Gifts That Don’t Come From a Store | Christmas Ideas

Gift Ideas for the Hunter, Gun Owner or Outdoorsman

It’s Cyber Monday. Are you looking for gift ideas? While I’d like it if you order something from my shop, that’s not really what life’s all about. What does Christmas mean to you? This morning I want to thank you for your friendship and for following along with my adventures.

It would be fantastic to meet each and every one of you in person and share a smile. For now, we have this place, the Internet, for sharing stories, tips, the outdoors, and even Monday morning cheer. Wouldn’t that be a wonderful gift? How about a few gifts that don’t come from a store?

“What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?” —How the Grinch Stole Christmas

7 Gift Ideas That Don’t Come From a Store for the Hunter, Gun Owner, or Outdoorsman

  1. Range Time – Whether they’re a newbie or have been shooting most of their life, anyone can use some range time. Pull out the bows or a firearm that you haven’t used in a while (or maybe one that has the most ammunition) and set up some targets for an afternoon of plinking.
  2. Class – Sign your friend or family member up for an archery course, shooting class, cooking, canning, or other class that’s related to their interest. You’ll find information about archery and firearms courses by stopping in at your local retailer or look online at the National Shooting Sports Foundation or National Rifle Association’s websites. To find cooking and canning classes, visit your local extension office.
  3. A Trip – You can book the trip of their dreams, and if that’s a bit too pricey, plan a trip to the mountains, lake, desert or river. Throw your lunch into a day pack, get your gear and get outside, together, for a trip somewhere you haven’t been for a while. Schedule a horseback ride, join a walking tour, or go climb a fourteener.
  4. Framed Photo – Okay, I admit, you’ll probably have to buy a picture frame for this one, but in the days of cyberspace and the Internet, I don’t see many pictures on the wall at people’s houses. At my house I have taxidermy, and each mount tells a story, just like a picture. When we see the images, fond memories come rushing back. Give the gift that keeps on giving.
  5. Wild Game Meals – One of my high school friends doesn’t hunt, but he enjoys cooking and eating wild game. If the recipient lives nearby, wrap a couple of packages of their favorite cuts and deliver them as a gift. If you need to send the package across the country, make sure to double wrap your packages, freeze them, and then add them, along with a frozen gel-pack or two, to a styrofoam cooler. If it’s a thin-wall cooler, you’ll have to additionally pack it inside a cardboard box. Seal the edges tight and send it on its way***
  6. Foraged Plants – You’ve been out in the hills, hiking and exploring all year. You found mushrooms, dandelions, and you’ve foraged and dried other wild plants. Put them in a small canister or mason jar and top it with a bow. Attach your favorite recipe and your gift is good to go.
  7. Mixture of Secret Spices – Long ago I worked in the building industry. I ordered truckloads of doors, windows, trusses, lumber and other items for building projects. You may think, “What does that have to do with gift-giving, Mia?” One of the truck drivers knew that I hunted and used to surprise me on occasion with a small container or bag of his secret spices — Steak rub. The best steaks I ever cooked were seasoned with that rub. To this day I wish I knew what his secret ingredients were. Mix up your secret spices, put them in a small jar, and top it with a bow. You don’t even have to add the recipe, and your gift is good to go.

I’ll be sharing gift ideas on this week’s episode of the MAC Outdoors Podcast and on the next episode of Armed Lutheran Radio. Stay tuned, and don’t spend too much money — ’tis the season. YIKES! HAHA!!!

Have a happy day. CHEERS!


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Want to write to me?
Mia Anstine
MAC Outdoors LLC
PO Box 31
Ignacio, CO 81137-0031

Mia Anstine is an outdoor writer, licensed outfitter, hunting guide, keynote speaker, and a range safety officer, firearms instructor, and archery instructor. She is the founder of MAC Outdoors and Host of the MAC Outdoors Podcast. 

Mia Anstine strives to encourage others to outdoors, hunt, fish, shoot, and survive life with others in a positive way.

*Disclaimer: Mia Anstine participates in the Amazon Services, LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to www.amazon.com.

**Disclaimer: all opinions are my own, sponsors are acknowledged. Links in the description are typically affiliate links that allow you to support my channel at no additional cost.

***ALWAYS CHECK THE SHIPPING COMPANY’S CURRENT INSTRUCTIONS FOR SHIPPING PERISHABLES PRIOR TO SENDING FROZEN GAME MEAT.

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