New Products: Stoves, sights, blinds, for comfort, success

PHOTOGRAPHER: EmilyRose

Now that we will be spending more of our free time in the woods, there are a few new recently introduced items some might want to add to their outdoor equipment.

Here are six I believe will add to your success and enjoyment.

COOKING IN THE FIELD

When in woods, what do you do for lunch? Many will walk back to their vehicle and eat a cold sandwich and have a cold drink, or perhaps drive to the nearest fast-food restaurant. Wouldn’t it be a lot better to have a hot meal and cup of hot coffee while sitting on the tailgate of your truck, telling your buddies about the one that got away?

I came across a little portable gas grill by Cuisinart Outdoor Grills that will fit in a car or truck and allow warming a lunch. It’s called the Petite Gourmet CGG 180, and comes with a telescoping base with enough room to grill eight steaks or hamburgers, six to 10 chicken breasts or over four pounds of fish. The Petite Gourmet produces 5,500 btu, has a 145-square-inch porcelain-enamel coated cooking grate and weighs just over 20 pounds.

I know when my Bunny Bowl hunters come out of the woods on what’s always a cold New Year’s Day, large pot of venison chili will be heated up a lot quicker with the Petite Gourmet than it used to be over an open charcoal/wood fire. This little grill will also make a mighty fine on-board or shore lunch a lot more enjoyable, and ice anglers will love it. Pull a fish through that hole in the ice, filet and toss on the grill. Retail price for the Petite Gourmet is $150 (www.cuisinart.com).

KONUS OPTICS

The few minutes in the deer woods at sunup and just before sundown can make sighting in the buck of a lifetime a guessing game, especially if hunting with a one-shot muzzleloader. But I recently added an MDM Buckwacka muzzleloader with the new KonusPro model 275 3-10×44 mm IR scope. The IR stands for illuminated reticle, and this model has two color options, red or blue. Blue is my favorite for the shaded woods.

When you look through the scope, there are several aiming points that coincide with most of the popular powder loads and a lateral reference system to compensate for wind. The aiming points are from 75 to 275 yards in increments of 25 yards. The engraved reticle is recoil proof for the magnum loads, and the 44 mm lens provides maximum light transmission. Other features of the KonusPro are that it’s water, fog and shockproof, and it comes with a lifetime replacement warranty. Manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $200 (www.Konus.com).

IMR WHITE HOTS

Muzzleloaders looking for a hard-hitting, clean and odor-free propellant for their front-loader should seriously consider IMR’s White Hot pellets. These 50-grain, white pellets unleash high-performance power that deliver 2,300 foot-pounds, resulting in more knockdown performance, and it does it with pinpoint accuracy. I particularly appreciate the easy cleanup and lack of sulphur smell. White Hots come 72 pellets in a box. Retail price is about $25 (www.imrpowder.com).

HUNTING BLIND

There are very few hunting shows on TV in which ground blinds are not being used, and the reason is because they work for just about every type of big game and turkey hunting. “Outdoor Life” editors picked Hunter’s Specialties Realtree APG Camo Hide ‘N Hunt as their No. 1 choice in ground blinds this year, and I agree with their choice.

This compactly designed blind features reinforced corners, inside and out, quiet laminated shell with a sunlight-blocking backing, solid cast hubs, shoot-through camo netting windows that are both zipper- and magnet-equipped and seamless one-piece roof that eliminates annoying drips on rainy days.

The Hide ‘N Hunt is 65 inches tall, 62 inches wide and quick and easy to set up and take down. It folds easily and fits into a carrying bag making it easy to transport to, through and from the woods. Suggested retail price is $230 (www.hunterspec.com).

BIG GAME KNIFE COMBO

While paging through the “New York Hunting & Trapping 2011-12 Official Guide to Laws & Regulations,” I found an ad (pg.49) for the Viscera Knife that was just what every big-game hunter needs. It’s really a knife/multi-tool with a 3 3⁄4-inch modified drop point, 440 stainless blade that pivots and locks in the oversized gut hook/saw tool.

The Viscera is designed and built with the edge and weight to field-dress anything from a whitetail deer to a moose. It has a rubberized handle and durable nylon sheath. If bought on-line, a magnetic bore light is free. The Viscera sells for $50, plus shipping (www.dressbiggame.com).