One more “tested-true” Christmas Gift Guide for those in search of last-minute holiday gifts that heed the go-hunt call.
by Scott Haugen
With Christmas just around the corner, here’s a look at more great gear to consider. Whether you’re researching a gift for the hunter in your life or want to treat yourself, I’ve tested each of these items and will keep using them for seasons to come.
Mystery Ranch Game Bag Set & GRAVELLY 18 Pack
I tested three brands of game bags this fall. You’ll only read about one. Mystery Ranch Game Bags are thick enough so blood doesn’t continually seep out and make a mess. This means no flies laying eggs on the outside of the bags and no sticking to the meat when removing quarters and loose parts, thanks to sturdy, breathable material. A feature I like is the heavy-duty grab handles that make bagging, hanging, removing meat, and even handing off bags to helpers a cinch. The handles allow for balanced transport, and the bags fit heavy loads like Roosevelt elk hind quarters. The high visibility reflector accents help keep track of them in pitch dark. Made from washable nylon and constructed with durable seaming, they’re easy to hose off, put in the washer, and reuse.
I also like the support, comfort, and fit of the Mystery Ranch Gravelly 18 backpack. The pack securely piggybacks to the frame, adding 18 more liters of capacity for essential gear. You can attach the Gravelly 18 to the frame and use the compression straps and overload shelf as a meat hauler, with the game bags between. This makes for a two-in-one pack that allows you to haul out one load of meat upon the initial haul-out without heading back to base camp to round up pack frames.
Silencer Central
I first hunted with suppressors in the mid-1990s. I was impressed on many levels. It always boggled my mind that America wouldn’t accept these efficient tools. Thirty years later, we’ve come to our senses. I picked up my first suppressor last year from Silencer Central. They walked me through the entire process, from start to finish. I never had to leave my home, and nine months later, I was fitting their Banish 223 to my Browning rifle. I followed that up with a Banish Backcountry for my 6.8 Western and a Banish 22 for my squirrel rifle. Both of those arrived in just over a month. The logistics were smooth and quick because I was already in their system.
Now, squirrel hunting with my dogs is more enjoyable, with increased kill rates due to no noise. My predator and big game guns shoot much quieter and with virtually no recoil. One of the best parts is that when multiple animals are around, one shot won’t spook every critter around, and multiple shots can be taken at small game and predators without scaring them off. These tools are one of the biggest game-changers a hunter could ask for.
FORLOH Deep Space Base Layer
I’m a base layer fanatic. And I am very particular. I look for base layers that work well when hiking in the dense deer woods of the Pacific Northwest, the steep elk mountains, and sitting for hours in a duck blind. I want something that breathes, keeps me warm when inactive, and is comfortable and non-binding. Enter FORLOH’s Deep Space Base Layer Crew and Bottom.
The Deep Space Base Layer features exclusive Trizar, a NASA Certified Space Technology woven into each fiber. Trizar captures body heat and re-radiates it, keeping you noticeably warmer on cold days when you’re stagnant or following arduous hikes where you’re sweating, then sitting and glassing for hours. The advanced material diffuses moisture, moving perspiration out to keep you dry and comfortable.
The garments also features scent control technology, which I don’t rely on to fool an animal’s keen nose because I’m almost always moving and sweating. However, because it eliminates much of the odor from your body, you can wear it multiple days without washing. Hang it in a tree or tent once back at camp, let it air out, and you’re good to go. This is a next level base layer worth every penny.
Work Sharp’s Ken Onion Edition Knife & Tool Sharpener Mark 2
My wife, Tiffany, and I lived a semi-subsistence life in Alaska’s high Arctic in the 1990s. Back then, we thought our knives and sharpeners were good. Today, these tools are light years ahead of where they were, which makes us appreciate them even more.
The Work Sharp Ken Onion Edition Mark 2 Knife and Tool Sharpener is one we wish we had decades ago. Today, we both use it: Tiffany in the kitchen and me in the field. This unit, along with the new blade grinding attachment, offers a wide range of sharpening options.
The Ken Onion Mark 2 Knife and Tool Sharpener has a handy chart and quick-start guide to help you get rolling. Don’t be intimidated by the unit; the instructions tell you what abrasive papers to use, when, what angles are best for which knives, and what speeds are ideal. There are also instructional videos on their website that are very well done and simple to follow. Follow their suggestions, and you’ll avoid dull blades and rounded tips.
A Do-All Sharpener
From small pocket knives to hunting knives, fishing knives to machetes, axes, and even Tiffany’s high-end chef knives, the Mark 2 works wonders. New in the design of the sharpener is an LED display on the top of the handle, which makes knowing what speed you’re using fast and easy. There are seven-speed options. The new sharpening guide features a scope-click adjustment knob with a full range of 15-30-degree angles, adjustable in .5-degree increments. Leather-lined guides are perfect for protecting specialized kitchen knives and other valued blades.
I use many machetes for clearing trails and running trail cameras, and this sharpener allows me to quickly and easily regain the edge of those hefty blades. The sharpening guide removes, and the cassette rotates forward, allowing the unit to take on any blade and bring back an edge.
The Mark 2 Blade Grinding Attachment now features a second reference plate for quickly getting the sharpener closer to the area being ground. An adjustable pulley system allows for every angle, from flat to convex, giving you control of precise angles. Speeds can be adjusted on the fly which equates to sharp edges on your blade. The back reference plate lowers to make 90-degree grinds, too.
White Duck Dog Bed
My dogs were in need of a new travel bed. I wanted something tough that was easy to stow, move and clean. Enter the White Duck Dog Bed. I’ve been a fan of their canvas tents for a few years. Now I’m a fan of their dog bed, and so are my dogs. This dog bed makes transporting, cleaning, and washing a cinch. The canvas dog bed is great for road trips, but my dogs love it at home, where I move it from room to room, often multiple times a day. The water-repellent coating makes for easy cleanup of dirt and mud when on the road, and a full-length zipper makes it simple to remove for washing once at home. My dogs love nuzzling into this bed, where they’ll sleep for hours. It’s a tough, comfortable bed that will last for years if it’s anything like the quality of the White Duck tents.
High Camp Personalized Flask
Recently, my aging female pudelpointer was chewing on a bone and tweaked her jaw. For two days, it was hard for her to chew kibble. I filled up my 375 ml. High Camp Flask from our hot water dispenser as we headed out for two days of hunting. For just over 20 hours the water was kept piping hot, allowing me to add it to her kibble to soften it up so she could comfortably chew it. I’ve used this flask to keep coffee and cider boiling hot all day in a cold duck blind. The magnetic tumbler is ingenious, and the durability of this flask meets a range of needs for the outdoorsman. I use a mix of these high-performance flasks for hot drinks while hunting and fishing. The latest addition to my collection came with a customized engraving of my male pudelpointer. Just hop on their website, place the order, and upload your design or logo. It’s easy and fun.
