The Best Gear for Hunting Camp

These two dozen products will help you hunt smarter, finish chores faster, have more fun, and maybe even get a little sleep
axe in a tree stump

The Best Gear for Hunting Camp

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Palace or pup tent, backcountry or back 40, as long as you’ve got some critters to chase and some buddies to razz, it’s hunting camp. Good food helps, and, well, maybe a drink or two after the hunt. But you also want the right gear—the stuff that will let you put all your focus on filling your tag and having a blast. This stuff.

ThermaCell Radius Zone Repellent

ThermaCell Radius Zone Repellent

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Powered by a ­lithium-​ion battery, the Radius Zone

creates a 110-​square-​foot swat-free zone. Thermacell

If you’re hunting in warm weather, you’re probably already bringing a ThermaCell unit for the field. While you’re at it, bring the new Radius Zone

for the camp porch. Powered by a ­lithium-​ion battery, it creates a 110-​square-​foot swat-free zone. Each charge gives you six hours of operation; each repellent refill lasts 40 hours. $50 —Dave Hurteau

Sea to Summit Aeros Pillow Premium

Sea to Summit Aeros Pillow Premium

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The Sea to Summit Aeros Pillow Premium

was comfortable and didn’t slide all over creation. Sea to Summit

A balled-up jacket is not a pillow. In fact, for years I’d have told you that an inflatable camp pillow is not a pillow either. But then, at a wall-tent pronghorn camp in ­Wyoming, my hosts handed me this one

, and, lo and behold, it was comfortable and didn’t slide all over creation. I slept like the dead. It was and is the most comfortable inflatable camp pillow I’ve ever put under my head. $43 —D.H.

Kershaw-Emerson Cook’s Set

Kershaw-Emerson Cook’s Set

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The Kershaw-Emerson Cook’s set

is basic and inexpensive, but not cheap. Kershaw

If you’re serious about cooking, there are three kitchen knives you’ve got to have (and usually can’t find at camp): a chef’s knife, a bread knife, and a paring knife. That’s what you get with this new set

, designed by custom knife-maker Ernest Emmerson. They’re basic and inexpensive, but not cheap. Perfect for camp. $45 —D.H.

Maxxdry Heavy Duty Boot Dryer

Maxxdry Heavy Duty Boot Dryer

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The Maxxdry Heavy Duty

will dry up to four boots at a time, typically in about an hour. MaxxDry

There are newer boot dryers than this one. But none that I know of does the job faster than the Maxxdry Heavy Duty

, which will dry up to four boots at a time, typically in about an hour. Why is that important? Because by the time you finish eating lunch and BSing with the crew after the morning hunt, your boots will be ready to go for the afternoon outing. $70 —D.H.

Lucky Shot .308 Real Bullet Whiskey Glass

Lucky Shot .308 Real Bullet Whiskey Glass

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Yes, that’s a real .308 bullet stuck into the side of this handmade glass from Lucky Shot

. Lucky Shot

I can’t think of a more fitting glass with which to enjoy some bourbon after you’ve filled your tag. Yes, that’s a real .308 bullet stuck into the side of this handmade glass

. If whiskey isn’t your beverage of choice, Lucky Shot also makes a .50-­caliber pint glass for beer drinkers

($26). Here’s to good hunting! $35 —Colin Kearns

RAVPower 24W Waterproof Solar Panel

RAVPower 24W Waterproof Solar Panel

The RAVPower 24W solar panel harnesses the sun’s energy and channels it into your electronics.

Just because your hunting camp is off the grid doesn’t mean you can’t keep your gadgets charged. The RAVPower 24W solar panel harnesses the sun’s energy and channels it into your electronics. With three USB ports, there’s no fighting over who charges their phone first. Plus, it’s foldable, packable, and waterproof. $80—Sage Marshall

Campfire Defender Pro Kit

Campfire Defender Pro Kit

This hefty fire blanket

is a multi-layered tarp that responsibly preserves your campfire overnight.

This hefty fire blanket is a multi-layered tarp that responsibly preserves your campfire overnight. Peel back in the morning to reveal glowing coals and a jump-start on coffee, or use it to block the elements for cooking in any weather. The kit includes stakes for tenting and securing edges. It should be used only where legal. $190 —Natalie Krebs

StarCraft Mossy Oak Travel Trailer

StarCraft Mossy Oak Travel Trailer

The new Mossy Oak Travel Trailer comes in two base models, with a total of 18 configurations and sizes that sleep anywhere from three to 10 hunters each.

Don’t have a hunting camp? For around $20K to start (only $5K each for you and three buds), you can own this rolling camp and go hunt the country. The new Mossy Oak Travel Trailer comes in two base models, with a total of 18 configurations and sizes that sleep anywhere from three to 10 hunters each. All feature kitchen appliances, a water heater, a flush toilet, a shower, and much more. Plus, it comes with Mossy Oak–accented furniture, curtains, pillows, and bedspreads, which means you don’t even have to decorate. Starts at $20,660 —D.H.

Cabela’s Lounge Cot

Cabela’s Lounge Cot

This new cot from Cabela’s has a padded nylon sleeping surface, a built-in pillow, and adjustable legs on the steel frame so you can level the cot on uneven surfaces.

I would say that I hate sleeping on the ground, but I’ve never actually slept there—only tossed and turned. If I’m camping anywhere but the backcountry, I’m bringing a cot. This new one from Cabela’s has a padded nylon sleeping surface, a built-in pillow, and adjustable legs on the steel frame so you can level the cot on uneven surfaces. Plus, it doubles as a lounge chair, which means it has you covered for two of the three essential deer-camp activities. And between sleeping and lounging, you should be able to squeeze in some hunting.$200 —D.H.

Hunterra Wall Map

Hunterra Wall Map

Hunterra makes these ­custom dry-erase aerial maps in a range of sizes, all with a light adhesive backing for easy hanging.

Smartphone apps may be a boon for hunters, but nothing beats the big-picture utility of a sprawling wall map for marking trails and stands—or the tradition of gathering in the war room to strategize for tomorrow’s hunt and argue about who gets to sit where. Hunterra makes these ­custom dry-erase aerial maps in a range of sizes, all with a light adhesive backing for easy hanging. The best feature? Gramps will understand ­exactly how it works. Starts at $130 —N.K.

Engel MR040 Refrigerator/Freezer

Engel MR040 Refrigerator/Freezer

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The MR040

is built to take a beating, with a corrosion-resistant ABS case. Engel

Among the many reasons to have a portable fridge/freezer in camp, cold beer comes to mind. Then there’s having food that’s not swimming in a pool of thawed ice. But the best reason is cold venison. On an extended hunt in warmer weather, this 40-quart, AC/DC (plug-in or battery-operated), solar-­compatible unit lets you keep boned-out venison cool and dry. Or you can flash-freeze meat, which will then stay frozen for days in a good cooler. The MR040

is built to take a beating, with a corrosion-resistant ABS case. $850 —D.H.

Camp Chef Pursuit Pellet Grill

Camp Chef Pursuit Pellet Grill

The new Camp Chef Pursuit Pellet Grill has all the same high-end features in a more portable package.

Camp Chef’s SmokePro DLX is a perennial best-of among wood-pellet smoker grills. The new Pursuit has all the same high-end features (indirect- and direct-flame grill modes, digital temperature control, SmartSmoke technology, Ash-Kicking Clean-Out System) in a more portable package. Wheels and folding legs make it easy to load this grill in the truck and then roll it into camp for some serious barbecuing. $400 —D.H.

AJJ Cornhole Framed Deer Set

AJJ Cornhole Framed Deer Set

Let’s agree that this AJJ Cornhole Framed Deer Set

is so tacky, it’s beautiful—in other words, perfect for hunting camp.

First, let’s all agree that the game is called Cornhole. Not Bean Bag Toss, Bags, or Baggo. It’s Cornhole. Now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s also agree that this set

is so tacky, it’s beautiful—in other words, perfect for hunting camp. The set includes two boards and two sets of bags (“Hunter Green” is a color option), and the vinyl buck decals are finished with a clear-coat polyurethane, which will protect the boards from aces, airmails, blockers, and grasshoppers season after season. —C.K.

Brant & Cochran Allagash Cruiser Axe

Brant & Cochran Allagash Cruiser Axe

It’s a 2-pound Maine wedge-pattern camp axe, hung with a 28-inch ash handle and stamped with the year of manufacture and the temperer’s initials.

For the first time in something like 60 years, you can buy a completely handmade axe that’s turned out in Maine, which was once America’s axe central. It’s a 2-pound Maine wedge-pattern camp axe, hung with a 28-inch ash handle and stamped with the year of manufacture and the temperer’s initials. The family-owned company, best known for restoring vintage axes, felt it was time to actually build an axe on our shores. What they turn out is the product of people who obviously view axes as not only tools but also works of art. $250 —David E. Petzal

Hunting Buck Standing Dartboard

Hunting Buck Standing Dartboard

It’s a quality, 1-inch-thick, regulation-size board with an aluminum frame and hook that comes with six brass darts.

One thing you never get enough of at hunting camp is shots at deer. But you can get a whole lot more of them in a hurry just by hanging this dartboard on the wall. It’s a quality, 1-inch-thick, regulation-size board with an aluminum frame and hook that comes with six brass darts (and a nonsensical name that’s good for a chuckle). Just don’t team up with the old-timer at camp who likes to take neck shots. $66 —D.H.

Leupold Quest HD

Leupold Quest hd

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The Leupold Quest HD

is a handheld thermal-­imaging device with a built-in camera and flashlight. Leupold

After supper, would you rather play another card game or step outside and pick up the heat signature of a possum? We all know the answer. The Leupold Quest HD

is a handheld thermal-­imaging device with a built-in camera and flashlight. It’s marketed for game recovery, and it works for that. But every time I’ve seen one used for playing around camp in the dark, everyone seemed genuinely entertained. $975 —Will Brantley

SecureIt Agile Series Gun Safe

SecureIt Agile Series Gun Safe

Unlike a traditional safe, this one is relatively lightweight and can be disassembled for moving.

When this thing arrived at my house for testing, I told my wife, “It’s a gun safe; carry it on inside.” Unlike a traditional safe, this one is relatively lightweight (though my wife did need a hand, as it’s 90 pounds) and can be disassembled for moving. But it still uses 1⁄2-​inch-​thick hardened steel lock rods for security, and assembly is ­internal. $499–$599 —W.B.

Fix-It Sticks

Fix-It Sticks

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This compact kit

has all the tools needed to keep everything on your rifle or shotgun snug and secure. Fix-It Sticks

This compact kit

has all the tools needed to keep everything on your rifle or shotgun snug and secure. What separates it from other kits are the torque-limiting bit holders, which let you tighten fasteners on your scope, action, and bases to the correct values. I carry it everywhere I take a long gun, and it has pulled my bacon from the fire more than once. $180 —John B. Snow

Fujifilm Instax Mini 90

Fujifilm Instax Mini 90 Neo Classic Instant Film Camera

The Instax Mini 90

is the best model in a resurgence of snap-and-print cameras.

The Instax Mini 90

is the best model in a resurgence of snap-and-print cameras. It combines old-school style with modern features like a rechargeable lithium-ion battery and a high-quality flash. Start lining the camp walls with hero shots as you take them, right next to the Polaroids of Pops. $180 —S.M.

UE Wonderboom Bluetooth Speaker

UE Wonderboom Bluetooth Speaker

The compact UE Wonderboom

punches well above its weight with crisp, loud sound.

Kick back with some tunes after a long day in the stand with this Bluetooth speaker. The compact UE Wonderboom

punches well above its weight with crisp, loud sound. And it’s plenty rugged to survive hunting camp. The Wonderboom is entirely waterproof, can withstand a fall of up to 5 feet, and plays for 10 hours between charges. $100 —S.M.

Eagle’s Nest Outfitters Hammock

Eagle’s Nest Outfitters Hammock

The Eagle’s Nest Outfitters Hammock

is lightweight, comes in plenty of colors and two sizes, and compresses into a stuff sack.

Hunting is exhausting. Even if you spent the morning seated in a treestand, the middle-of-the-night wake-up call, the eyestrain, and the mental focus make napping a necessity, not a luxury. So if you slip off for a midday snooze around camp or in the woods, bring ENO’s hammock

with you. It’s lightweight, comes in plenty of colors and two sizes, and compresses into a stuff sack. Bonus: If your comrades are prone to nighttime nasal distress, deploy it as a backup bunk in a quiet corner. Starts at $60 —N.K.

Mr. Heater Hunting Buddy

Mr. Heater Hunting Buddy

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Each Mr. Heater Hunting Buddy

unit heats up to 300 square feet and features a low-oxygen sensor and an accidental-tip-over safety shut-off. Mr. Heater

Last November, deer camp was a wall tent deep in New York’s Adirondack Mountains, with overnight temps in the single digits. But the cold didn’t cost me or my F&S colleagues any sleep, thanks to a couple of these simple, quiet portable heaters. And it’s a snap to use. Attach a 1-pound propane tank, hit the ignition switch, and the Hunting Buddy

radiates 6,000 Btus per hour on low or 12,000 on high. Each unit heats up to 300 square feet and features a low-oxygen sensor and an accidental-tip-over safety shut-off. $140 —D.H.

Goal Zero Yeti 1400 Lithium Power Station

Goal Zero Yeti 1400 Lithium Power Station

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The new Yeti 1400

isn’t exactly lightweight (47 pounds) or cheap, but if you want a serious gas-alternative power station for base camp or a cabin, this is it. Goal Zero

Power up devices, lights, and appliances with no fumes, no smell, and no noise. The new Yeti 1400

isn’t exactly lightweight (47 pounds) or cheap, but if you want a serious gas-alternative power station for base camp or a cabin, this is it. The lithium battery recharges in 25 hours from a wall socket or in 14 to 25 hours via a 200-watt solar kit (sold separately). —D.H.

OL Guide Life Catskills Camp Chair

OL Guide Life Catskills Camp Chair

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With a sturdy frame that feels like a permanent deck chair yet collapses flat for easy transport and storage, this camp chair

handily beats your average soccer-mom folder. OL Guide Life

Forget pulling up a stump to the fire pit. After a hard hunt, your butt ­deserves better. With a sturdy frame that feels like a permanent deck chair yet collapses flat for easy transport and storage, this camp chair

handily beats your average soccer-mom folder. The side table is roomy enough to accommodate your plate of venison burgers (go ahead, have two) and the feature every chair needs: a cup holder. —N.K.