Gift Ideas For Traditional Field Sports Enthusiasts

Here are some holiday gift ideas for traditional field sports enthusiasts.

New York Conservationist Magazine

DEC is offering a one-year subscription to its award-winning Conservationist magazine at half price. Published six times a year, Conservationist is a New York State-focused magazine packed with informative and entertaining articles, photography and artwork. The articles cover a broad range of environmental and natural history related topics, including fishing, hiking, recreation, travel, hunting, and nature studies. From November 23rd, 2020, to January 4th, 2021, a year-long subscription to the Conservationist is on sale for just $6, half the usual subscription price. As a bonus, subscribers receive an additional issue for a total of seven issues.

In 2020, Conservationist subscribers enjoyed articles that included the rescue of a large humpback whale, a dog that uses its nose to help control invasive pests, and personal stories from hunters, anglers, and hikers. Subscribers also had access to printed and digital versions of the magazine, where they could learn about animal species, great sites for hiking, paddling, and exploring, and exciting ways to interact with outdoor wonders across the state, for both novices and experts.

To order a Conservationist subscription online, visit DEC’s website.

Lifetime New York State Sporting Licenses

Lifetime Licenses are available to New York State residents who have resided in New York for at least one year prior to purchase (proof of residency required) and can be purchased at any license-issuing agent, by phone (866) 933-2257, or online with a current NYS DMV driver or non-driver ID containing a valid New York State address. Allow 14 days for delivery of Lifetime Licenses purchased online or by phone.

Lifetime Licenses may be purchased as gifts for residents under the age of 16 with the recipient’s proof of age (birth certificate, passport) and proof of residency (parent/legal guardian proof of residency). Gift lifetime licenses must be purchased in person at any license issuing agent. Lifetime fishing, trapping, or hunting licenses and privileges allow the licensed hunter to enjoy all the privileges of equivalent annual license items, but are valid for a lifetime (with appropriate hunter/trapper education requirements) – even if the holder moves out of state.

Lifetime License (includes hunting, freshwater fishing, and turkey hunting privileges)

• For a person age 0-4 years $380
• For a person age 5-11 years $535
• For a person age 12-69 years $765
• For a person age 70 years and older $65

Lifetime Fishing License (freshwater fishing)

• For a person age 0-69 years $460
• For a person age 70 years and older $65

Lifetime Hunting License $535
Lifetime Bowhunting Privilege $235
Lifetime Muzzleloading Privilege $235
Lifetime Trapping License $395

Ice Fishing Equipment

Hard water angling essentials like jigging rods, tip ups, and gift certificates to bait and tackle shops make great holiday gifts, but consider some of these items as well:

A Backpacking stove –  for making coffee, oatmeal, soup, and more.

An oversized pair of mittens, or glove liners  – oversize mittens are easy to put on and take off and provide extra cold protection over glove liners and thinner gloves.

A new or upgraded power auger – consider one that attaches to a cordless drill (stick to  20 Volt brushless drills or drivers) should work. Be sure to add some extra batteries.

Other gift ideas include portable sonar, a portable heater, shelter, and ice travel safety picks

The Gift of Camping

DEC gift cards and electronic gift certificates for stays and services at all DEC campgrounds are available for purchase online. DEC operates 52 campgrounds and five day-use areas in the Adirondack and Catskill forest preserves. The summer camping season runs through the summer, with some facilities remaining open during fall foliage and hunting seasons.

Gift cards and electronic gift certificates can be purchased online. DEC camping gift cards are physical cards mailed to the designated recipient. Electronic gift certificates will be emailed to the purchaser for printing and/or emailing to the recipient.

For more information on DEC-operated campgrounds, including a list of campgrounds and schedules, visit DEC’s website, or call DEC’s Bureau of Recreation at 518-457-2500. To make reservations at any of these camping facilities, call ReserveAmerica at 1-800-456-CAMP (2267) or visit the ReserveAmerica website.

The Joy of Birdwatching

There’s been a huge bump in the number of people connecting with birds and nature as people stuck close to home during this past year, and the trend is continuing. The perfect gift for new — and veteran — outdoors people is the gift of knowledge. Below are holiday gift ideas that are meaningful and environmentally friendly — and your purchase supports the nonprofit conservation work at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Details and ordering information for the items listed below and for other gift ideas can be found on the Cornell Lab holiday gifts page. View the Bird Academy catalog to see all the courses available.

Bird Academy – These courses are for anyone who’s curious about birdwatching and just needs the tools to get started. After taking this course, you’ll have newfound appreciation for birds and get the most out of binoculars, field guides, and apps, plus gain essential tips and techniques for identifying birds! Learn more here.

The Wonderful World of Owls – As creatures of the night, owls are harder to get to know than other birds. With world-renowned birder and ornithologist Kevin McGowan as your guide, this course delivers a friendly and comprehensive look at what makes owls so special and samples the exciting diversity of the more than 200 species of owls worldwide. Get the details here.

Bird Photography With Melissa Groo – Learn how to take stunning photos of birds with award-winning photographer Melissa Groo as your guide. Designed for beginners, this course covers gear selection, where to find the birds, and tips on how to get the best possible image. Read more about it here.

Birds of the World – The Birds of the World reference offers comprehensive life history information on birds from every corner of the world. This authoritative, highly visual resource is for bird lovers who want to explore bird biology, ecology, and identification. Get Birds of the World.

Can’t choose? Get a gift certificate and let the recipient decide. 

A NYS Trails Supporter Patch

The NYS Trails Supporter Patch is available for $5 at all outlets where sporting licenses are sold, on-line and via telephone at 1 (866) 933-2257. Patch proceeds help maintain and enhance non-motorized trails throughout New York State.