It’s that time of year again when hunters across the country are hard at work figuring out what gifts to give their hunting-crazed friends and family. We put our heads together at Hunt Alaska and talked to some of our clients to amass Part 1 of 2 of our annual Holiday Gift Guides so you can take the hassle out of giving gifts.
From firearm accessories to cleaning kits, binos for sighting to food processing products for your game, our editors have given you some gift ideas to consider this holiday season. Stay tuned for Part 2 of our Holiday Gift Guide which will appear in December for more gift ideas.
Kenetrek Mountain Extreme
www.kenetrek.com
Keep your hunter’s feet comfortable in boots that are reinforced with double- and triple stitching in high-wear areas, protective rubber toe cap for extra abrasion resistance and a Windtrex waterproof, breathable, flexible membrane that keeps water out but allows perspiration vapor to escape. The perfect gift!
Nikon LaserForce Rangefinder Binocular
www.nikonsportoptics.com
These high-quality binoculars are waterproof, fog proof and rubber armored for toughness to give users a comfortable grip. The rangefinder feature works from 10- to 1900 yards. It can display either horizontal or actual distance and features a red OLED display with four-step intensity options.
Otis Tactical Cleaning Kit
www.otistec.com
All hunters can appreciate the need for a clean firearm. The Otis Tactical Cleaning Kit is good for shotguns, rifles, handguns, and in-line muzzleloaders of all calibers and gauges. This convenient gift kit comes in a compact soft pack carrying case for ease of carry.
Quick Lock Holsters
www.quicklockholsters.com
This durable and ultra-light chest holster is designed perfectly for heading out into the bush where weight and space is at a premium. The chest design provides quick access to your pistol while wearing a pack or working a fishing rod out in bear country. A gift that is sure the be appreciated!
DiamondBlade Knives Surge
www.diamondbladeknives.com
This outstanding drop-point style knife made from Friction Forged D2 high carbon steel consists of a 4-inch blade, Suregrip handle and comes in a Kydex sheath. This gift ensures your hunter will appreciate how this knife feels in their hand and the super-sharp edge when butchering in the field.
Bradley Smoker Smart Smoker
www.bradleysmoker.com
When it comes to smoking smart, Bradley’s got it down with a cool and useful smartphone app that allows you to wirelessly control the smoker’s temperature and smoke. The large capacity unit has a touch screen and two temperature probes. It also features an automatic feed system for the wood discs that Bradley makes, which come in apple, alder, hickory, maple and mesquite. A great-tasting gift for every outdoorsman.
Alaska Game Bags Gun Sock
www.alaskagamebags.com
Alaska Game Bags makes various gun socks that are light, yet tough, that offer protection for your valuable firearm. Made of synthetic material, it comes in sizes to fit a handgun, shotgun and rifle and help to keep the dirt and moisture off of your firearm.
Skinner Sights TRAPPER and BEAR BUSTER Sights
www.skinnersights.com
If your hunter has a Marlin 336/1895 (including Marlin guide guns) and Henry .45-70/.30-30 rifles then they’ll like Skinner Sights’ new Skinner TRAPPER rear aperture sights as a gift. They are fully elevation- and windage adjustable and provide a sleek, rugged and accurate sighting system for your rifle. For use with the TRAPPER rear aperture sight, their new BEAR BUSTER front sights are available in blue steel and blue with white face.
LEM Big Bite Grinders
www.lemproducts.com
For practical gifts for hunters, there are five different sizes of LEM Big Bite Grinders to choose from. All are made of stainless steel for durability, and a rifled head design for a superior second grind.
Nightforce NX8 1-8×24 F1
www.nightforceoptics.com
At just 8.75 inches in length and 17 ounces in weight, this remarkable riflescope boasts an 8:1 zoom ratio which means one scope can provide the same wide field of view as open sights at 1x, and plenty of magnification for long shots.
Sightmark Core HX 3-12×56 HDR Hunter Dot Riflescope
www.sightmark.com
This scope has the magnification capabilities to tackle a range of obstacles faced by modern rifle hunters. It’s 3-12 magnification is equipped with a 56mm objective lens for enhanced low-light performance and dot duplex reticle for precision shot placement. Crafted from durable aircraft-grade aluminum, it is shockproof, fogproof, and waterproof, making it not only one of the most ruggedly durable scopes on the market, but a great gift.
Kryptek Altitude Collection
www.kryptek.com
Keep your hunter warm and dry with the incredible Kryptek Altitude collection of garments and accessories. The jacket and pants are waterproof, windproof, breathable, comfortable, very durable and quiet. The gaiters are top-of-the-line, and rounding out the overall comfort level are the merino wool-lined Tora Beanie and breathable gloves which are both comfortable and functional. These gifts are sure to keep your hunters warm in Alaska.
Afflictor Broadheads
www.afflictorbroadheads.com
These Broadheads are a combination of mechanical head with fixed blades. Its integrated Drive Key eliminates possible malfunctions you get with other mechanical heads by deploying the blades before they enter the object. When this Drive Key comes to its resting position it becomes a Bleeder Blade. Upon impact, the rear blades scissor out thereby locking the front blades into position making it secure like a fixed head. Dave Stoddard, owner of Full Curl Archery in Anchorage share that he took a moose, brown bear and black bear this year each with these broad heads. “They don’t fail. They work,” Dave told us.
Firenock Titanium Stabilizers and Bolt Kits for any bow
www.firenock.com
Firenocks AeroStab are made of titanium for its rigidity and resistance to vibration thereby making this a strong and lightweight stabilizer. Used in conjunction with their Titanium Fastener Upgrade Kits, your recipient’s bow will look refreshed, vibrate less and become lighter. Dave Stoddard from Full Curl told us they don’t rust and it makes your bow way lighter.
Hoyt RX3 Bow
www.hoyt.com
Comprised of more than 50 individual carbon components, this Hoyt RX3 Bow is incredibly rigid and lightweight. While the all-new faster and smoother ZT Pro Cam keeps a balanced side-to-side load with a split-cable system, it reduces cable-induced torque and lateral nock travel. Dave Stoddard suggested this product to us. It is a smooth-drawing, quiet, light warm in cold weather bow. Features also include an Adjustable Grip System and Shock Pod Vibration Damping System.
Garmin inReach Explorer+
www.explore.garmin.com
For peace of mind, nothing can beat having a Garmin inReach Explorer+. This performed very well in area’s where sat phones were having spotty reception. The unit sends a location to the person you text so they know where you’re located. Giving gifts and providing peace of mind in the field all in one.