Great Days Outdoors caught up with one of the Duck Commanders, Justin Martin, at Academy Sports and Outdoors in Hoover, Alabama. He gave us a tour pointing out some cool hunting gift ideas for outdoorsman that are sure to please this holiday season.
âThe Magellan Mesa hunting jacket and pants are great for any hunter in Alabama,â Martin mentioned Martin. âIn the Realtree Timber camo pattern they can be used for deer, duck or turkey hunting.â
The Mesa series is a medium to light weight which allows for layering underneath on colder days outdoors. The material is waterproof and has scent control. They can be purchased separately and is available in other Realtree patterns. Each is around $89.
Another cool hunting gift idea for outdoorsman is a quality rain suit. And Frogg Toggs Pilot series is top notch for waterfowlers. The material is 100 percent waterproof, DriPore Gen 2 material and sealed seams offer protection from moisture. Available in Realtee Camo for around $140.
Martin mentioned that if it does get cold, Academy has you covered in in a pair of insulated bib overalls. Magellan Ozark insulated overalls are available in various camo patterns including Realtree Max 5 which Martin says is a great pattern for duck hunters. âThese bibs can also be used for cold weather fishing,â Martin advised. âThey have pockets high and pockets low along with zippers. They are comfortable and plenty long enough.â The bibs can be matched with an Ozark insulated waterproof jacket with a hood. Both bibs and jackets are available in menâs and womenâs sizes. Price is around $60 for each.
Martin said that a game camera is another cool hunting gift idea for the outdoorsman from Academy and a gift giver can choose from a base model around $60 to $70 to a few hundred for the cellular models. It depends who you are buying for.There are several different makes and models available including Stealth Cam, Wild Game Innovations and Moultrie plus others. The trend is toward to new cell cameras. Some models are cell carrier specific. Martin cautioned to make certain there is cell service in the area where the camera will be used.Â
Martin mentioned that pop-up hunting blinds are another gift that can be used for hunting deer, turkey and other game. Academy carries the Game Winner and Ameristep brands. The blinds set up quickly and are waterproof. Most sizes are large enough for two adults or an adult and a couple of kids. Prices for pop-up blinds range from around $100 to $150. Martin pointed out that the blinds are safer than hunting from a tree. For older hunters ground blinds are easy in and easy out and ground blinds are great for hunters just starting out with hunting. The pop-up blind is super simple to set up.
âWhat outdoorsman doesnât need a good knife?â Martin asked. Â âKnives are always a cool hunting gift idea for an outdoorsman, and no-one can have too many knives.â and we agree. Martin said that he has knives stashed everywhere, He keeps a couple in his truck and some in his boat. He prefers the type of knife with interchangeable blades. You donât have to stop and sharpen the knife just replace the blade and youâre ready to go. Martin pointed out that he is no good at sharpening a knife. He likes to just push a button and pop in a new blade.
A couple of top brands are Havalon and Outdoor Edge. Prices range from around $25 to $80.
Rounding out his Christmas gear guide, MartĂn pointed out that soft-side coolers are the way to go. Academy offers Yeti brand soft-sided coolers. âSoft side coolers are great for carry-on for airlines,â Martin said. âI can cut out my backstraps, freeze them, put them in the cooler and I am ready to go. The Yeti soft-sided coolers come in different sizes and are available at around $200 to $300.
We thank Justin for providing us with some great gift ideas for outdoorsman, this holiday season, and if you are still looking for more gift ideas for the hunter or angler in your life, be sure to check our round-ups of some of the best hunting and fishing gear from this past year.
