The Best Gifts for Hunters

Tess Rousey

Hunting is difficult, but shopping for hunters is easy with these gifts for hunters. I’ve used my years of hunting experience to bring you gear that any hunter will appreciate and that will fit just about any budget. These gift ideas for hunters range from gear designed to keep hunters warm to gear that will last a lifetime. Here are my top gifts for hunters this holiday season.

• Best $10 Gift: Duke Cannon Supply Co. Gun Smoke Soap
• Best Gift Under $25: Anker Power Bank
• Best Gift for $50: WoodHaven Custom Calls Cluck ‘n Purr Pot
• Best Gift for Around $100: Kuiu Gilla LS Hoodie
• Best Gift for $200: Sitka Canyon Shirt Jacket
• Best Gift for Kids: Deer Hunting with Dad (Hank the Outdoorsman Books)
• Best Riflescope: Maven RS1.2 2.5-15X44 FFP
• Best Pocket Knife: Benchmade Bugout
• Best Gun Case For Precision Rifles: Pelican 1755 Air Long Case
• Best Flashlight: Streamlight Wedge Flashlight
• Best Power Station: Jackery Explorer 300 Portable Power Station
• Best Gift for the Home Processor: Cabela’s Heavy Duty Meat Grinder
• Best Trail Camera: Moultrie Mobile Edge
• Best Crossbow: Centerpoint Wrath 430
• Best Recurve Bow: Samick Sage
• Best for Turkey Hunters: Redhead Classic II Turkey Vest
• Best Gift for Duck Hunters: Field Proven Calls Hybrid Double Shot Duck Call
• Best for Youth Hunters: Daisy Red Ryder
• Best Binoculars: Maven B.6
• Best Boots: Ariat Farmland Hiking Boots
• Best All-Around Mountain Hunting Boots: Schnees Granite 200 Gram
• Best Watch For Extreme Outdoorsmen and Shooters: Garmin Tactix 7 Pro Ballistics
• Best Daypack: Mystery Ranch Mule
• Best Knife Sharpener: Work Sharp Ken Onion
• Heirloom-Quality Gear: Buy Handmade

Read Next: Best Camping Gifts for the Holidays

Best $10 Gift: Duke Cannon Supply Co. Gun Smoke Soap

If you know a hunter that loves the smell of gun smoke in the morning, here’s the perfect soap for them. Duke Cannon’s bars of soap are extra large and come in outdoorsy scents like smoked wood, bourbon vanilla, and in this case, gun smoke.

Best Gift Under $25: Anker 10,000 mAh Power Bank

I tested the best power banks and the model that won best overall was the Anker Powercore Slim 10,000 mAh. It will fully charge a phone twice and it’s the perfect size to keep in your pocket or a backpack. At just under $25 it’s also a great value.

Best Gift for $50: WoodHaven Custom Calls Cluck ‘n Purr Pot

By the time Christmas rolls around, deer season is on its way out and hunters are turning their eyes toward spring turkey. Whether you’re shopping for a seasoned turkey hunter or someone new to hunting gobblers a great gift is always a turkey call. Woodhaven makes beautiful custom calls, but one of the best to give as a gift is their Cluck ‘n Purr Pot because it’s a call that a turkey hunter likely won’t have and one they’ll readily use to call in call-shy toms.

Best Gift for Around $100: Kuiu Gila LS Hoodie

I love hunting gear that you can use in the field and in everyday life and the Kuiu Gila LS Hoodie fits that role perfectly. I used my Gila Hoodie while fishing, competing in archery, and at the beach for sun protection this summer and then used it for early season hunting in the fall. The UPF 50+ kept my skin from burning and the sweat-wicking material kept my comfortable in 90 percent humidity.

Best Gift for $200: Sitka Canyon Shirt Jacket

When hunters aren’t in the woods, it’s still nice to wear technical clothing made by great brands. The Canyon Shirt Jacket is a light jacket from a premium hunting clothing company that’s perfect for wearing out to dinner or around town. It makes a great gift because it’s something a hunter wouldn’t necessarily buy for themselves, but would love to own and appreciate.

Best Gift for Kids: Deer Hunting with Dad (Hank the Outdoorsman Books)

If you look at books available at major retailers, you won’t find many options for kids who like hunting and fishing. That’s what inspired author, Josh Ishmael, to write a series of kid’s books for outdoor families. Deer Hunting with Dad follows the journey of a young hunter tagging along with dad on hunt and is both educational and entertaining. You’ll also find a turkey hunting and catfishing book in the same series. At under $15, these books are a great gift for new parents or kids that love the outdoors.

Best Riflescope: Maven RS1.2

If you want to outfit your hunting rifle with a quality first-focal plane scope that comes with exposed turrets and enough magnification for distant shots, you’re going to have to deal with a heavy, bulky optic. And, you’re going to have to spend several thousand dollars. Actually, no. Meet Maven’s sleek and capable RS1.2. This is an ideal scope for who wants all the features of a precision scope in the package of a more traditional hunting scope. Features include: illuminated reticle, capped windage, a true zero-stop, and exposed elevation turret. It comes in an MOA and MIL version, offering both MOA-2 and SHR-MIL reticle options. And all of this fits into a 14-inch, 26 ounce body, making it suitable for any style of hunting rifle. Generally, Maven optics are known for good glass and options for customization. If you want to add an engraving to make the scope a truly unique gift, it will only cost you an extra $30.

Best Pocket Knife: Benchmade Bugout

The Benchmade Bugout is one of the best pocket knives, and it makes a great gift for hunters. The knife is available in a ton of colors and material options, which make the price vary from around $150 to $550. You can also order a custom one with different color handles, engraving, and handle materials. Whether you choose the $150 dollar version or the titanium and super steel $550 offering, you’re going to give someone a knife they will have for the rest of their lives and carry daily, as well as on their outdoor adventures. Now that’s a great, and memorable, gift.

Best Gun Case For Precision Rifles: Pelican 1755 Air Long Case

As anyone who’s into long-range shooting knows, over the years our rifles have gotten longer while our gun cases have failed to keep pace.

Pelican has addressed that with the 1755 Air Long Case, which has an interior length of 55-inches giving it enough room to handle the oversized competition rifles that are par for the course in PRS, NRL and ELR matches. Even for hunting rifles that sport longer barrels and muzzle devices like suppressors have enough breathing room to be comfortable in the 1755.

The case is built to Pelican’s standards for toughness and durability, but is surprisingly light at 25 pounds.

It has high-quality locking latches, wheels and handles for smooth transport, and comes with a latching system to attach Molle compatible panels. These panels let you outfit the case to store all the extras that are a part of precision rifle shooting: bipods, optics, range finders, Kestrel, etc.

Given the cost of a full-blown precision rifle rig, a case like the 1755 is as no-brainer investment.

-John B. Snow

Best EDC Flashlight: Streamlight Wedge Flashlight

Like a pocket knife, flashlights get used year round for hunters. From finding the way to a hunting spot to taking the dogs for a walk,  hunters use flashlights year round. One of the best flashlights for everyday carry is the Streamlight Wedge. It has a slim profile for carrying in a pocket, it’s extremely bright, and it’s rechargeable, everything a hunter needs in a good flashlight.

Best Power Station: Jackery Explorer 300 Portable Power Station 

Product Description 
The OL team has been testing power stations for outdoor use for a while now and we’ve been consistently impressed with how well the Jackery’s models perform. They are intuitive to use, reliable, and use cables that are more common (and thus interchangeable) than other brands. During long-term and cold-weather testing it’s also impressed with how well it’s held a charge. Their Explorer 300 model is a great choice for hunters looking for an extra boost of power to store in their truck or at a base camp. Its 293Wh (watt hours) is more than enough to keep phones, cameras, and even laptops charged for multiple days, while still being light enough and small enough to not overwhelm the rest of your kit. Pair it with a Jackery SolarSaga 100 (one of our best solar panels for camping) for continuous off-grid power.

Best Gift for the Home Processor: Cabela’s Heavy Duty Meat Grinder

Ground venison is one of the most versatile, and delicious, ways to process venison. Let me tell you that from my experience, manual or stand mixer attachments do not work well and are way more work than they’re worth. A powerful unit like Cabela’s Heavy Duty Meat Grinder is the perfect solution and it’s also a sausage stuffer and jerky gun. If you know a hunter that loves to process their own meat, this is a great gift and it’s likely to result in thank you gifts in the form of sausage, jerky, or ground meat. However if you’re looking for a bigger model, read our review of the best grinders.

Best Trail Camera: Moultrie Mobile Edge

Outdoor Life recently completed a test of the best cellular trail cameras and the Moultrie Mobile Edge won the best for the money award. For $100, you get a camera that remotely sends high-quality photos to the owner’s phone and it even works in spotty cell service. Trail cameras are fun and useful tools for hunters and every deer hunter needs at least one more in their arsenal.

Best Crossbow: Centerpoint Wrath 430

I tested all of the best crossbows this year, and the best crossbow for the money was the Centerpoint Wrath 430. It has top-tier accuracy and technology for under $1,000. I completely understand that the price tag is still steep, but in my experience cheap crossbows will leave you wanting.

Best Recurve Bow: Samick Sage

I tested the best recurve bows this year and the best for beginners is the Samick Sage. At around $150 it offers a lot of performance for the money. And as an archer progresses it’s easy for them to buy new limbs for the bow to increase their draw weight.

Best for Turkey Hunters: Redhead Classic II Turkey Vest

Here’s another pick from an Outdoor Life gear test. Turkey hunters need a vest to hold their calls at the ready, carry turkeys out of the woods, and give them a comfortable seat to wait out hung up toms. We picked the Redhead Classic II as the best turkey vest for the money because of its rich feature set and sub $50 price tag.

Best Gift for Duck Hunters: Field Proven Calls Hybrid Double Shot Duck Call

Yes, this is another pick from an Outdoor Life gear test—the best duck calls. Here’s what the author, Joe Genzel, had to say about the Field Proven Calls Hybrid Double: The Hybrid Double-Shot is a $65 call built by champion duck and goose caller Field Hudnall and his brother Clay—a tough price to beat if you’re a beginner or intermediate caller looking for affordability. The mouthpiece is Osage, so you get the soft sounds of a wood call. But the insert is polymer, which adds a bit of volume when you need to reach out to tall ducks. 

Best for Youth Hunters: Daisy Red Ryder

Few gifts are as iconic as the Daisy Red Ryder and it’s still the best gift for young hunters learning the basics of marksmanship and gun safety.

Best Binoculars: Maven B.6

Hunters love nice binoculars. We covet them, they are important tools, and yet it’s hard to splurge on a quality set. If you want to give a gift that a hunter will use and love, then get them one of the best binoculars, the Maven B.6. If you want to learn more, read our full review of these incredible binoculars.

Best All-Around Mountain Hunting Boots: Schnees Granite 200 Gram

The Granite 200 Gram is about the most versatile boot you can get for serious mountain hunting in cool to cold conditions. Shooting editor John B. Snow used this boot exclusively during the late season last fall. It handled extreme conditions in stride. Whether dealing with rotten 40-degree shale slopes in Alberta, packing a bull elk 3 miles down an icy-covered canyon, or making ascents above 12,000 feet while glassing for game, the Granites excelled.

The break-in period is very reasonable for the amount of support they provide. The construction in bomb-proof. They have a smart locking system on the laces to customize the amount of constriction you want.  And the 200-gram insulation strikes a great balance for hunters who alternate between intense activity and long periods of glassing.

-John B. Snow

Best Watch For Extreme Outdoorsmen and Shooters: Garmin Tactix 7 Pro Ballistics

Calling the Tactix 7 Pro Ballistics a watch is a bit like calling an aircraft carrier a boat. There’s so much to this unit, starting with the integration of Applied Ballistic shooting software and the ability to connect many Bluetooth-enabled rangefinders to it. This lets you (or a buddy) range a target and have the ballistic solution appear on your watch nearly instantaneously.

The Tactix 7 also has a full suite of widgets to monitor your sleep, heart rage, blood oxygenation levels, and nearly any indoor and outdoor activity you can imagine.

We’ve used ours on backcountry hunts, conditioning hikes, horseback rides, aerobic training, biking, etc.

One thing we really appreciate about the Tactix 7 is that is it relatively easy to use in light of the sophistication of the widgets. It’s easy to go deep in the various rabbit holes with what it tracks, but the effort it usually worth it in terms of getting valid, granular data.

One area for improvement is the font sizes used in the ballistics app and some others, but if you have readers handy (or good healthy eyes) that’s not a deal-breaker. -John B. Snow

Best Daypack: Mystery Ranch Mule

Most hunter needs a pack of some kind, and few of us have one that actually fits our needs. This year, spend a little extra, and give the hunter in your life a pack that will not only last a long time but will also be comfortable no matter how tough the hunt gets. In Outdoor Life’s “best hunting backpacks,” gear testers recommend Mystery Ranch Mule pack for its value and versatility. Tester Derek Horner reported that the pack is “perfect for packing everything I need for the treestand or hunting from the ground.” It isn’t overly bulky, but expands to meet the needs of a hunter headed out or one headed back packing out an animal. Straps also allow someone to carry a bow or rifle on their back. 

Best Knife Sharpener: Work Sharp Ken Onion

A sharp knife is often the difference between efficiently field dressing and butchering an animal and swearing more than any of us should. Some hunters buy replaceable-blade knifes so they always have a sharp one ready. But instead of throwing a blade away after each critter, consider giving the hunter in your life an electric knife sharpener.

The Work Sharp Ken Onion won the “best electric” award in Outdoor Life’s “best knife sharpener” gear review, and for good reason. It’s fast, adjustable and gets the job done. “Easy mirror polished, beyond razor-sharp edges on every type of knife, and it will also do scissors, machetes, axes, and even my straight razor,” reviewed Scott Einsmann. It also repairs broken tips, chips, and rolls. As a present, you can’t go wrong. 

Heirloom-Quality Gear: Buy Handmade Gifts for Hunters

The above products are great, but if you want a truly special gift that’s functional and sentimental, consider buying from a local maker. You likely have custom knife makers, leatherworkers, and woodworkers in your area that will make an unforgettable gift. These heirloom gifts don’t necessarily have to be extremely expensive either. For example, a knife maker local to me, Join or Die Knives, makes a knife that costs $150. If you don’t have a maker in your area there are plenty that sell their goods online, like WoodHaven Custom Calls who will put a photo under the glass of their pot calls. When you go with a handmade product you are getting a sentimental gift that the owner will cherish and use forever. 

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