November 18, 2011
By Mike Schoby
So classic it's become cliché, an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock isn't the only outdoor gear that finds its way under the Christmas tree.
There are so many goodies and gadgets available today, it's hard to choose just one. Hopefully this Christmas wish list — with gifts for kids of all ages and genders — will help you narrow down the perfect present for you and your family.
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Want more outdoor gift ideas? Check out more Holidays Gift Guides for the fisherman dog lover waterfowler gun nut
Aimpoint Micro H-1 New shooters often have a hard time adjusting their eyes to look through a
traditional scope. If that's the case at your house, wrap up a red-dot like Aimpoint's Micro H-1 and put it under the tree. The easy-to-use and incredibly accurate heads-up viewing system eliminates the difficulties of trying to find the right eye relief and put you on target quickly and accurately. Available in a myriad of mounting options from Blasers to Glocks and about everything in between.
From $640;
Aimpoint Ameristep Bone Collector Two-Person Treestand Show your best gal you really care by sharing the woods with her this Christmas. With room enough for two, this all-steel ladder stand provides the perfect place for a deer-hunting date. Comfortable Durasling seats sit closer to the tree for full-access to the large 44 ½ ' x 27 ½ ' platform. Sits 17-feet high to keep any shenanigans out of view of impressionable young fawns.
$300;
Ameristep Cabela's Survival: Shadows of Katmai Set your kids up to be the next Les Stroud with this fun, multi-player video game from Cabela's. It puts players deep in the Alaskan wilderness where they must battle Mother Nature and a host of predators all vying to be at the top of the food chain. More than a decade ago, Cabela's started the outdoor video game revolution, and they continue to kick-ass with this newest addition to the franchise for Xbox 360.
$40;
Cabela's CCI Tactical .22 Ammo There are few guns on the market more fun than a .22-caliber AR-style rifle. If your kid is lucky enough to find one under the tree, make sure there's an ample supply of this special-purpose ammo stuffed in his stocking as well. They're extremely accurate, yet affordable enough to let Junior get plenty of trigger time. Plus they were specially tested to reliably feed in Smith & Wesson 15/22 and other semiauto .22s. Available in 375-round boxes.
$20;
CCI Columbia Electric Wader Widgeon Parka Do you need a [imo-slideshow gallery=17],200 parka? Heck no. Is a [imo-slideshow gallery=17],200 electric parka fitted with the latest battery-operated heater the coolest thing in the waterfowling world? Heck yes. With just one touch, the rechargeable, removable battery pack fires up unique carbon fibers in the liner jacket's torso and wrists to deliver up to five hours of adjustable heat. The removable soft shell is waterproof, breathable and features a staggering 11 exterior pockets, including several that seal with water-resistant zippers. A reflective Omni-Heat liner utilizes body heat to keep you up to 20% warmer.
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Columbia Streamlight Enduro Headlamp Perfect for early-morning treks to the stand with mom and dad or covertly catching up on Superman's latest exploits under the covers. The Enduro features an unbreakable polycarbonate lens and rugged impact-resistant housing; it's tough enough to withstand any bumps and bangs even the roughest kids can dish out. Lightweight and low profile, it runs on two AAA batteries.
$17;
Streamlight Hornady Lock-N-Load Classic Kit Shoot more and save money doing it by reloading your own ammunition. This do-it-all kit from Hornady is packed with everything needed to get into reloading, including the classic, easy-to-use Lock-N-Load press, powder measure, digital scale, 8th Edition reloading manual, three set-it-and-forget-it Lock-N-Load bushings, and much more. Just pick up a few dies for your favorite calibers, along with powder and cartridge components, and before you know it, you'll be ready to roll your own.
$383;
Hornady Leupold Yosemite Binoculars We've spotted the perfect gift for her with these full-featured, small-frame binos from Leupold. The compact design is made for smaller hands and faces, yet has a wide range of adjustment so they'll fit you too, all the better for borrowing when your binoculars go missing halfway through the season. The glass is fully multi-coated for brightness and clarity, with generous eye relief for comfortable use.
$120;
Leupold Remington Managed Recoil Smaller-framed shooters and those with a low tolerance for recoil will appreciate these reduced-power loads. Without sacrificing accuracy or expansion, Remington loads their
Managed Recoil rifle ammunition with uniquely designed bullets that still deliver deer-dropping downrange energy out to 200 yards with about half as much kick as traditional ammunition. Equally great on the range or in the field. Available in a number of calibers and gauges.
From $6;
Remington Original Mountain Pants While a good camo pattern has its place, your dad can tell you that plenty of hunters have gone to the woods in an everyday pair of plain pants. Some of the best today are those made by lifestyle clothier Mountain Khakis. Their Original Mountain Pants are crafted from double-weave cotton canvas that is ultra-tough, yet soft the first time you put them on. Wash out the blood stains and wear them to work Monday morning; only you'll be the wiser, and more comfortable, for it.
$83;
Mountain Khakis Nikon Bolt XR XBow Scope Dial in deadly accuracy with this crossbow-specific scope that incorporates Nikon's new BDC 60 reticle. Calibrated to calculate precise arrow drop from crossbows shooting in the 305 fps range, the BDC 60 reticle eliminates missed shots due to inaccurate holdover or other imprecise aiming methods. A comfortable 3.4-inch eye relief is designed to fit any crossbow on the market. And, of course, it features Nikon's famous glass that has been fully multicoated for clear, bright imaging in low-light.
$150;
Nikon Hunting Rossi Youth Rimfire/Shotgun Take a step up from the classic Red Ryder with this two-barrel youth package from Rossi. Sized for small-frame hunters, it includes an accurate, fun-to-shoot .22 Long Rifle barrel and action and a hand-fit matched 20-gauge shotgun barrel. Perfect for taking your young hunter from plinking at prairie dogs to the duck blind with just a quick switch of the barrels. Synthetic stock with (removable) Monte Carlo stock piece makes target acquisition easier while withstanding rough handling.
$188;
Rossi USA She Outdoors Reversible Vest Help your wife or girlfriend fulfill that irrepressible need to always look good, even in hunting camp, with this stylish, slimming reversible vest. One side features Soft Silence camo material to keep her concealed in the woods. Flip it inside out for an instant classic khaki vest to wear around camp or in to town. Plus, it will keep her warm when worn alone or as a layer underneath a water and windproof shell.
$80;
She Outdoor Apparel Winchester Super X3 Sporting A new addition to the popular X3 line of dependable autoloaders. Lightweight and free-swinging like that new neighbor gal down the street, this is the competitive shotgunners dream. As such, the X3 Sporting only accepts 2 ¾ ' shells, though you can bet it will cycle every one of them — from light to heavy — reliably thanks to an innovative, new Sporting gas piston based on the proven Active Valve gas system. Backbored for consistent pattern with five choke tubes included in the ABS hard plastic case.
[imo-slideshow gallery=17],630;
Winchester Tenpoint Stealth XLT The new XLT adds features and shaves ounces to TenPoint's already impressive proven performer — the Stealth Turbo. If you're state currently allows crossbows or will soon, unwrapping the XLT will give you a leg up in the woods next fall. The 185-lb. draw pushes a 420-grain bolt at a lightning-fast 320 fps with more than 95 foot-pounds of energy — more than enough to add a ten-point of your own to the trophy room.
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Tenpoint Timney Triggers Maybe you like your old gun enough that you don't really want a new one for Christmas (which is crazy talk, but still€¦). However, you can make that good gun even better with a new trigger, like those from Timney. They've been making industry-leading replacement triggers since 1946 and are continually adding additional models to their line, including triggers for the popular Savage Axis/Edge rifle and Remington Model 700.
From $105;
Timney Triggers Trijicon RMR If you haven't experienced heads-up hunting or shooting with red-dot or reflex-style sights, you're behind the curve. Get caught up with the 21st century using Trijicon's new addition to the RMR line — now with eight adjustable reticle settings. A perfect addition to the turkey gun or home-defense weapon, it features a rugged design, positive-click windage and elevation adjustment, and optional 3.25 MOA or 6.5 MOA aiming points.
$675;
Trijicon Bushnell Black LED Trophy Cam Any hunter will be happy to find a Trophy Cam strapped to the Christmas tree. With its new virtually invisible, low-glow black LEDs, the Bushnell 8-megapixel Trophy Cam might even catch Santa planting a kiss on mom underneath the mistletoe or other present poachers. Same compact size as the original with 1080 HD video added as well. SD video card capable up to 32 GB and multiple programmable modes. 2½ inch LCD screen.
$300;
Bushnell Wild Game Innovations Pulse 10D Face it, you'll never figure out how to work the Wi-Fi capabilities of this kick-butt game camera. But I bet your kid can. So give him one for Christmas and let him do the scouting for you. Sure you might get a bunch of pictures from the playground, but with wireless streaming of photos and video from up to 300 feet away, it's also great for checking deer stands remotely. Sends pics right to your kid's iPhone or Droid.
$170;
Wild Game Innovations Zeiss Dialyt Field Spotter The Dialyt zooms from 18-45X magnification for an up-close look at elk, mule deer, sheep, and other big game. A wide field of view makes finding game quick and easy. Carry it at your side and you'll have a fast way to judge animals when seconds count. If you're not up to play modern-day pirate, you can also attach it to a tripod for steady, comfortable long-distance spotting.
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Zeiss
