28 Expert-Approved Gifts for Hunters Recommended by an Actual Hunter

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Hunting is a gear-intensive sport that requires no shortage of apparel, accessories, and add-ons, and there’s always something new that’s sure to help land a trophy. If you’re looking to buy a gift for a hunter, these folks are some of the easiest people to shop for any time of year.

With a sport that demands preparedness, hunting includes all sorts of peripheral items related to camping, off-roading, meat processing, and cooking, so there are many opportunities to find the perfect gift for the holidays or a special occasion.

You don’t have to spend big on expensive hunting jackets or firearms to impress a hunter. In fact, just a simple pocket knife is almost always a hit (I recommend a number of excellent knives below.) In fact, I’ve yet to meet the hunter that felt they had enough knives.

Below you’ll find gift ideas ranging from hunting apparel to trail cameras to meat processing equipment. With more than 25 possibilities in total, there’s something for any hunter who is new to the sport to a lifelong sportsperson. I’ve included a broad range of price points from alpaca hiking socks to high-end hunting binoculars to help you bag the best present possible.

Best Gifts for Hunters

• Best for the Year-Round Hunter: Moultrie Mobile Edge Trail Camera

• Best Knife for Life: Benchmade Taggedout Folding Knife

• Best for the Adventure Traveler: Sitka Gear Drifter Duffle

• For Someone Special: Maven C.1 Binoculars

• Best Bag for the Blind or Range: Aves Hunting Hybrid Elite Blind Bag

What to Consider in a Hunting Gift

Unless you’ve got guidance straight from the hunters themselves, I suggest steering clear of core equipment like rifles, bows, boots, jackets, and pants. Experienced hunters will agonize over these decisions on their own when they’re in need.

If you've got the green light to try, check out our in-depth guides for hunting jackets, hunting packs, and hunting pants. Other less-critical apparel can be a smart option if you’re fairly confident in their sizing. I’ve suggested some specific hunting layers to try below.

How We Selected Hunting Gifts

I’ve been writing about hunting gear for most of the past decade, so I’ve tested hundreds of hunting products hands-on. Most of that testing happens in the field, so I have a good sense of what works and what gets used versus products that just sound like a good idea on paper. For this article, I’ve pulled some of my favorites from different categories of hunting gear I regularly review, as well as plenty of outdoor-adjacent products I love that make easy gifts.

Mobile Edge Trail Camera

Scouting is essential for a successful hunting season, and for that there’s no better scouting tool than a good game camera. I tested dozens of cameras for my Best Trail Cameras for Hunting review, and the cell-connected Edge from Moultrie is my favorite.

Someone serious about hunting likes to keep tabs on the animals year-round, not just during hunting season, and trail cameras are the best way for your giftee to know what’s happening in the woods even when they can’t be out there.

You can buy non-connected cameras, but they aren’t much cheaper than the Edge, and there’s nothing quite like getting pinged on your cell phone with images of heavy-antlered animals to get you primed for hunting season.

The mobile data plans are a reasonable additional cost, the image quality is solid, and the app is one of the simplest and easiest to use. The cameras can be used for security and general wildlife watching as well outside of your recipient's prime scouting months.

Taggedout Folding Knife

Built on the basic design of Benchmade’s fan-favorite lightweight Bugout pocket knife, this is a weather-resistant, lightweight, durable pocket knife built for hunters, but great as an everyday carry knife as well. Your recipient will get 365 days a year of value from this gift.

The CPM MagnaCut stainless steel blade has a blaze orange coating that’s helpful if this knife is set this down in some grass or a messy field butchering scenario. It’s pricey, but your hunter will appreciate the lifetime warranty and lifetime sharpening service that make this a blade one they can use for life and then pass down.

Drifter Duffle

I bought one of these duffels for transporting hunting apparel and storing it in the off-season. I’ve traveled all over the world and United States with it and it's able to absorb a beating and still look good. So good, in fact, my partner stole it for herself and I had to buy a second.

There’s nothing too fancy here, just a good-looking oversize “black hole” duffel that’s waterproof and comes with removable backpack straps that are handy when your hunter friend has to jog to make their flight. I find the 110-liter size most useful, but these come in 75-liter or 50-liter versions as well and several colors.

C.1 Binoculars

It can be tough to stomach high price tags on quality hunting optics, so many hunters suffer with budget options. For that someone special, this is a gift they won’t forget.

Maven makes high-end hunting optics but for quite a bit less than some bigger names, and the brand's mid-tier C-series binos deliver quality in the glass while saving some on the build to keep the price down.

Unless the hunter in your life already has quality binos, these will be a noticeable step up. The classic 10x42 size is a great all-around option for most hunters.

Hunting Hybrid Elite Blind Bag

Aves makes awesome waterfowl-specific gear, and its Hybrid Elite Blind Bag keeps everything your giftee needs close by for a long sit over decoys.

It has lots of zippered pockets that flip open and stay open if desired and dedicated storage for shells, calls, cell phone, and more. Even if your hunter is an infrequent waterfowler like me, it doubles as a great shooting range bag, especially for trap or skeet.

Wick Tee

This thin, wicking, next-to-skin layer is aimed at the hunting crowd but works year-round, so it’s worth getting your giftee the versatility of a solid color. (Camo is also available).

The material, a blend of merino wool with 37.5 tech nylon for added durability, uses permanently infused minerals to prevent the fibers from hanging onto stink for which full synthetics are famous. The fabric is soft to the touch and so thin and breathable that moisture vapor transfers easily away from the body.

Crew Socks

I used to groan when I got socks as a present as a kid, but I’d be pumped if I pulled these alpaca-synthetic blend hiking socks out of my stocking today.

These socks are warm and they're the ones your recipient will reach for if they’re heading out in below-freezing temps for a late-season hunt. They’re also just great all-around wintertime socks. Just like merino, the alpaca wool helps minimize odor by naturally controlling bacteria.

Fitness Program

Anyone who has chased big game in the high-elevation peaks of the West knows it’s not for the faint of heart or weak of leg. I’ve personally seen fit, young healthy adults coming from sea level turned back by the mountains before they even got their packs to basecamp.

MTNTOUGH is an online fitness program designed to give your recipient the necessary training program blocks they can tackle throughout the year specifically aimed at preparing them for the demands of backcountry hunting in the mountains.

I’ve done several of the training plans and they are tough, but tough is what's needed to stick it out and fill up the freezer. You can read more about the programs here, but the link above takes you to a checkout page where you can choose to give a subscription as a gift.

Omega Sunglasses

Hunters can be hard on gear. In fact, I’m normally wary of owning nice sunglasses and especially of taking those higher-end shades into the field. Wiley X’s Omega shades are sporty with a sharp, high-contrast field of view, but most importantly they’re highly shatter-resistant from the frames to the lenses.

These can be worn casually, but your giftee will definitely breathe easier knowing the lenses are shatterproof and the nylon frames are built to withstand high-speed and high-mass impacts. These won't need to handled with kid gloves, so no worries if they're stashed in a pocket or pack.

High AF Down Stretch Parka

Cold nights at camp require a serious static insulation layer, but you can get sticker shock buying a pricey puffer just for a few weeks of the year. The stylish High AF Down Parka from Artilect is a performance puffy that looks good enough to be worn casually outside of hunting season, but is rugged enough for field, too.

The 20D stretch exterior has a permanent water repellent coating so your recipient can wear it as an outer layer but it is form-fitting enough to layer under a hunting shell for long, cold sits in a treestand or on an exposed ridge.

The 700-fill natural down is treated with a unique gold and silver solution that keeps it from absorbing water, so it’ll keep a hunter warm even if it gets wet. Cool tech bonus: the Lifekey zipper can be loaded with identifying information and even be used to notify close contacts when an activity is started or ended.

Men’s DuluthFlex Briar Pants

While these pants are a viable upland bird hunting option, I love them as all-around rugged work pants for anything from garage projects to hauling slash around the yard. Your giftee may find them handy to have around for a variety of domestic tasks, too.

While not technically chainsawing chaps, they feature a rugged cotton base with a chaps-like stretch nylon armor layer on top for most of the front of the leg and from the knee down in the back. This water-resistant layer also acts like built in gaiters to keep the lower leg from wetting out like most other pants.

ARC Multi-Tool

For hunters who pride themselves on being self-sufficient in the field, they would certainly benefit from the gift of a quality multi-tool for field repairs on gear and quick-access tool needs.

The drawback to most multi-tools is that the knife blade usually leaves a lot to be desired, but the ARC’s CPM Magnacut stainless steel blade is on-par with high-end pocket knives.

It also packs in essentials they might need such as screwdrivers, a file, scissors, a can opener, and 20 tools they’ll actually use—not a bunch of goofy, faux-preparedness junk they won’t.

SolAir Chilly Fresh Boxers

Whether they admit it or not, most backcountry hunters don’t bring many changes of underwear, if they consider changing at all. Their camp mates might not mind, but stink doesn’t do you any favors in the field, so this gift will be highly appreciated for those hunters who are more particular about their hygiene.

I like the odor-control woven into Forloh’s SolAir boxers via Polygiene Stay Fresh antimicrobial tech and Odor Crunch scent control systems. They’re also a performance fabric and fit which help prevent chafing when logging lots of hard miles in the woods.

Mossy Oak Flask

A nice nightcap after a long day of hunting is a well-earned reward. Stanley’s rugged and camo-patterned Mossy Oak flask lets hunters take a nip in style whether at hunt camp or the big game.

The attached cap is key as it prevents losing the lid and rendering the flask a liability in the field. The 8-ounce size carries the equivalent of 8 shots of your giftee's liquor of choice, which is just enough, just like the respectable 0.37-pound weight that won’t feel like a rock in their hunting pack.

Game Bags

Game bags serve an essential function in the field after a successful hunt: protecting the meat while letting it cool. Cheap game bags, however, don’t usually last more than one pack-out, if they even last that long.

Kuiu’s cost a bit more but are worth the splurge for the set since they pack up neatly into the included storage bag and they build in just enough structure to make the filled bags more rigid and durable.

A great gift for an experienced hunter, these game bags are machine-washable and sized specifically for different species so your hunter won’t end up with bags that come up short, nor will they carry more bag than needed.

Midnight Blended Canadian Whisky

I’m no whisky connoisseur, but I’m partial to Pendleton’s Midnight Canadian Whisky after enjoying it with friends at duck hunting camp this fall.

I also appreciate Pendleton’s sponsorship of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, which conserves and restores public lands for wildlife habitat across the United States. (Full disclosure: I serve as the chair of my local RMEF chapter.)

Aged in brandy barrels and made from Mt. Hood glacier runoff, this is a sippable, affordable whisky, but the hunter in your life can also savor the fact that Pendleton gives back to the outdoors as well.

Pro Series #8 Meat Grinder

If you’re shopping for a freezer-filling hunter who processes their own game, this is a high bang-for-your-buck upgrade to any budget grinders out there.

The Weston #8 grinder is commercial grade without being too bulky and heavy but handles nearly anything you can throw at it and churns out 6 pounds of ground goodness per minute.

Budget grinders get the job done, but they often bog down in anything but ideal conditions. Moving up to this 0.75-horsepower grinder gives your recipient an appliance they can use for the rest of their hunting career with much less consternation.

V4400 Vacuum Sealer

This is another major upgrade and amazing gift for those at-home processors who are still using freezer paper. Vacuum sealing keeps game meat fresh and free from freezer burn for years, not months.

There are cheaper models from FoodSaver and other brands, but you don’t want to skimp, as inconsistent operation with lesser appliances can be maddening. My FoodSaver V4400 has been working hard every fall for almost a decade. This model is backed by a 5-year warranty.

Buck, Buck, Moose by Hank Shaw

If you know a hunter that’s ready to move from game meat meals to game meat cuisine, James Beard Award-winning hunter-chef Hank Shaw gives tons of inspiration in this classic cookbook for hunters.

Most of the recipes are available on his excellent website, Hunt Gather Cook, but the chapters on butchering and processing and the beautiful photographs make this a readable cookbook your giftee won't mind getting dirty and keeping close to the kitchen.

Products Jerky Cannon

Making traditional whole-muscle jerky presents a dilemma for the hunter-butcher. Do they really want to take a beautiful hindquarter cut of steak and turn it into a handful of jerky?

Making jerky from ground meat is a much more economical and wise way to get jerky out of the harvest, and the LEM Jerky Cannon is essential equipment for the project that can get your favorite hunter into the jerky game instantly. They simply mix ground meat with jerky seasoning, fill the Cannon and extrude beautiful strips of high-protein snack meat jerky into their dehydrator or smoker.

Flat Top Grill

Rocket stoves are de rigueur for backcountry hunts, but when your hunter has the luxury of truck camping, it’s time to break out the heavy artillery.

The Camp Chef Flat Top Grill is the ultimate gift, a four-burner propane-fueled powerhouse for breakfasts, burgers and more. The cold-rolled steel flat top comes pre-seasoned to be non-stick like a trusty cast-iron skillet. The whole thing, while heavy, folds up neatly for easy transport.

There are also plenty of optional add-ons such as grill grates and even a pizza oven unit if your recipient really wants to diversify their hunt camp cooking.

Steaks

Wild game meat is some of the leanest, healthiest meat money can’t buy, but it can be a challenge to cook without drying it out. At the opposite end of the red meat spectrum is Wagyu beef, which is visibly marbled with fat and is relatively forgiving to cook on the grill or cast iron.

KOW Steaks is a family run ranching operation in southeastern Iowa and the first to bring Japanese Wagyu to the U.S. Whether your giftee has had a lean hunting season or they just enjoy supplementing their lean game steaks with the occasional, extra-fatty indulgence of Wagyu, mail-order steaks from KOW can be a high-end treat for a special holiday meal.

10-Tray Dehydrator

The biggest bottleneck in making jerky at home is the drying process. Even if your hunter happens to have a large smoker, capacity is limited. I prefer the less smoky jerky that comes from a dehydrator anyway. Your recipient may, too.

Getting a large-capacity dehydrator will speed up production and keep cooks from crowding their jerky strips, which can cause uneven drying.

Blackfoot 2.0

Having a sturdy, capable knife designed for the job at hand helps hunters enjoy the process of getting their animal out of the woods and into the freezer. The Blackfoot 2.0 from master bladesmith Josh Smith is a just-right size to be carried in your pack or clipped to it for when the time comes to get down to work.

Worn on the hip, it can also be a worthy replacement for their usual pocket knife. The full-tang blade is durable enough that you don’t have to carry backups, and it’s a beautiful knife, not just a tool.

Note: MKC often sells out of knives almost as quickly as they can produce them, so consider an MKC gift card if you don’t see the knife you want to give on their site.

Drybox Cooler

Roto-molded coolers from brands such as Yeti are great for keeping ice for extended periods of time, but sometimes you just need a simple cooler that doesn’t require a mortgage payment to buy.

For the efficient hunter, Engel’s Drybox coolers keep a tight seal and offer more storage space for the size thanks to its thinner walls of insulation. The cooler also doubles as watertight dry storage for snacks, gear, and supplies.

Hydrate Lemonade

It can be hard to stay hydrated in the field. In colder temps, it’s also harder for hunters to realize they’re losing water since they might not be sweating as obviously. Tough hikes also sap their bodies of key electrolytes that aren’t replenished with regular water and sometimes they just don’t feel like slugging a quart of water in the middle of a hunt.

Mtn Ops’ individually packaged hydration mixes are designed with hunters and mountain athletes in mind. This makes it easier for them to rehydrate properly by delivering key electrolytes and making their water tastier whether it’s hunting season or not.

Mini Filter

If your hunter doesn’t have a reliable water source for their extended backcountry hunts, a water filtration system is a must.

Sawyer’s pocket-sized Mini Filter attaches to the included pouch, letting them quickly push a water bottle’s worth of clean water out when it is needed. It’s not the perfect solution for filtering large quantities of water for a bigger hunt camp, but it’s a fast and light option for hunters who want to get water and get moving.

Outdoors Rover Scout Tent

Backpacking tents are great for backpacking. But when hunters have the luxury of setting up a true basecamp, this type of tent is unnecessarily cramped.

Canvas wall tents provide much more rugged, spacious accommodations, but most are well over $1,000, making them a splurge for hunters who only use them a few days a year.

White Duck’s relatively smaller and lighter canvas Rover Scout tent delivers glamping-grade space and stability without the price tag of bigger, bulkier wall tents. There’s also substantial mosquito mesh that can be opened up for a breeze on warmer nights.

This is a bigger-ticket gift of comfort for the special hunter in your life who deserves a bit more comfort when they get back to camp.

Bag The Right Gift For Any Hunter with Advice From Our Expert Justin Park

What are the best materials to consider for hunting apparel?

The rules for hunting apparel are the same as any good outdoor apparel. Cotton is suboptimal, most other modern materials are good. It’s hard to name a “best” material since different materials work better in particular applications.

For outerwear, look for a waterproof, breathable membrane such as Gore-Tex. Outside of that, avoid cotton and you’re probably in a good place regardless of the specific fabrics used.

Any tips for how to choose gear for someone new to the hunting experience?

For newer hunters, the volume and total cost of the seemingly essential gear can be overwhelming. My general advice is to focus on a proper fit for key items such as boots, jackets, and pants.

Also, don’t be afraid of budget options. It’s easy to get paralyzed considering the convincing benefits stated for all the high-end hunting gear on offer these days, but remember, previous generations hunted just fine in farm and ranch wear.

Most budget options these days incorporate many of the same technical innovations as the pricey stuff. As a hunter progresses in their hunting career, they can swap in nicer items when budget allows and they’ve discovered where quality matters most to you.

Do most sites have relaxed return/exchange policies if my gift is the wrong size or color?

It’s a great time to be an online shopper. The competition for e-commerce means most reputable sites allow returns within a reasonable timeframe, often for no cost to the buyer, so don’t be afraid to buy multiple sizes if you’re not certain. Just make sure to read return policies if you’re not sure about fit.

Is camo-anything a good way to go, or do hunters have specific patterns they prefer?

Non-hunters often assume hunters want their entire wardrobe in the same camo pattern, but believe it or not, we sometimes go out in public.

Some hunters, especially those hunting with rifles at longer distances, don’t even wear camo for their hunts, so there’s plenty of room for non-camo clothing. Also, while camouflage is important for key apparel pieces for many types of hunts, not every piece of gear and every gift for a hunter needs concealment.

That said, I know many hunters, myself included, who love camo because it reminds us of our favorite time of year, so even if our flask or Bluetooth speaker doesn’t need to be camo, we won’t be mad if it is.

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