolate and soups, simply add hot water to the bag and pour.
KW’S BBQ SAUCE - www.kwsbbqsauce.com Is my favorite sauce. It’s made by Keith Weeks from an old family recipe that was developed over 50 years ago. This sauce is slow kettle cooked with all natural ingredients. Order one of multiple bottles online and have KW’s shipped right to your door. Makes a great Christmas gift for your sportsman that enjoy outdoor cooking.
BUCK NATURAL www.bucknaturalfood.com – This is a natural, super sweet mix of grains that was developed over the past 60 years. I’ve been using Buck Natural for the past year to attract deer and found that there is something about this sweet corn blend that game can smell and once detected, are instantly drawn to it. I’ve used it to position game for bow shots and watched deer walk away from acorns to eat it. While there are many ‘attractants’ on the market, Buck Natural is just what the name implies, NATURAL and it spells FOOD to any deer or hog that gets downwind of it. Buck Natural can be ordered online via the web site with free shipping.
Hopefully some of these outdoor products will fill the bill for the outdoor person you are shopping for. Personally, I like the fact that I can get on my computer, click a few keys and, Bingo! My Christmas shopping is done! Good luck with your shopping!
Listen to Outdoors with Luke Clayton at www.catfishradio.com. Each week Larry Weishuhn and Bill Dance join Luke and his other guests for an hour of interesting and informative outdoor talk. Email Luke with outdoor news from your area via the web site.