The holiday shopping season falls during the best time of year for hunters, so there’s little time to leave the woods, sort sale papers, make wish lists, or hit the stores. Guns.com can help, with this list of some of 2020's most desirable and proven deer hunting items sure to be a hit under the tree.
Magnum Research BFR Handgun
Whether the hunter in your life has always wanted to hunt with a handgun or they are a seasoned handgunning pro, you just haven’t lived until you’ve owned—and hunted with---a BFR. The Biggest Finest Revolver (BFR)—also known by other names---is an all-American, built-like-a-tank, stainless steel single action wheelgun. Though common chamberings are always available, the BFR has built its reputation around revolvers built for rounds like the .30-30 Winchester and .45-70 Government, which had never before been considered handgun calibers. Buy a BFR for the hunter or huntress in your life, and this Christmas will be one for Santa’s record books.
Leupold VX-Freedom Twilight Hunter Rifle Scope
Two terms that seldom go together are affordability and quality rifle scopes. Leupold changes that with their new VX-Freedom Twilight Hunter scope. We used the 3-9x50mm with a 30mm main tube, which features a FireDot lighted reticle. The illuminated, multi-brightness red center aiming point excels in low light situations.
With a lifetime warranty on these matte-finish, gold-ring optics, buyers get Leupold quality at a more budget-friendly price point, making this a great buy for hunters.
Starting 11/19/20 and continuing through 11/21/20 hunters can receive 5% off optics and magazines when using the code HUNT5OFF at checkout.
.350 Legend Chambered Rifles
Every year sees so many top-notch rifles and calibers that it’s difficult to choose, but when we’re talking Whitetail hunting specifically, it’s impossible to deny the success of the new .350 Legend chambering. The Winchester round has found homes not only on the company’s bolt action rifles like the XPR but in single shots and semi-autos as well.
We had the opportunity to shoot hundreds of rounds of .350 Legend in 2020, and both the Winchester XPR bolt gun and CMMG Resolute modern sporting rifle excelled in the field. The round has incredibly low recoil—less felt recoil than a .243—with an effective range out to 200-yards. While we expected the Legend to find its success primarily in states with straight-wall cartridge restrictions, it has in fact seen surprising sales numbers across the Midwest.
Sierra Ammunition
If the hunter in your life loves firearms, it’s safe to say they also love ammo and reloading components. One of the most underrated brands in the industry is Sierra, long known for its quality bullets. In 2020, however, they have launched a full line of factory loaded ammunition built for deer hunting success.
Check out Sierra Gamechanger in the most popular Whitetail calibers, including .243 Winchester, .270 Winchester, 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 Creedmoor, .308 Winchester, .300 AAC Blackout, .30-06 Springfield, 7mm Remington Magnum, and .300 Winchester Magnum.
SHOP HUNTING AMMO
True Timber Camo
While names like Mossy Oak and Realtree have long held the lion's share of the camouflage market, True Timber is making a serious push for domination in the hunting woods and fields. Though they offer many legit camos, we’ve found True Timber’s Strata to be one of the best do-all patterns in the industry. It has worked wonders from the arid Texas terrain to early seasons in the Midwest and everything in between. Not only can hunters order directly from True Timber, but their camouflage patterns can now be found on garments, guns, and gear from almost every manufacturer.
Best of all, it’s one of the most affordable options as well.
Primos Trigger Stick
No matter the style of hunting—from ground blind to spot-and-stalk and everything in between—a solid shooting rest can make or break a hunt. There is no faster deploying and user-friendly shooting stick on the market than the Primos Trigger Stick. Squeezing the “trigger” on the stick deploys the leg, or legs of the bipod, monopod, or tripod. Primos Trigger Sticks can be used standing, kneeling, or sitting and uneven ground is no obstacle to getting off a quick and stable shot on that buck.
Effective Range Targets
Not all hunting gifts need to be expensive to be useful and appreciated. Whoever thought paper targets were boring has never fired rounds at Effective Range Targets. These are not your ordinary shooting target. The paper targets use “Vital Rings” sized to the specific game and are intended to be shot from 100-yards in any number of shooting positions–not just from the bench. The targets essentially allow distance practice while illustrating to hunters how tightly shots group at 100-yards. This information helps shooters judge their maximum effective—and ethical—hunting range for any rifle, ammo, and scope combination.
Primos Deer Calls
When you need a stocking stuffer, it’s hard to beat a good, old-fashioned deer call, and Primos has the corner on that market. They blend modern designs with the classic hand-held Whitetail calls and rattles. We have been using the Original Can Doe Bleat and Buck Roar Grunt Call, though the Big Bucks Rattlin Bag is also a proven way to lure those rutting bucks straight into your stand. Plus, Primos deer calls are inexpensive gift options that hunters will appreciate.