Have you gotten your Christmas shopping done yet or haven't you even started yet? Do you find it difficult to decide what to buy for that special person like your wife, husband, son, daughter, best friend, or whomever? Are you waiting for Christmas Eve to go out into the mad rush to buy last minute gifts? Have you gotten almost everything already but just need a stocking stuffer or two to complete your gift shopping? Is the person for whom you are shopping a firearms enthusiast or an avid outdoorsman, such as a hunter, fisherman, or shooter. If the person for whom you need a gift falls into that classification then allow me to give you some ideas for last minute gifts and stocking stuffers.
FOR THE SHOOTER:
AMMO: A box of ammunition in the caliber he shoots most. Ammo is always a welcome gift, well at least when it is in the right caliber and grain weight. If you live with the person for whom you are shopping, and you are not sure of the right caliber or bullet weight, sneak a look at his or her stash of ammo. Write down what is says on the outside of the box and head out to your nearest gun shop. It should be a cinch to get it right. Just in case, make sure the ammo shop allows exchanges.
CLEANING SOLVENT: Another welcomed gift by anyone who shoots a lot and who properly cares for his firearms. It should be easy to check on what brand is used by the person for whom you are shopping but brand is not usually as critical as long as you buy a good solvent that gets the job done. A well used and respected solvent is Hoppes No. 9 and another of a different type is Break-Free CLP but there are many others out there from which to choose. You pretty much cannot go wrong with the two above for regular shooting but if the shooter is a muzzle loader then look to something like CVA Barrel Blaster Black Powder Cleaning Solvent.
A FIREARMS SCREWDRIVER SET: Not a bad thing to have on hand when adjustments need to be made to sights or scopes, or when small repairs may need to be made at the range. You can spend a lot of money on a high quality high priced gun screwdriver set or you can buy a bargain set of good enough quality to be used out in the field for emergencies. A mid-level priced gun screwdriver set is also makes a good stocking stuffer.
GIFT CARD: A gift card, to your shooter's favorite gun shop (just an example) or to a store, that sells firearms and firearms accessories, like Dick's Sporting Goods, is another idea for a stocking stuffer. This could be in just about any amount but to be reasonable I would start at about at least $15 and work my way up depending on how much I wanted to spend.
FOR THE HUNTER:
You can get most of the gift that I mentioned above if the hunter uses a firearm for hunting. Other gifts that you might consider, in general for both firearm and archery hunters, could be:
KNIFE: You can buy either a straight edged knife or a folding knife. For a stocking stuffer, unless yo know the knife preferences of the person for whom you are shopping, I recommend a folding knife, with two blades, with a blade length of 4 inches or less for the larger blade. In essence, what I would recommend is an all around utility type knife like this Case Trapper, which is made in the USA.
COMPASS: Something that many hunters carry but all too many do not carry with them while hunting is a decent compass. Even if you do not know how to read a compass as regarding map reading you can still use one to help you navigate through the woods. For example, if you park your car on a north/south bound road, then walked into the woods to the west, you would know your vehicle was basically back toward the east when you wanted out, and a compass can help make sure you go in the right direction. I prefer liquid filled lensatic compasses such as this one but you may want to talk to a knowledgeable salesperson before buying one to decide on one that is good for all around use.
GLO-STICKS: These are pretty much a must have, especially for the hunter who goes it alone in the woods or fields. In the event that the hunter becomes lost, or maybe is incapacitated (say a broken leg or bad sprain) and must spend the night afield due to an emergency, it is a good idea to have at least a three night's supply of these. Glo-Sticks come in various colors, I like the original greenish-yellow glow and they also come in ones that last for various amounts of time from a few hours up to at least 12 hours. I prefer the ones that will glow for 12 hours. I recommend you get these at a local sporting goods store or at an automobile supply store (they are sometimes used instead of flares as they probably are safer than flares) and that you shop for price on these.
GIFT CARD: Ditto as above under For The Shooter.
FOR THE FISHERMAN
LURES: It is important to know the type of fishing that is being done if you want to buy some lures for a stocking stuffer (please make sure they remain sealed in original packages so the hooks are not exposed). There are many types of lures such as Crank Baits, Poppers, Buzz Baits, Spoons, Artificial Worms, Flys and on and on.
Fillet Knife: A good quality fillet knife is often a good bet to put a smile on a fisherman's face. I know that I have seen mine turn into a rusted mess and I have lost more of them than I care to admit while on fishing trips. I prefer one with about an 8 inch blade length, like this moderately priced Rapala, just in case I catch that monster fish I have dreamed about.
FISHERMAN'S PLIERS: This is an almost indispensable tool for the guy or gal who goes fishing a lot. They come in both regular carbon steel and in stainless steel. I prefer the stainless steel models and although they cost somewhat more they are worth it to me. Rapala makes some at reasonable prices and their are other brands available, some at much higher prices (see page two of the linked page).
GIFT CARD: Ditto as above under For The Shooter.
I hope this helps, if you are still without a needed gift, for one of the types of outdoorsmen I listed above. I know that I would be happy to get any of the gifts on the list (HINT to my family).
All the best,
Glenn B
Disclaimer: I do not receive any type of pay or other compensation for my linking to the businesses mentioned or linked to above nor do I receive same for mentioning the products discussed above. In addition, I do not endorse any of those businesses or products for any reason. I have used some of the products mentioned above, or have used ones similar them. I have shopped at almost all, but not all, of the business to which I have linked. I used the ones at which I have shopped only due to my limited familiarity with them. I used the one(s) with which I am unfamiliar due to the conveninence of them selling the product I was writing about.
