Holiday Gift Ideas For Waterfowl Hunters; Tools And Toys To Crush It In Your Kitchen, Camp

The following appears in the December issue of California Sportsman:

By Scott Haugen

December in California means two things for me: Christmas and good duck hunting. With the best days of the season finally upon us, here are some pieces of gear waterfowl hunters will want to know about. These are items I’ve extensively used and will keep using.

SITKA DELTA PRO ZIP GTX WADERS

I’m certain I was the last outdoor writer in the industry to try Sitka clothing. Once I did, three seasons ago, I had regrets, as it was a big upgrade from the attire I’d been wearing, especially their waders. New this year to the Sitka line is their Delta Pro Zip GTX Wader. I wasn’t sure they could improve on their Delta Zip Waders, which I wore on over 175 hunts the two seasons prior. Then I tried the new Pros. Oh my!

The first time I hunted in the Delta Pro Zip GTX Waders was in Alaska, where I wore them every day for a week. The upgraded boot immediately caught my attention. An athletic design means a comfortable fit, and the boots are lightweight. The tread worked great, even on wet clay and kelp, and the new heel kicks make for simple removal.

Touted as Sitka’s most durable wader without sacrificing mobility and fit, this is what I’ll be wearing on a few upcoming hunts in Northern California and in the Bay Area, as well as other hunts around the country.

GRUNDÉNS NEPTUNE THERMO BIB AND PORTAL JACKET
Last December I hunted surf scoters in San Francisco Bay. You don’t need camo on these hunts, which take place in a dark boat on gray water. I wore Grundéns Neptune Thermo Bib. Their medium-weight, polyurethane-coated, fleece-lined fabric is comfortable and stretches well, which makes getting up and down and swinging on birds easy.

Grundéns Portal Gore-Tex Wading Jacket is my jacket of choice on these hunts; it’s also a top-notch saltwater fishing jacket. The protection and warmth this jacket provides against high winds, driving rains and boat spray is exceptional. I’ve worn this set from California to Alaska, in saltwater and torrential downpours, as well as extreme winds. It’s worth every cent.

20-GAUGE SHOTGUN, CHOKE AND AMMO

I’ve taken to shooting a 20-gauge a lot the past couple years, more for the precision required to find consistent success than anything. My go-to setup is a Browning Silver Field shotgun. Hunting holes in the timber, creeks, flooded ditches or alone where I’m in control of when and where shots come is fun, and this gun just kills. It shoots a range of loads exceptionally well. I even took limits of specks and some snow geese late last season in Northern California with it.

Last season I was also impressed with a Müller Decoy Choke, shooting Kent’s new TealSteel Precision Steel in six-shot. This 1-ounce load moves at 1,250 feet per second and is perfect for dropping backpedaling ducks at close range. When hunting public lands late in the season, where educated, full-feathered ducks are the target, or in high winds, the Müller Passing Choke, even their UFO, makes a big difference.

In those tighter chokes, Hevi Shot’s Hevi-Metal Xtreme is tough to beat. The size 4 tungsten and size 1 steel are a great, lethal blend. Hevi-Steel in size 3 shot is also a load I like.

BIG AL’S EURASIAN WIGEON DECOYS

I’m a big fan of Big Al’s silhouette duck and goose decoys in many of my spreads. I like their photo-finish realism because they don’t glare, they’re easy to clean and they retain their color season after season.

I also like hunting wigeon late in the season, and with the influx of Eurasian wigeon along the coastal zones and western valleys of the Pacific Flyway, Big Al’s timing is perfect. Enter their Eurasian Wigeon Pack. They’re available in a 12-pack or five-dozen pack.

Over the years I’ve routinely watched incoming Eurasian wigeon land with their own kind amongst a flock of 5,000 or more feeding American wigeon. It’s crazy how they can pick out the other copper-topped ducks. I ran these silhouettes last season and we shot a Eurasian drake and an American/Eurasian hybrid over them. I’ll be using them in multiple spreads this season.

SLAYER CALLS YOLO BYPASS, DUBAR AND WHISTLER’S MOTHER
I test a lot of duck and goose calls, and there are many great ones out there. If you looked at my lanyards, though, you’d see they’re filled with Slayer Calls. I’m not a great caller, but these calls make me sound good. I loveh ow easy they are to run, and their volume, clarity and sound quality is fantastic. Wherever I’m hunting ducks in the country, these are the calls I take.

If I had one duck call to use, it would be their Dubar. This double-reed call is simple to blow and offers exceptional quality and volume. It’s easy to tone down when hunting small holes, or put more air in to reach out in wide-open spaces or battle strong winds.

The Yolo Bypass is another call you’ll find me with. It caters to a wide range of skill levels and the five interchangeable reeds mean you can find what best fits your hunting situation. From subtle quacks to loud hails to raspy hen barks, this single reed call covers it.

We get a lot of wigeon and pintail in this part of the flyway, and Whistler’s Mother is a four-in-one call I love. Its wigeon and pintail whistles are loud and spot-on. It also generates very accurate drake mallard and teal calls. During the course of a season, I probably use this call more than any other.

TURTLEBOX AUDIO EQUIPMENT

My first experience with a Turtlebox speaker came last winter when six buddies and I started setting a massive goose decoy spread at 2:30 a.m. in Northern California. It made the laborious process fun – so fun, I had to have one. I chose their new Ranger. There are few pieces of outdoor gear I can recall enjoying this much. I use it a lot and multiple times a week.

This season I got the new Gen 3 Turtlebox. Now I can rock out to my 1980s hair band music in the shop, weight room and when doing yard work.

It’s also been fun on boats and when picking up massive spreads of goose decoys with buddies in the middle of the day.

This thing is plenty loud for my needs, is powerful, clear and simply rocks! The USB-C charging port is a nice addition. It can be paired with other Turtlebox models for a surround-sound experience. It’s easy to pack, has outstanding battery life, doesn’t take much room and it’s 100-percent waterproof.

With the holidays and duck season about ready to peak, now’s the time to shop, and then hunt. CS

Editor’s note: For signed copies Scott and Tiffany Haugen’s popular book, Cooking Game Birds, visit scotthaugen.com. Follow Scott on Instagram and Facebook.

HOW TO BE THE KILLER COOK IN THE KITCHEN, CAMP

By Tiffany Haugen

We’re forgoing a recipe this month so I can share some great gift ideas for the holiday season. These are items I used throughout the year – whether I was inside, camping or on the back porch. They’re tools I enjoy and will keep using.

BENCHMADE 3 PIECE SET

For over 20 years, knives have been a big part of how I’ve made a living. From processing big game and chopping vegetables in creating hundreds of recipes for magazines, to more than a dozen cookbooks, quality knives have always been appreciated. Enter Benchmade’s 3 Piece Set, which includes an 8-inch chef, 6-inch utility and 4-inch paring knives. Each is crafted with polished, stainless-steel blades that feature extra-smooth edges, which not only increases their sharpness but also their ease of ability to regain an edge.

The handle designs are comfortable, no matter how long or how tough your tasks may be. If looking for a serious knife devoted to breaking down and butchering big game, check out Benchmade’s Meatcrafter. I wish I would have had this knife over 30 years ago when Scott got stranded in another village and left me with a moose and Dall sheep to butcher. Info: benchmade.com.

DURACELL 3,000 LUMEN LANTERN

When camp-cooking in the dark, there’s no such thing as too much light. I’ve used a lot of lanterns over the years, and the Duracell 3,000 Lumen Rechargeable Lantern is impressive, both in performance and price point. It’s bright beyond belief and makes chopping, slicing and handling hot items safer, and it works great outdoors as well as inside – think power outages and cooking in a dark house in the middle of winter.

This lantern is tough, weather-resistant and has a crazy-long runtime. It features multiple power options, including solar, rechargeable battery and Qi wireless charging, and it’s compatible with D batteries. Info: myproduct.duracelllights.com.

DEMERBOX DB1

I was tired of working in the garden and in camps with ear buds that prevented me from hearing others talk. And to properly keep track of our dogs, I looked for a sound system to fit my needs. I found it in the DemerBox DB1.

This single-speaker model offers ample volume for personal entertainment, and I love the fact it’s built into a Pelican case, which equates to durability and being waterproof. In camp, being able to store my phone and truck keys inside the DB1 made keeping track of them easy and worry-free. It features a built-in USB port to charge phones and other accessories, which is a great bonus. Each charge equates to an impressive run time, plus they’re made in the United States. Info: demerbox.com.

THERMACELL E65 RECHARGEABLE MOSQUITO REPELLER
Twenty years ago our family was one of two in the country who got to test and help in the development of the original Thermacell bug repellent units. We tested them extensively in Alaska, Canada and throughout the West, two years before they were released. They’re still an important part of my camp cooking setup, and I’m very pleased with their new E65 unit.

The E65 Rechargeable Mosquito Repeller is great for early-season hunting and summer fishing camp, as well as backyard barbecues.

It takes only two hours to fully charge and it runs for six and a half continuous hours, offering a 20-foot zone of protection. The repellent cartridge burns for 36 hours. The unit is airline travel-safe; there is no butane cartridge compared with previous models. It works great for mosquitos, no-see-ums and white socks. I have two of them and will be getting more. Info: thermacell.com.

LIFESTRAW GO SERIES STAINLESS STEEL

My husband Scott got a LifeStraw 24-ounce stainless-steel water filter bottle for a two-week trip to Alaska. He loved it, and I ended up taking it on a recent camping trip.

The double-wall-insulated, stainless-steel bottle keeps water cold all day, and the integrated two-stage filter removes bacteria, parasites, microplastics, silt, sand, chlorine and odors. It makes drinking water from rivers and creeks carefree and safe. The water always tasted good too. Info: lifestraw.com.

YETI FOOD JAR, FRENCH PRESS AND INSULATED FOOD BAG
Hot soup tastes better when you’re hunting or fishing and it’s cold and wet outside. This summer and fall I used both sizes of Yeti’s new Insulate Food Jars – 8 and 16 ounces – and loved them. Scott’s also been using them on multiple hunting and fishing trips. The double-walled vacuum insulation keeps food hot all morning – well past lunchtime. The two-piece lids mean no leaks or drips inside my backpack, and they’re easy to clean.

Yeti’s new French Press helped make mornings extra comfortable in camp. I like the 34-ounce model. It’s tough, features a DuraSip ceramic lining and double-wall vacuum insulation, and it makes great coffee.

On a summer trip to the coast I packed our lunch in Yeti’s Daytrip Insulated Lunch Box’s 3-liter version. It kept our egg salad sandwiches and freshly cut vegetables cool all day. I’ve used it many times, in many places since. Because I was putting in so many miles on the road this year, I also got their Daytrip Insulated Lunch Bag. The magnetic closure made for easy access when one hand was full. The 6-liter model is perfect for two people, and with a little ice pack the food stayed cool all day. Info: yeti.com.

PAKA HOODIE AND THERMAL BASE LAYER

Last year, Scott got a hoodie and thermal base layer from Paka. The thermal top and bottom have become his go-to base layer that he’s worn on hunting and fishing trips around the world. He liked the hoodie, too, but our oldest son used it once and Scott hasn’t seen it since! Our son has worn that hoodie on multiple trips all over the world; he practically lives in it. Those were my excuses for getting one of each.

On a camping trip last fall, the weather forecast was wrong. I was glad I had both the Paka lightweight hoodie and thermal base layer. They kept me warm all day in the cool, windy conditions. The base layer was comfy in the sleeping bag on cold nights.

Paka apparel is crafted from 100-percent natural materials. The thermal tops and bottoms consist of 40-percent royal alpaca, 40-percent merino wool and 20-percent eucalyptus-based tencel. What I love about the base layer and lightweight hoodie is how they keep you warm when inactive, yet move moisture and prevent overheating when hiking. In addition to trying this apparel line, you must read the inspiring story behind this great product. Info: pakaapparel.com.

JETBOIL FLASH 1.0-LITER FAST BOIL SYSTEM

I’ve occasionally used a Jetboil while camp cooking for nearly 20 years. It was time for an upgrade. The new Jetboil Flash 1.0L boils water fast, under two minutes much of the time. The turn and click igniter is a great touch, as are the colored grip zones that make handling easy in low light. The drink-through lid and heat indicator are convenient additions, as are the three locking points that make the pot-to-burner connection safe and easy. Info: jetboil.johnsonoutdoors.com.

With limited days of shopping until the holiday rush, these are some items worth a closer look. Happy holidays and a joyous new year!

Editor’s note: For signed copies of Tiffany Haugen’s popular books, including Cooking Big Game, Cooking Game Birds and Cooking Seafood, visit scotthaugen.com.