With the Christmas holiday just around the corner, many find themselves in search of the perfect gift for the avid bowhunter in their family. This can be quite challenging for some, especially those that are not bowhunters themselves. It is for this exact reason that we have compiled the wishlist below.
The following guide has been assembled to provide you with a host of potential gift ideas, all of which are sure to appeal to bowhunters of every experience level.
Christmas shopping for the bowhunter on your list has never been as easy, with Bow Addicted’s 2023 Bowhunter’s Christmas Wish List.
Scouting Cameras
The vast majority of today’s bowhunters either currently use, or have used, trail cameras to scout game. Scouting cameras have grown immensely in popularity over the past decade, with many hunters owning multiple units at any one given time.
Even those that already own multiple cameras, often find themselves longing for an additional unit or two. For this reason, one can not go wrong with the purchase of a scouting camera, when attempting to locate the perfect bowhunting-related gift.
The following are a couple of great scouting cameras to consider.
SpyPoint Link-Micro
The SpyPoint Link-Micro is an ultra-affordable cellular trail camera that is quite simple to set up and operate. The Link-Micro features a lightning-quick .5-second trigger speed, and a highly efficient flash, which reaches distances in excess of 50-feet. This camera is also extremely compact, making it easy to conceal from both game and other hunters alike.
Browning Strike Force HD Pro X
The Browning Strike Force HD Pro X trail camera is known for its exceptional picture quality. With 20MP of resolution, every image captured by the Strike Force HD Pro X is sure to be clear, crisp, and concise. Pair this with the camera’s exceptional .22-second trigger speed, and you have a scouting tool well worth its rather-modest asking price.
Archery Target
As is often recited, “practice makes perfect”. In the world of archery, this practice often takes place in one’s backyard, while taking aim at a specialized archery target, designed to stop even the fastest of arrows in their tracks. Unfortunately, these targets do eventually wear out, ultimately requiring replacement.
For this reason, a new archery target is sure to make the perfect gift for any bowhunter. Giving such a gift ensures that an archer is able to continue honing their craft, through continued practice, whenever, and wherever possible.
The following are a couple of highly-regarded archery targets to consider.
Field Logic 6×6 Block Target
Field Logic has been producing their famed “Block” line of archery targets for nearly 25-years. The manufacturer has built upon this success with the release of their all-new 6×6 Block, which allows for 6-sided shooting. This target is constructed from Field Logic’s extremely durable PolyFusion Layered Foam, which is known for its longevity, as well as its ease of arrow removal.
Rinehart 18-1 Portable Archery Target
Rinehart is another name that is synonymous with the production of premium archery targets. The company expands upon this legacy with their 18-1 Portable Archery Target, which allows for 18-sided shooting, is constructed of Rinehart’s proprietary self-healing foam, which proves far more durable than most would think. This target is also approved for use with field-tips, fixed blade broadheads, and even expendables.
You´ll find our post about archery targets here
Ground Blinds
Over the past 10-years, the ground blind has grown immensely in popularity. Many hunters now employ the use of a ground blind, where they would have previously utilized a tree stand. This is for good reason, as hunting from a ground blind eliminates any potential of falling from a raised platform. Ground blinds also offer efficient concealment, allowing hunters to stay hidden from their quarry.
Today, ground blinds come in a wide array of sizes, thereby presenting a viable option for most any hunting scenario. Larger blinds can even be used to hide multiple hunters, without cause or concern over being spotted. A ground blind is also highly portable, making it possible to move with ease, whenever the need arises.
The following are two of the hunting industry’s most highly regarded blinds.
Primos Double Bull SurroundView Double Wide Ground Blind
The Primos Double Bull SurroundView Double Wide Ground Blind affords plenty of space for your next adventure, seating up to two hunters at any one given time. This blind is also feature’s one-way see-through walls, which provide a hunter with 300-degrees of continuous viewing. Additionally, the Double Wide Blind can be erected in mere seconds, thanks to its proprietary Power Hub framework.
Pursuit Spring Steel Ground Blind
If you are in search of a premium, lightweight ground blind that can be purchased at an economical price point, look no further than the Pursuit Spring Steel Ground Blind. This blind features a spring-loaded frame, which allows for rapid setup, and comes with a pack-style carrying bag. Additionally, the Pursuit ground blind comes decked out in Cabela’s Zonz Woodland Camo.
You´ll find our post about ground blinds here
Packs/Game Bags
When striking out for adventure, there are few items as valuable as a quality game bag or pack. Such items allow you to pack all of your essential gear when heading to the stand or making your way into the wilderness for a scouting trip. However, there is a fine line between a pack that will stand the test of time, and that which will hinder your efforts afield.
The best packs are lightweight, yet extremely rugged, and are engineered to provide the maximum amount of storage space possible. Even more important, is a particular pack’s comfort factor. A game bag or pack should be able to be worn during even the longest of treks, without becoming unbearable to shoulder.
The following are a couple of great packs to consider.
Cabela’s Multi-Day Hunting Pack
Cabela’s Multi-Day Hunting Pack is extremely versatile and is equally suited to both casual scouting trips and lengthy back-country hunts. This pack features an expandable main compartment, which is ideally suited to storing additional clothing, as well as a built-in meat compartment, designed to house fresh meat quarters during the outward trek. Additionally, the Cabela’s Multi-Day Hunting Pack utilizes adjustable torso straps and excess padding for enhanced comfort.
RedHead Cedar Ridge Waist Pack
If you are in search of a compact means of carrying your vital gear afield, look no further than the RedHead Cedar Ridge Waist Pack. This pack features a large central compartment, two zip-waist belt pockets, two mesh side pockets, and a specialty sunglasses/phone case. The RedHead Cedar Ridge Waist Pack is also designed with convenience in mind and comes complete with an attached carrying handle for on-the-fly portability.
You´ll find our post about Hunting Packs here
Rangefinders
For the avid bowhunter, few matters are of as much importance as that of accurately ranging game. After all, a miscalculation within this arena often leads to a blown shot opportunity, thus placing enhanced value on the purchase of a quality rangefinder. The use of a rangefinder eliminates much of the guesswork involved in determining the correct sight pin to utilize and circumvents a number of potentially troubling variables.
Today’s rangefinders come complete with a host of features, many of which are aimed at simplifying the seconds directly leading up to the moment of truth. Many modern rangefinders even compensate for arrow drop at a particular distance, thereby eliminating any potential miscalculation.
Each of the following rangefinders should make perfect gifts for any avid archer.
Bushnell Bone Collector 850 Rangefinder
The Bushnell Bone Collector 850 is ideal for any archer hoping to connect on the trophy of their dreams. This rangefinder features a range of up to 400 yards on non-reflective surfaces and 850 yards on reflective surfaces. Additionally, the Bushnell Bone Collector Rangefinder is capable of determining the distance of game with up to +/- 1-yard of accuracy, thus all but eliminating the potential of false readings.
Vortex Impact 1000
The Vortex Impact 1000 is a simple, yet highly effective rangefinder, designed to provide extremely accurate distance measurements out to 1,000 yards. This rangefinder also features three distinct operational modes, which include Horizontal Component Distance, Line of Sight, and Scan modes. Of these modes, bowhunters should find extensive value in the unit’s HCD mode, as this mode provides angle-compensated ranges.
You´ll find our post about archery rangefinders here
Additional Considerations
There are also a number of archery-related gifts that one might be cautioned against purchasing. In general, one’s selection of archery tackle is quite personal in nature. Most archers only form their consensus regarding what arrow/broadhead combination works best for them, after years of trial error.
Therefore, the vast majority of archers are highly unlikely to deviate from their selection of broadhead or arrow, in order to try another brand of these products that have been gifted to them. As such, the purchase of these items is best left up to the personal discretion of the archer in question. The exception to this conclusion comes when one is already familiar with an archer’s preferred brand of arrow/broadhead.
