Ask any experienced hunter and if they’re honest, they’ll confirm that they have a pile of hunting equipment that they received as gifts or bought themselves and have never used. This is the especially hard part about shopping for deer hunters. If you’re like my wife, you’re picking gear for a sport you might not even do yourself. Not to mention the fact that many hunters are particular about their deer hunting gear, myself included.
This list of hunting gifts sticks to the gear that will nine times out of ten earn a spot in the receivers pack during the hunting season. You’ll find 21 gift ideas that deer hunters will actually use, not items that will end up in the outdoor gear graveyard.
Quick Picks
If you only have a minute, start with one of these three.
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Category |
Pick |
Why it wins |
|---|---|---|
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Best gift under $50 |
Keeps hands warm on cold sits |
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Best gift when you don’t know their size |
Works with whatever boots they already wear |
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Best big ticket gift |
Perfect for EDC and hunting |
Gifts for Deer Hunters Under $50
1. PhaZe Windfloaters by Illusion
The importance of wind when whitetail hunting cannot be understated. If a mature buck picks up just a whiff of you, odds are you’ll never know he was there. When I don’t have any milkweed, the Phaze Windfloaters are my go to wind checker. These fibers let you see how the wind is carrying your scent through the woods, not just in one place like the powder wind checkers do, helping you stay a step ahead of one of a whitetails senses.
2. Streamlight 65006 Stylus Red LED Penlight
I’ve personally used this stylus penlight for the last five seasons and it’s easily become one of my most used pieces of gear. The two lumens won’t light up a trail but its perfect for making sure you don’t step on sticks while walking in to your stand in the dark, finding a zipper, or making your final adjustments in your stand or blind before daylight.
3. First Lite All Season Merino Wool Crew Socks
Socks might not sound like much of a gift but a good pair gets worn more than almost any other piece of clothing a hunter owns. These First Lite socks use a merino wool blend with cushioning underfoot and along the shin, which helps on long walks scouting, to the stand, or just long days spent in the woods in general.
The crew height stops at mid calf, so if the hunter your shopping for lives in tall rubber boots and prefer a taller sock keep that in mind. Otherwise, this is the easy gift that will actually get used. I mean hell, who couldn’t use an extra pair of high quality socks?
4. Swiss Tech Kumpel 400LM Mini LED Headlamp / Cap Light
We’ve covered the stylus penlight already but every hunter also needs a headlamp for the more involved tasks in the dark that require you to have both hands. That where the Swiss Tech Kumpel 400LM Mini LED Headlamp / Cap Light shines. I picked this headlamp up at my local Walmart a few years ago and its been in my hunting bag ever since.
It has settings for 60, 200, and 400 lumens of white light that are perfect for blood trailing a deer as well as a red and green mode for walking in and out of your hunting area.
5. First Lite Aerowool Merino Wool Neck Gaiter
This neck gaiter covers your face and neck without adding much bulk. Pull it up once you’re settled in the stand, and drop it around your neck on the walk in. The merino blend handles sweat and dries faster than traditional merino.
It’s lightweight, so it’s an early season piece. Don’t expect it to keep anybody warm in January. It’s one size, which makes it a safe pick when you don’t know their shirt or jacket size.
6. THAW 10K Rechargeable Hand Warmer
If your looking for a small gift for a hunter who’s hands are constantly cold this might be the most useful gift on the list. The THAW 10K has a rechargeable battery and three heat settings that provide anywhere from 8 to 14.5 hours of warmth when hunting in cold weather.
The downside is the same as anything rechargeable. Forget to plug it in the night before and it’s dead weight in your pocket.
7. First Lite Rugged Wool Half Finger Gloves
The First Lite Rugged Wool Half Finger gloves are my personal go to once the cold weather sets in.
These gloves put heavyweight merino over the palm and back of the hand and leave the fingertips free, making it easy to handle small gear without pulling a glove off every time. The fleece lining adds comfort, and the silicone palm helps with grip.
Open fingertips get cold, plain and simple. These are for hunters who want some warmth while keeping their fingers free, not for the coldest sits of the year. A bowhunter who’s always stripping off bulky gloves to use their gear will get the most out of them.
8. Cabela’s Original PEET Boot Dryer
Waterproof boots still get wet from time to time and the last thing you want to do is hunt cold mornings with a wet pair of boots. The PEET Boot Dryer uses gently warmed air to dry boots between hunts, so the next morning starts with dry feet.
9. Hunter Safety System Bow and Gear Hoist, 30 Feet
Anybody who has dug a knotted pull rope out of a pack in the dark knows the problem. The HSS hoist keeps its 30 foot line contained, lets it pay out as you climb, and winds back up when you’re done. Once you’re strapped in, you pull up your bow or gear.
Gifts for Deer Hunters $50 to $99.99
10. Evolution Outdoor President Series
Besides being required in most states, anytime I’m hunting with a firearm its in a case while driving to hunting camp or wherever I’m hunting. The Evolution Outdoor President Series cases or not your run of the mill cheap gun case, this one gives real padding and extremely high quality. The taller profile allows room for scoped rifles.
Measure before you buy. The case is 48 inches on the outside but only 46 inches inside, and that two inch difference is how people end up returning gun cases.
11. Outdoor Edge RazorPro 3.5 Inch Razor/Gut Knife
A dull knife makes field dressing or skinning a deer a slow and unenjoyable process. The RazorPro solves the dull knife issue by letting you swap in a fresh blade instead of stopping to sharpen. A separate folding gut blade handles opening the hide while field dressing, and the textured handle helps you keep your grip. It comes with six blades and a sheath that stores spares.
12. Work Sharp Precision Adjust Knife Sharpener Kit
If the hunter on your list already has a favorite knife, help them keep it sharp. I picked up one of these knife sharpeners several years ago and its been my go to ever since. The Precision Adjust clamps the blade and guides the abrasive at a set angle, which makes it a lot easier to get the same edge every time. Diamond abrasives do the sharpening and a ceramic hone finishes the edge.
It takes more setup than a pull through sharpener, so it’s for somebody willing to spend a few minutes doing it right. Anybody who processes their own deer, or who has never been happy sharpening by hand, will get their money’s worth.
13. Guide Gear Deluxe Deer Cart
A deer cart turns a long drag out of public land into a roll, as long as the ground lets wheels roll. I actually received this deer cart as a gift myself a few years ago and it stays in the back of my truck throughout the hunting season, especially when hunting public areas where you can’t take motorized vehicles in to retrieve the animal. This Guide Gear model has a steel frame, 16 inch solid rubber wheels, three straps to hold the load, and a 300 pound capacity.
In steep, thick timber, it’s still a drag, just with extra weight to carry out. This is a gift for hunters who pull deer out along logging roads, field edges, and established trails, especially where they can’t get a truck close.
14. Tactacam REVEAL Folding Solar Panel
These days I’d say 99% of the trail cameras I use are cellular and while the battery life has gotten better the fewer trips I can make in to swap batteries, the less likely I am to bump the deer I’m after and figure out his pattern. A solar panel cuts down on those trips. This one folds up for the walk in, and its built in lithium battery stores power to keep the camera running and ultimately saving you money by buying less AA’s throughout the course of the season.
Click here for my full review of the Tactacam Reveal Folding Solar Panel.
Gifts for Deer Hunters $100 and Up
15. Tactacam REVEAL Pro 4.0 or Tactacam REVEAL ULTRA
These two Reveal cameras are a great addition to an deer hunting gear arsenal. They are cellular so you the photos are sent directly to your phone or computer. Tactacam’s cellular plans are, in my opinion, the best in the business.
Check out or full reviews for both cameras below.
Tactacam Reveal Ultra Review: Best Tactacam Yet?
Tactacam Reveal Pro 4.0 Review: Two Weeks and 500 Photos In
16. Crispi Nevada GTX
I won’t lie to you. This pair of boots is expensive. But if the hunter your shopping for is constantly complaining about the boots they are currently using this might just be the perfect gift for them. People say you get what you pay for and this is one instance I’d 100% agree with that statement. I went from buying boots every season to wearing the same pair of Nevada’s for the last 4 years and they haven’t disappointed.
I understand this is a big purchase so I’d encourage you to read my full review: Crispi Nevada GTX Review: Four Years on One Pair of Boots.
17. Vortex Diamondback HD 10×42 or Vortex Viper HD 10×42
Experienced hunters know just how important quality binoculars can be and Vortex has been my go to for optics since I purchased the Viper HD 10×42 binoculars. These optics have exceptional build and glass quality and are also backed by Vortex’s unlimited, unconditional, lifetime warranty.
The Viper HD’s are considered a mid to high price point binocular while the Diamondback series is more budget friendly while also providing the quality.
18. Marsupial Gear Enclosed Binocular Pack
Every set of bino’s needs pack to ride in and out of the woods in. The Marsupial Gear bino harness does just that and with the accessories offered by Marsupial, can also double as a hunting pack.
19. BOG Aluminum DeathGrip Tripod, Mossy Oak Bottomland
The DeathGrip gives a rifle, muzzleloader, or shotgun a steady rest when you’re deer hunting from the ground or shooting at the range. A padded clamp holds the gun, the legs adjust, and the head pans and tilts, so you can set it for different heights and angles. You also aren’t holding the weight of the rifle while you wait.
It’s one more piece to haul in, so it fits best where the hunter sits in the same spot and leaves gear set up. A ground blind is the perfect example.
20. RTIC 52 QT Ultra Light Hard Cooler
On a hunting trip, a cooler carries camp food and drinks on the way in and bagged venison on the way home. The RTIC 52 QT uses insulated walls and a gasket on the lid to hold the cold, and two drains make cleanup easier.
It weighs 21 pounds empty, and a lot more once it’s loaded, so lifting it in and out of a truck is a two person job. For a hunter who travels or spends weekends at deer camp, it’s a gift that also gets used on fishing trips and family outings the rest of the year.
21. Benchmade Mini Bugout
The Mini Bugout is my go to everyday carry and is a useful gift for any deer hunter this holiday season. Benchmade is known for their quality and this knife is no exception. Its compact, holds an edge, and is one of the accessories on this list that doubles as both everyday and field gear.