When your shopping for presents this holiday season don't forget your favorite hunter, whether they happen to have two or four legs. The Gun Dog gift guide is a collection of the best products for the field, everything from training collars to dummies as well as shotguns and ammunition.
No matter if you're buying for someone hunt pheasants in corn fields or ducks in flooded timber, the gear listed here is perfect for every discipline and every budget.
DT Systems RAPT 1450
D.T. Systems has expanded their RAPT (Rapid Access Pro Trainer) series to include the new 1450 Beeper system, which included a compact control with the RAPT Strap that allows you to attach it to your hand yet won't interfere with shooting or dog handling duties, so there's no more digging through pockets to try to locate your control. The unit features a Rapid Access button that is positioned so you can choose press the button with one finger, and it features Locate, Nick, Continuous or Vibration Assist settings. This training aid is feature-loaded and can be programmed for up to three dogs. The unit costs $259.99 and additional collars are $179.99 | DTSystems.com
Federal Premium 28 Gauge Game Shok
There are a lot of upland hunters who have turned to the lightweight, low-recoiling 28 gauge shotguns. They'll appreciate Federal Premium's new Game Shok loads, which offer a one-ounce payload at 1,220 feet per second. The hard, uniform shot used in Game Shok produces excellent patterns and these new loads are available in 5, 6, and 7 ½. Whether you're hunting doves and quail or larger birds like pheasant and grouse these new load offerings from Federal will help you get the most from your 28-gauge gun. MSRP $19.95 | FederalPremium.com
Remington V3
Remington has a long history of producing reliable semiauto shotguns, and the V3 is their newest offering. At the core of this 3-inch 12-gauge is the Versaport system which has ports that are left open or covered depending upon shell length; with three-inch shells four ports vent gas, and with 2 ¾-inch shells all eight ports remain uncovered. This allows for load versatility and reduced recoil. The V3 is available in black or with a full camo dip (Mossy Oak Blades or Break-Up Country) and a wood-stocked version will be joining the ranks as well. MSRPs start at $895 | Remington.com
CZ Drake
The Drake shares the same CNC-machined action and internal as CZ's other over/unders, but this Turkish import is a real bargain. It's a no-frills stackbarrel, with gloss black chrome finishing on the receiver and barrel and basic laser-checkered Turkish walnut. It comes without ejectors, without a mid-rib. But what is does offer is robust build quality, five choke tubes, and a single selectable trigger. In short, it's the perfect gun for the hunter and sometime clays shooters who wants to get a solid over/under and doesn't want to pay four figures to do so. It's available in 12 or 20 gauge with 28-inch barrels and costs just over $600. MRSP $629 | Cz-usa.com
SportDOG Brand NoBark 10R Collar
There are few things that are more obnoxious than a dog that barks constantly, but SportDOG is now offering a humane and effective method to control problem barking. There are three distinct programs, so you can customize the method by which you correct your dog, and ten separate levels of stimulation. Because the collar corrects based on two factors — vibration and sound — the system won't correct based on surrounding noise. This consistency critical to proper training, and there's also a safety setting so if the dog barks more than 15 times within 50 seconds in any mode the unit shuts down for three minutes. MSRP $84.95 | SportDog.com
YETI Rambler
YETI prides themselves on over-engineering their products, and that includes their Rambler drinkware line. From the 10-ounce lowball to the 64-ounce bottle and the Colster can sleeve, Rambler products are built from 18/8 stainless steel, feature double-wall vacuum insulation and have a No Sweat design that keeps the exterior dry. You can find one with the logo of your favorite athletic team, or for a more personal touch opt for a custom design with your own company decal or text. No matter which Rambler option you choose, your drinks will stay cold or hot longer than they would with competing drinkware. Prices start at $19.99 | Yeti.com
Dokken Deadfowl Trainer
Tom Dokken is one of the country's most-renowned trainers, and while you may not share Tom's decades of experience you can at least use the Deadfowl trainer he designed and uses at his facility. Tremendous thought went into the engineering of these trainers, which feature soft, scent-injectable bodies that are designed to last for hundreds of training sessions and hard ends. The head hangs down and corrects a dog that shakes a downed bird by doling out a rap on the nose, helping instill proper technique with every retrieve. There are a variety of different upland bird and waterfowl models that range in size from doves and quail to large ducks and geese, each with a lifelike look and feel. Starting at $22.99 | DeadfowlTrainer.com
Benelli ETHOS 28 Gauge
The ETHOS semiauto shotgun line has grown to include a svelte little 28-gauge model that weighs just 5.3 pounds with its 26-inch barrel. The AA-grade satin walnut stock and engraved nickel-plated receiver give this gun a classy look, and the time-tested Inertia-Driven action performs reliably, but the big news here is that the ETHOS is the first 28-gauge that is chambered to accept 3-inch shells (which Fiocchi is now making), making the great 28 even more versatile and a sound option for hunting teal, pheasants, chukar and a wide variety of other birds. MSRP $2,199 | Benelliusa.com
Caesar Guerini Invictus V Sporting
Italians know something about styling; this is, after all, the land that spawned Maserati cars and Armani suits. That sense of styling has crossed over to the gun world through Caesar Guerini, maker of some of the most beautiful shotguns in the world. The Invictus Sporting V is one of their newest offerings, complete with full-coverage sideplates that incorporate four separate engraving techniques and a hand oil-rubbed Turkish walnut stock. But the Invictus V Sporting is more than eye-popping good looks; it has a brand-new locking system that is extremely robust, Invisalloy coating on the hand-polished nickel, and the superb DTS II trigger. If you have a clay shooter and upland hunter that's been very good this year this just might be the perfect gift. MSRP $8,795 | Gueriniusa.com