
Let's face it. That cousin-by-marriage who drew your name for the annual holiday family gift exchange doesn't know jack about your hunting needs.
Plus, our Christmas comes early — as in opening day of bird season or the day we pick up our new pup from the breeder. But it's been a long year, and you deserve something nice. So indulge and buy that new over/under. Or splurge on your very best field dog and get him one of the top e-collars on the market. He'll become a gun dog extraordinaire in no time at all, especially if you train with a Dokken's DeadFowl trainer this spring.
And stop going afield with those weak (cheap) shotgun shells. If you're going to buy a well-bred pup, invest in training and spend long days walking the uplands or setting up for waterfowl, it just makes good sense to have a shotshell that performs.
For additional hunting gift ideas, be sure to also check out the Game & Fish 2014 Holiday Gift Guide for Hunters.
Add a GUN DOG touch to this holiday giving season with the wishlist below:
Dokken | Deadfowl Trainer
DeadFowl Trainers are the ultimate in getting your gun dog to retrieve right. They're constructed of a soft middle that mimics the feel of waterfowl and upland birds. The swinging plastic heads on the dummies dissuade shaking and encourage dogs to pick up the birds by the mid-section.
Price: $25.99
D.T. Systems | S.P.O.T. Plus
Whether airing pup out in the pre-dawn before a hunt or just taking him on a nighttime stroll, know where he is at all times with the lighted and reflective
S.P.O.T. Plus collar from D.T. Systems. The Night Sight illumination has a brightness range of one to 16. It can also be set to strobe, constant or factory default (high or low). There's also a Vibration Assist so you can correct your dog if needed.
Price: $159.99
Dogtra | ARC
Today's gun dogs deserve the new sleek
ARC (Advanced Receiver Concept). The completely redesigned receiver/collar features a contour shape that is less obtrusive and less likely to snag debris in the field. Performance-driven and designed for comfort, the ARC is stepping out of the box and into the future with ¾-mile range, nick and continuous stimulation, pager/vibration, and an LCD screen that displays stimulation level and battery life. The fully waterproof ARC can withstand the harshest elements.
Price: $234.99
SportDOG | Wetland Hunter 425
With a 500-yard range, Drytek waterproof design, and the ability to instantly switch between stimulation, vibration and tone, the
425 was made specifically for the environments we live for. Powering up with only a 2-hour charge, the 1.31-pound e-collar further proves SportDOG understands our needs.
Price: $189.99
Fabarm | Elos B
We love hunting speeding birds with small-gauge smoothbores, and the
Elos B (available in 28- and 20-gauge) has become one of our favorite field guns. At just 6.9 pounds — the Elos B AL is even lighter at 5.14 — this over/under shoots like a dream. From the hand-oiled Turkish walnut stock to the tapered bore and HP chokes, this stack is as eye-catching as it is deadly.
Price: $2,420 (20 gauge);
$2,575 (28 gauge)
Hevi-Shot | Hevi-Upland
Hammer flushing roosters this winter with Hevi-Shot's new lead offering. The heavy 1…›-ounce, 12-gauge loads hit trophy roosters hard, making the job easier for your best pointer. Available in 2¾-inch, No. 5s with a velocity of 1,250 fps.
Price: $93.23 per case
ThermaCell | ProFLEX Heated Insoles
The worst part about those little shake-and-go footwarmer pouches is they're either too hot or don't work at all. Save your freezing tootsies with the
Pro Flex heat insoles from
ThermaCell. Just place the soles in your boot or waders and then adjust the temp accordingly with the included remote. The rechargeable batteries are good for five hours, so no more sweaty socks that turn your little piggies into toesicles.
Price: $179.99
ATN | BinoXS-HD 4-16X
If you're looking for some of the most advanced optics in the world, you can't miss the
BinoXS-HD 4-16X from ATN. The BinoXS works day or night, comes loaded with WiFi, Smooth Zoom, records video and takes photos, and has a built in compass. It's fully capable of GPS geotagging, so you can mark waypoints as you go. With WiFi technology you can see the viewfinder on your smartphone, take photos and record video in 1080p HD. What's not to love?
Price: $500
SPOT | Gen3
For those looking for a critical, life-saving line of communication while adventuring off the grid, consider the
SPOT Gen3, a simple one-touch GPS locator/tracker/messenger. Using 100 percent satellite technology, it tracks your movements and relays them back to a website where others can see your real-time progress. It also sends out prepared text messages/emails to a contact list to let them know you are fine, you need help, or you simply need more supplies. In an emergency, it also features an SOS button that will send out a distress signal with your exact coordinates to rescuers.
Price: $149.95
CZ-USA | 612 Wildfowl Magnum
CZ's 612 Wildfowl Magnum packs a lot into a bargain-priced pump. Chambered for 2¾-, 3- and 3½-inch shells, the 612 is camo-clad for concealment and protection against the worst weather. It comes with a modified choke for waterfowl, and an extra-full tube for turkey. Extra chokes are available. The 26-inch vent-rib barrel is just right for a pump action, and at less than 7 pounds, is easy to carry when you hike into a public area.
Price: $428
Ruger | Red Label
One of the great shotgun 'workhorses ' of the past century, the
Red Label was recently redesigned and re-introduced to soldier on, and you'll enjoy a lifetime of shooting with it. Its mechanical trigger ensures a second shot, and the back-bored barrels with included steel-shot compatible Briley chokes provide excellent patterns. The 3-inch chambered barrels are separated for fast cooling and a free swing.
Price: $1,399
Patternmaster | Anaconda
Just like its slithery namesake, the
Anaconda uses constriction to achieve its goals, producing tight duck-whacking patterns via its gas-over-constriction design as well as the 'Coil Zone, ' winding gases around the wad to further assist in constriction and pattern uniformity. Short-, Mid-, and Long-Range options are available for a litany of 12-gauge models.
Price: $60.00
Irish Setter | Havoc
These aren't your father's
Irish Setters — they're better. By utilizing advances in technology and implementing a Gore-Tex liner, the
Havoc 7-inch will keep your feet dry no matter where you hunt upland birds. The Havoc 7-inch has built-in features that ensure maximum comfort from the first mile to the last.
Irish Setters' CuShin system includes padding around the top of the boot to reduce the pressure some hunters feel on their shin when they walk. The all-leather boot is attached to a polyurethane footbed and an UltraFlex big game sole for added comfort. The non-insulated boot weighs 3 pounds, 4 ounces and is available in 7- and 9-inch lace-ups and 10-inch side zipper options.
Price: $200
LaCrosse | AeroTuff
Constructed of AeroForm, the
AeroTuff has a lightweight, glove-like feel that provides insulation and durability, Uppers are made of 5mm puncture-resistant neoprene. Injected liquid polyurethane around 7mm neoprene in the foot creates an ultra-insulating shell.
Price: $350
Mossy Oak | Shadow Grass Blades
Mossy Oak's focus with its
Shadow Grass Blades camo is on waterfowlers who hunt field edges and potholes. Blades precisely mimics wind-blown, broken and bent grass blades; underneath these elements are depictions of lesser and dead grass thatch.