If your mom is anything like mine, she’s doing a little extra worrying these days. So you’d better not forget to do something thoughtful this Mother’s Day. If you’re short on cash or a gift won’t arrive in time with the current shipping delays (definitely not because you remembered too late), make her something. You could turn a friction-call striker, make a paracord turkey tote (try blaze orange—moms are usually sticklers for safety), or print out a bunch of her favorite family hunting and fishing photos and slip them in an album. If you’re not the crafting type, break out the backstraps you’ve been saving and cook her dinner, even if you have to sit on the other side of the porch.
If you’d rather buy her a gift, check out our new favorites for hunting moms. For more ideas, check out our ultimate women’s hunting gift guide here.
Magellan Outdoors Lodge Socks
Magellan Outdoors Lodge Socks. Magellan Outdoors
The official initiation into adulthood doesn’t happen when you turn 18, or even 21. It happens when someone gifts you a pair of socks and you’re actually happy about it. And if you’re going to get your mom socks for working from home or camp this fall, it should be these. They look like ordinary socks, but the only word for them is plush. They’re soft and thick, and come in patterns that fit right in at camp—sort of like slippers, but without the robe-lady look. (Apparently these socks are infused with aloe, which I would normally find weird…but maybe that’s why they’re so great?)
Liberty Bibs
Liberty Bibs. Liberty
I swore off overalls after the second grade for the sake of my reputation, but it turns out overalls are both back in style and (surprise) incredibly practical. These bibs from Liberty are exactly the kind of overalls your mom can wear, whether she’s skinning a deer in the garage or working in the garden. I’m partial to the duck fabric, but they come in two washes of denim and other colors. They’re not made of the heavy-duty fabric that can resist barbed wire, and that’s the point: they’re much cheaper than professional work bibs and the fabric has some give, making these comfy enough to wear all weekend long.
Camp Chef 4-Piece Carving Set
Camp Chef 4-Piece Carving Set. Camp Chef
Most good cooks are picky about the tools they use, and the knives at deer camp—or the sad paring knives in your car-camping kitchen box—usually leave something to be desired. That’s what makes this portable set from Camp Chef so great. It’s got the essentials for grilling (tongs) and slicing (two knives), plus a carving fork for when you’ve got a fancier setup. (I tried carving a rub-crusted smoked wild turkey breast this season, and it turns out those forks are surprisingly useful for keeping your hands clean and spices on the meat where they belong.) Best of all, the canvas-roll case means Mom can stop improvising questionable cardboard-and-towel contraptions for transporting to camp.
Gerber Custom Knife
Gerber Custom Knife. Gerber
If you waited too long to find a present, a custom knife build from Gerber is actually a great option. Tell her that she can design her own knife (or that you’ll help her), then buy it for her. Because designing one is half the fun. Gerber lets you pick out everything from the blade shape to the handle material, plus there are tons of fonts and illustrations to laser onto it. There are plenty of personalized combinations out there that she’s bound to love.
LOWA Explorer GTX Mids
LOWA Explorer GTX Mids. LOWA
If your mom has been dreaming about a new pair of hunting boots, now’s the time to get her some. She can wear them while hiking and scouting this summer, and they’ll be perfectly broken-in come fall. These new mid-height boots from LOWA are ideal for packing into the backcountry (though she’ll probably want something stiffer if she’s hunting steep terrain), and they’re also just right for trips into her favorite, farthest public-land spots. LOWAs are built to take a beating and supremely comfortable, and this particular pair is waterproof.
Lacrosse Hail Call Waders
Lacrosse Hail Call Waders. Lacrosse
Maybe Mom’s favorite waders are springing leaks, and she could use a new pair. Or maybe she’s been wanting to come shoot ducks with you for a while now, but everyone’s waders are too big for her to borrow. Either way, be sure to get her a women’s-specific pair, since the boots and the fit will make all the difference. The Hail Call from Lacrosse has all the good stuff she could want: 1600 grams of Thinsulate Ultra, quilted insulation, and, of course, Lacrosse boots. Plus it’s got little touches she’ll appreciate, like a fleece-lined hand warming pouch.
Garmin Fenix 5S Plus
Garmin Fenix 5S Plus. Garmin
The Fenix is the ultimate smartwatch, and it’s got every bell and whistle a hunter could ever want, including pre-loaded topo maps, navigation, and more. (The S model has a down-sized bezel, which makes it a great option for anyone with a smaller wrist.) Best of all, the Fenix is on sale for Mother’s Day. If that model is a little too premium for your budget, you might consider the Instinct, which has great navigation features and even dog tracking.
Blaser F16 Intuition
Even though I appreciate the adjusted ergonomics of women’s rifles and shotguns, such models are frequently too small for those of us who are broader or significantly taller than the national average of 5’4”. Fortunately, Blaser avoided that convention with the F16 Intuition, a women’s-specific 12-gauge adapted from their original F16. I tried both the F16 and the F16 Intuition for clays and wild pheasants this fall, and found I shot both very well. Even so, the Intuition was more natural to mount. It’s a beautiful over/under with a shorter stock and length of pull (but not too short), a Monte Carlo design for a higher comb, a reduced pitch angle on the buttstock, and a slimmer grip. It comes in two models, depending on what Mom loves best: Game and Sporting.