Merry Christmas Y’all!
Gifts for the Outdoorsman Who Has It All
Christmas time is here, and it has us all out shopping for gifts. If you are like me, you probably have bought a 3 to 1 ratio of gifts for yourself versus gifts for others like you should be doing. Either way, here are my top picks for the Christmas season, whether you are buying for yourself or others.
You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out
I think we all would take an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle, just like Ralphie wanted in a Christmas Story, but we all have to grow up at some point. This year, ask Santa for one of these guns. Here are three unique must-have firearms to find stashed under the tree. And, please, don’t shoot your eye out!
Taurus Raging Hunter, MSRP $919
Winner of the 2019 American Hunter Handgun of the Year Golden Bullseye Award, this gun is a next-generation, big-bore revolver that’s first in innovation and built to last. A fun and effective alternative for short- to medium-range hunting scenarios, this five-shot revolver is chambered in 454 Casull and is available in matte black or two-tone finish. Its revolutionary angular barrel design cuts down on overall weight, while its factory-tuned porting and gas expansion chamber reduces muzzle lift for quicker target acquisition.
Rossi RS22M Semi-Auto 22Mag MSRP $262
Built on a rugged and ergonomic polymer stock platform, this rifle combines free-float barrels and exceptional trigger performance for target shooting and small-game hunting in the potent 22 WMR caliber. 22 LR is also available in semi-auto, and this line of rifles also includes a 22 LR, 22 WMR and 17 HMR in bolt-action.
Heritage Manufacturing Rough Rider Rancher Revolving Rifle Carbine MSRP $297
This new revolving rifle combines the precision single-shot revolver technology with the romantic flair of the old west revolving carbines. Chambered for .22LR, the single action, spurred hammer rancher features a six-shot cylinder behind a 16-inch barrel topped with an adjustable buckhorn-style rear sight. Integrated into the trigger guard is a finger hook to assist in hand placement and optimal trigger finger positioning.
Deer Santa
When it comes to making your list and checking it twice, here are a few items you can’t forget. These are some great gifts for your favorite hunter this season.
Chama Chair & Travel Bag, $179.95, chamachairs.com
This rugged chair is thoughtfully designed to be extremely durable It is constructed of premium materials that make it lightweight as well. It quietly swivels 360 degrees, levels to any un-level terrain, and converts to a stool giving it versatility. Each chair includes a premium travel bag with accessory pockets.
Tru-Fire Eva Shockey Signature Release, $99.99, cabelas.com
With up to 3/4" of length adjustment, the Eva Shockey Signature Release is perfect for smaller wrists and hands. Trap tab allows you to put the release on and take it off with just one hand. The fold-back feature moves the release head out of the way so you can focus on glassing or rattling.
Tru-Fire Synapse Thumb Release, $199.99, cabelas.com
This thumb release with true double-sear operation features a broad range of adjustments that allow it to be perfectly customized to any archer’s liking. The internal stainless-steel components are precision milled for exceptionally crisp operation and flawless cocking of the trigger activation lever. The thumb button is multi-position configurable, with lockable adjustments for trigger travel and trigger tension.
IQ Bowsight Define Pro Rangefinding 7-Pin Bow Sight, $499.99, cabelas.com
A top-of-the-line bow sight with a built-in rangefinder, this sight helps you stay ready to shoot. Accurate up to 150 yards, the Define’s integrated rangefinder gives bowhunters true, angle-compensated yardage on targets as they sight in with the sight’s seven pins. Easy-to-use system activates with the simple push of a trigger button, making it easy to utilize the system's scan mode.
Sig Sauer KILO2200BDX Range Finder, $299, sigsauer.com
Featuring Sig Sauer’s BDX technology, this rangefinder is one of the world’s most advanced laser rangefinders. Alone, it is a notch above the rest, but as a bonus, when paired with a Sig Sierra3BDX riflescope, it becomes a Christmas miracle. The onboard Applied Ballistics Ultralite calculator sends ballistic drop data via Bluetooth directly to the Sierra3BDX’s BDX-R1 reticle, providing an illuminated holdover dot and wind hold.
Orca 58 qt. Red Cooler, $339.99, orcacoolers.com
In the trunk of Santa’s sleigh lives a red cooler—perfect for icing down eggnog and peppermint Schnapps. This 58-quart cooler would look great in your truck too. With integrated insulation for maximum ice/cold retention and freshness of your stowed items for up to 10 days—it will keep all your Christmas drinks as cold as the North Pole long after your in-laws leave.
Stocking Stuffers:
Nockturnal Fit Universal Lighted Nock, $29.99, cabelas.com
Outfitted with a patented Linear String-Activated Switch, the nock lights up instantly with shot inertia so you can track an arrow to the target and find it easily in after dark. Stays lit until you reset it. Made of clear plastic, it provides maximum light transmission and can be seen from a distance.
Rage X-Treme Four-Blade Broadhead, $29.99, cabelas.com
Combining cut-on-contact fixed blades with two 2.3" expandable blades that open a massive wound channel, Rage’s X-Treme Four-Blade Broadhead delivers lethal results and easy-to-follow trails. Slip Cam ensures blades deploy every time, while a shock collar ensures they don’t open too soon.
Rage Hypodermic Trypan Broadheads—Mechanical Broadhead, $24.99, basspro.com
Packed with new features and design, these broadheads are Rage’s best yet. Led by a needle-like, streamlined titanium ferrule, the Hypodermic Trypan takes the popular Hypodermic broadhead design to the next level. Sweptback stainless-steel blades create a slap-cut entry hole more than 2" wide and penetrate swiftly and deeply to give hunters hearty blood trails after the shot.
The Finer Things
We all have that dad, brother, or father-in-law with “more discerning” taste. Here are two suggestions sure to impress.
Dagga Boy/Ivory Skinner Knife by Arno Bernard, $399, africansc.com
This beautifully designed scimitar skinner combines black African Cape buffalo horn with creamy white warthog ivory in the handle for a striking contrast. Also, it incorporates a finger groove into the stainless-steel bolster to make sure your hand does not slip towards the blade during field dressing. Each knife comes with a high-quality, hand-made leather sheath that covers almost the entire knife.
Lone Elm Whiskey and John Wayne Decanter Set Lone Elm Single Barrel: $65.99, lone-elm.com
John Wayne Decanter: $75, jwstockandsupply.com
Pair a bottle of authentic Texas whiskey from rain to grain with the honest words of John Wayne etched in the glass of this decanter set. One glass reads: “I never trust a man who doesn’t drink.” and the other, “I’m here to kick ass and drink whiskey and pilgrim, I’m all out of whiskey.” A perfect match up for the whiskey drinker in the family.