Teaching your kid how to start hunting? Get them some new gear as their next gift. Whether it’s for Christmas, their birthday or to celebrate a milestone or accomplishment, hunting gear and accessories that can help them learn new hunting skills make a great gift. And if you’re stumped on ideas, look no further! Here are six hunting gifts for kids that are sure to excite them for their next hunt.
#1 Headlamp
Every hunting kid needs a headlamp! Unlike flashlights, headlamps offer a hands-free device that allows them to use both hands to steady a bow or rifle or simply dig around in their rucksack. Many of Pelican’s headlamps are night-vision friendly and offer exceptionally bright LEDs with roughly eight hours of run time.
Considered one of the Ten Essentials for hiking, headlamps are useful for countless activities and tasks. Outside hunting season, they can be used for camping, hiking or even a little night fishing. Just remember to choose a headlamp for them with muted straps and lamp colors that offer camouflage while they hunt.
#2 Two-Way Radio
Another excellent hunting gift for kids? A two-way radio! Practical and fun, a radio is a handy device kids should become familiar with using before tackling a treestand or ground blind on a hunting trip.
Two-way radios can help them stay in communication with friends and parents, especially when they don’t have a cell phone just yet. Even out of hunting season, your kids can get lots of use out of a radio on camping trips, hiking, biking and other excursions and activities. Look for a two-way radio that has a long mile range so your kids can stay connected wherever they are!
#3 Lighted Nocks
If you have a young bowhunter, light nocks make a wonderful gift! Secured to the end of the arrow’s shaft, a lighted nock lets kids watch the arrow fly down range. It can also help young and beginner hunters follow the target when the sun goes down and there’s low visibility.
Check out brands like Lumenok and Nockturnal for various colorful light nock options. Lumenok offers orange-colored nocks that are super bright. However, if you want something fun, explore Nockturnal’s red-and-green strobing light nocks to give new meaning to the phrase “hunting party.”
#4 Mini Folding Knife
Kids who are learning to hunt need a good knife. If they don’t yet have one – or would love more! – get them a mini grip knife. Like using a bow or rifle, make sure they know how to carry and use a folding knife properly.
When choosing your folding knife gift, look for something with a rubberized handle that offers a safe non-slip grip. Mini knives are also compact enough to slip into a pocket, so consider one with a nylon lanyard that can secure to a carabiner or key chain, too. Above all, make sure the blade is made of heat-treated stainless steel and has a hand-sharpened edge.
#5 Personal Cooler
Give your young hunter a personal cooler. Able to pack a lunch along with some drinks and extra snacks, a personal cooler makes a great hunting gift for kids, but it can be used year-round as well! Pelican’s 14-quart cooler is designed to keep ice cool for 36 hours, which means they can take it on weekend-long hunts. With an inner tray, you can keep sandwiches cool, but not soggy, while a dry box under the lid can keep other items like utensils and napkins.
#6 Shooting Rest
While kids are learning to shoot and practicing their aim, it helps for the weapon to be steady. That’s where a shooting rest comes in! Another great hunting gift for kids, a shooting rest can support the rifle or crossbow while they practice other techniques like sharpening their aim and shooting. A shooting rest also makes a smart hunting gift for kids who sometimes struggle to hold the weapon steady.
Seek out features like independently adjustable legs that allow them to steady the shooting rest across uneven, hilly surfaces and rough terrains – like the Caldwell DeadShot FieldPod, a well-made shooting rest that allows you to adjust the length and pivot point to hold and balance any style of weapon. It also has a cast aluminum hub that will enable kids to rotate and tilt fast to follow their target.
