Last minute gift ideas continued

Yes, there is time for some last-minute shopping. In fact, there are people out there who wait until Christmas Eve to begin their Christmas shopping.

This does happen, but it is not a common occurrence. Instead, this writer believes the last-minute shopping mainly happens when a person or a couple decide at the last minute to give a present to a person who is normally not on their list.

Here are some ideas for Christmas Eve shopping for the outdoor-minded people in your life.

If a duck or goose hunter is the target, consider decoys. If a hunter has a few decoys, more will most likely be better. There is a bit of a hesitation here. Some duck and goose hunters have a hundred or more decoys.

These people may not need or want more, but the beginning hunter, with a dozen or less, is sure to welcome another dozen.

GPS

A GPS may save a life. What is a GPS. The letters stand for Global Positioning System.

The GPS uses up to 24 satellites to show a person her/his location on the earth. This tool will help outdoors-minded people from becoming lost. Think about this: A hunter will/should always know their location by looking at the GPS.

This tool can also be used by the entire family in the sport of geocaching. The family goes to a geocaching website on the Internet. There they will find the coordinates of a geocache, perhaps at an I-90 rest stop.

The GPS is used to find the geocache after entering the coordinates into the tool. This cache will be a container of some sort, with instructions about what to do with the contents. This provides fun for the entire family and training in the use of a GPS. Caution: Geocaching is addictive.

Miscellaneous outdoor items

Consider outdoor clothing in a camo pattern and hunter orange, a box or two of ammunition, reloading supplies, fishing lures of all types.

Also, campers will enjoy tents, sleeping bags and cooking equipment, such as a camp stove and a CanCooker. A Dutch oven along with cast iron skillets are sure to be a hit.

A note about the CanCooker: This is a relatively new cooking instrument. It will allow a family or other group to prepare a meal in a pot using steam. Great easy-to-use item.

Also consider binoculars, spotting scopes and walking sticks.

Books and videos will help educate a family about the type of outdoor experience your family and friends are expecting to enjoy.

From my family to yours: Wishing you the best Christmas ever.