Gifts For Outdoors Lovers
By Denny Murawska
And some gifts to avoid
They have arrived again, those special edition Christmas catalogs targeted toward outdoor lovers Whether you fish, hunt, camp, or participate in a cluster of activities outside the confines of your home, Santa’s helpers have been hard at work engineering novel ideal gifts for that special someone. While many new items are introduced each year, there are always those perennial favorites that can be relied on. If you are sure of your loved one’s needs, by all means follow those requests; however, if you are not sure, here are five that will surely please anyone.
- Sausage grinder- Hunters harvest game that is generally very heart healthy and low in fat. Grinding your own sausage is a fun and healthful activity of which the whole family can reap the rewards. This is so easy to do, and with some great readily available spice mixes, there is no reason to rely on fatty, cholesterol-laden tube steak from the store.
- Treestand ascender and descender- For many years I made the mistake of climbing up and down my stands before securing my safety harness to the tree. The trouble with this is, many, if not most accidents are going to occur as one goes up or down. For years, mountaineers have known about a nifty knot known as a Prussic knot. You hook your safety harness to this at the bottom or top of your stand and can then climb up or down with absolute confidence. I am leery of even climbing a step ladder, but I now have complete peace of mind during my climbs.
- Alpaca wool socks- It has long been known that wool embodies some insulating properties unmatched by most other natural fibers. However, it can be itchy, bulky, and difficult to launder. Well, not only sheep produce wool. One of the rarest natural fibers to transform into warm clothing is wool from the alpaca. It is very light, silky, and quite warm. There is so much hype about new synthetic undergarments that are supposed to keep you warm. That is all fine and dandy, but I am all about supporting local folks who create a quality product. At a county fair I was introduced to the luxurious items made from alpaca wool and can vouch for its unique properties. Pamper someone. These socks are like putting on a mohair sweater; absolutely the best.
- Orienteering compass On a budget? Need a stocking stuffer? These are great. They get you in and out of the woods, day or night, without fail. I have taught eighth graders to use these with confidence in under 15 minutes. Why not upgrade to a GPS? They are nice, but if you can’t get satellite reception for some reason, they are useless.
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Now, we all make mistakes that send those we have bestowed gifts upon running to the store for an exchange or refund. Here are a few you might want to avoid.
- Camouflage bed covers- This is taking a useful hunting item and going just a bit too far. Few and far between are the happily married couples that would be thrilled to turn their bedroom into a hunting blind. If mom or dad comes in for a nap after hunting, how the heck are you going to find them? Just forget about it!
- Scent killer gum- Okay, first, this is a cheapskate gift. So much is made about killing human scent in order to increase your odds of sneaking up on a big buck. Please! While some of these soaps, cover scents, and other concoctions may have some merit, I think gum is taking things a bit far. Brush your teeth. Stop gnawing on sausage sticks and belching while you wait for that big one.
- Micro-compact pocket fishing rods- We have all seen the commercials where Bubba pulls out a pen-sized device from a pocket and proceeds to have the time of his life catching trophy bass. These things are a joke. There are plenty of reliable, take-down and telescoping rods available if you need a compact way to fish. Don’t waste money on puny gimmicks.
- Coonskin hats- For a gag gift, perhaps they can bring a chuckle, but then they get stored away forever. No right-thinking human is going to walk around with a dead coon curled around his or her cranium. Most of these are impractical for real outdoor wear, and you run the risk of some trigger-happy yahoo mistaking your headgear for a trophy.
- Do- it- yourself taxidermy kits- Ever tan your own deer hide? Thinking of a loved one that might want to mount his or her own fish? Trust me, leave it to the pros. While simple horn mounts and turkey feather spreads are easy for anyone to do, anything more complicated can turn into a real mess. Another good reason: deer ticks in your home. Enough said!
- Jerky shooter- Okay, I like mine and use it quite a bit. Rumor has it that one I gave to my folks has not seen active duty in quite some time. Wild game is very lean and makes excellent jerky. You can grind up deer, pheasant, wild boar, even squirrel and make some delicious jerky and snack sticks. While I have a blast with mine, alas, it is not for everyone.
If you have not done your shopping yet, you are now armed with some great gift ideas for the outdoors person in your life.
Photo compliments of Becky and Lyall White, owners of Fevolden Farm Alpacas in beautiful Black River Falls Wisconsin. For a look at more of their unique items, visit www.smileybeareesign.com or call 715.284.0027.