Christmas Outdoor Swag Thread

[BeastMan]

What is some of the stuff y?all got?

-I participated in a group buy in September and received my 2 rotomolded coolers on the 22nd.
-Gift cards turned in to 2 Lews Super Duty Speed Spools on falcon rods
-redfish print buff
-a wagyu ribeye
-Fifth of Praline Liqour
-Big ass box of hands warmer packs
-Not really outdoor related but it?s mancave related: Framed & autographed Jackie Sherrill pic

[SpeckleDawg]

RTIC 20 soft pack in camo (can never have too many coolers!), nice wader pants, new shoes for fishing and turned a gift card into a pair of Magellan waders.

[Prediction? Pain.]

Four bottles of whisky:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/kofP3DI9l8-cYLiXufX5IsfKHDZi_6puyFAJJ3tupgo-HQaEKu8GOkzcPKfQL9OWOU2VR22jw0oaJU6j2dJSV2DRK48tbi Q2RNPjP6Kxbpg9E5FyC5yZUuctuKD8Yn1q62RQso_Wa4mPJ9IO PRNj_k1nANlmD-ZBBn7OZgJETvmvjRCVKbgAsMi0dcpY2wfX-S4l5SuuI6wA6GnbHNIQjXS6ERF10aPj4CVx3MHNAvI3h-UsUwwWTm3S904E5P9-3bWI1NMsA_NB4_gvoqPnrqFagkFwEzjq4A5Kb0o36VSWTpxuGU 3tjTAP_iwOko_zBVTUTSuUdn_NfgU9bwHfLHY7wmWW70FTpuol D7IH99Dpdj5Y2eVuqP9DPKR2nz6t-5gugsywJcS4VTuM6RtGt9VkBHjrWbqerPO5LY79GFC6EuObj5W oVPvgGNs7oAx6N0HghPLmU2e1nR-FLjQhCwtb8uVLjctdaD_8Y5u68g7l7aZvxNP-6aR2hmIfUs20kIbgdWZnEkpWAEiebdqesevKhdlGDivTSLtUNS 0suXvvFDPdbT2XoTAejKv0BMdIywX6_LzndSrrQYd6yocVsRLN Tw13OUtfhVUAE6ql=w1082-h812-no

L to R: Belle Meade bourbon, a high-rye, 6 - 8 year old, MGP-sourced, Nashville-bottled whisky that I've heard a lot about but never tried. Dickel 12, the proper flag bearer for TN whisky; always in the cabinet, but never bad gift idea. Old Forester 1920 Prohibition Style, the third installment of Old Forrester's "Whisky Row" series, which is some history-focused marketing balderdash. Higher proof than I normally drink (115), but I've read good things. And at the end of the line is Jack Daniels Single Barrel Select. Even as a JD-bashing, Dickel devotee, I've got no problem savoring a bottle of this. It's solid stuff.

In addition to those bottles, I was also the lucky recipient of the best homemade advent calendar ever. On December 1, I came downstairs to find this strung up in our den:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/fwImQRkdhdsX9X_2bXI8v3GcSdkuYjvkqD-3adq2cxf8gcoazjfEZ2uf2j5wSn71jhBprbBf91axk8R_Ntzlm M2MKj1gxVZToBAsvZRi1DVBrKydtyN8QEm5DjoT1i1oW83C6ez 0Tnz8MWdBHp52_YrFn60q5TWyh0djj9mzqeI3kj1XrSVpd1ot0-oZrnAxr0WgN2-ElVeddsRJ1Ypsw9sLcngvDE2aUV3SztQo3YCvJAjv40J-BedXqGH_R6olRawCqB700AIAf82k8mBUfUb9shCNxoULN7hoG7 LsJvw2nkAqRIM_zwzbJpK9-cIa1Y4iiTgwezxCi7OzNbJRa8Q0XpYCIGPVoFMbs2PpSGdzRoC tlC-LzYPgcDDh6E6DkcZP_A00PvE71LJYnYChoikzWQ-m7msP2QsUTpvUsovgDKyprXY1hIPp3VzlJAGaHsUp-A-3AZpJfIK51glbtxVdfLopWG_X_rtR_YOWAcJF_koi0CCIZ9Frz fysEllGdfs6zOIsQbsMhCW5sqZttB38zT-z7so7z2jJ1NDTRo64oUoKKc_MaX-_I0Y_uK7jLRgNeMiyQKA3J0d4hxznh-wKK8nAnSa9Ndu2xxIrpnsXsvlRK_3HovU9iyONbvv5dfTF94nn FL2uqWUW5wN4bjq7dkEmdeeL=w1082-h812-no

In each of those little stockings was either a sample of some kind of fancy loose leaf tea (I'm a straight-up tea snob) or one of these:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ELoEs8C201yc3dQTAt7fnr6dRGmqy3odSTlTXOHegrHqsVe_wl s-VdnMJjj5xjSPhY-VnaDvKd4C-foJlcd4BVlNwQNbuNtqlKgJovsB4X3O_H76DMtcdXWZOBad5k9 ZROuVvhLRamhkIYE1pYs-9_3EnqJZm37Nwgz5ZgANIN_GQC3k04ag0ft7Zenqt0Tn9ZQFPB F8WTDng7ZM1oLqfzcoy1Q-xbzir97lD2nOwUpeXO15HtWKzg1O39_YnXciR1iHkAB9XzBZa9 D5nL9p47fOKCnAr5mI9mLxCwrYeGaHVGxeaMyUgmnmRSFHs1Cw qtHwu5L_j6Qb-gNXuhKfXw4n-W9l3VQXltIAZTtz4I9cd6pVbDBYfyxl8-ZjUp_I3Ang-HQ7zHavZ3_qt2_mb-hrfDUWVnQonFwwHS4HAneqTiKS5iEecS85fu3ReTBDBu7vVzZq H5Q2VBaAd8zma6DemWTgE7KChDa2L58HAQHezZ6mRUZIj60K1L PtLmaBxXS7kOEanvEyuPlzIo55Q2aJvIe6gqJHzWe0Snc6ks5R br7R7Bqx06v_-fwfTHWdpn3fomzfsXcbiqWxzpOytue_JgAZbes-8Xa0vxSO=w1082-h812-no

There's some good stuff in that line, and a few things I've been meaning to try for awhile. (There was also a bottle of Canadian Club 12 Year in the mix, but I drank it already. I'd never had any CC product, so I was glad to give it a try. Weird stuff. Super vanilla and smooth, but in a strange, raw rum or moonshine way. Wasn't a fan.) Here's hoping my wife makes this a new yearly tradition.

Only other "outdoor" gifts this year were a couple of books:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Xh0aq7tNJrStQhELkzO4nsaBUO-Bt1Ti3sDrTGkDjHbpmu5SuRCe6uPYBpSLFDU0D0WvEiEeWgeU0 1a9ofaTkSeCzx5DNVcayR2PJsuJ5ZeLDKhGrye2BLUA9xMoFMc CJZgWJf1-7i4WYLvFLM93ryGQc_U0ulWyy_W2O4SfWAyYIeGQwZK0zHvjp1 5-dOKaixZEu7M64puC2_IKL5853a2bKTWHQk1wUUqwEe4YAevTis TTvLh4_YTbPNxf4Xiz8AMNY1yJ62Hk3mBF0XU3Ky_ueNtCBE0P XT0naz-K7OWc7cNv-1eH-H3AoKwyXqQMzTkwPprkUWeu83tNfKtjZO0CqBFw7iT0GznSHk6 4stv2VGg8FjWHqMMvCvhBqdDf4GanJmt_kAj11e2uU9dK2hKJL OH7Blzml1MFsPe4YslGVQsa0LMAeerUu5E2jzZwbtGh5CTn-c0dEsjeMI6WLcO5jbT8XJe5hqkBatZy-ZDVg0UxTHFU8S_hvK0EYau1ZVqFBum-whHQMbyj6HEHeZEZ9AUJH-hwriIESe5pvLPgIoPDGEWj1vK6iwgUInqm2d98dnwvCKS9V5Bq 1ZzuMkB3qTi02BS8L4_zM-vA=w1082-h812-no

The one on the left, The Guide to the Vascular Plants of Tennessee, is a huge reference book for southeastern-botany dorks. The one on the right is the second book by a biologist at the University of the South at Sewanee. I loved his first book -- The Forest Unseen, which I highly recommend to anyone interested in Southern ecology, botany, soil science, or nature writing in general -- and am stoked to dig in to this one.

[Uncle Ruckus]

Rolling tool chest and a Jackson Cuda 12 kayak. Pretty stoked. I’ve kayak fished but I’ve never had my own.

[SpeckleDawg]

You got a great one for your first. I love my Cuda 12. Fishing machine.

[BeastMan]

Rolling tool chest and a Jackson Cuda 12 kayak. Pretty stocked. I’ve kayak fished but I’ve never had my own.

Nice! Jackson makes a great kayak! Looks like we might need to do an outdoor dog yak fishing meet up one day

[BeastMan]

Prediction, I’m interested in your opinion on that Old Forrester 1920 Prohibition Style. Let us know

[Prediction? Pain.]

Prediction, I’m interested in your opinion on that Old Forrester 1920 Prohibition Style. Let us know

Will do. I'm indifferent about and very rarely drink Old Forester's standard stuff, so my initial reaction to this bottle was a little tempered. After reading up on the stuff, though, I'm much more interested in digging in.

[Uncle Ruckus]

I’m ready to get out there. Sheepshead isn’t my favorite, but they are tearing them up at the tressel.
Beast, hollar at me next time you bring yours down.

[SpeckleDawg]

Sheepshead wrapped in cheesecloth and boiled in crab boil may change your mind about them. Dedamnlicious. In fact, I may have to hit the bridges soon and work on some sheepies.

[Prediction? Pain.]

Nice! Jackson makes a great kayak! Looks like we might need to do an outdoor dog yak fishing meet up one day

If any of y'all ever need an idea for an off-the-beaten-path long weekend, you should strongly consider a trip to Jackson Kayak's original home base in Rock Island, Tennessee. It's a waterfall, whitewater, and fishing wonderland about an hour and a half north of Chattanooga. (Jackson started off in Rock Island back in the day, tough they're now a half hour up the road in Sparta, TN.) Here's one of the owners of Jackson giving his take (mostly via photos) on the area:

http://jacksonkayak.com/blog/2014/03/26/rock-island-tn-whitewater-and-fishing-mecca/

If you don't want to click through, just take my camera's word for it:

https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/fr/cp0/e15/q65/289924_611536813351_2052755287_o.jpg?efg=eyJpIjoid CJ9&oh=9b8999fdf72c19f56ed942b091886b91&oe=5ABBEE54

For a sense of scale, look for the red-shirted dude in the left side of the picture.

Awesome, awesome place.

[SpeckleDawg]

That’s an incredible looking paddle. I’ve wanted to do the Devils River in TX one day, but TN may be an option now too.

[Uncle Ruckus]

I enjoy sheepshead, I’m not one of the guys who toss them. But, I’ve never targeted them. I may have to try that boil though. You do potatoes and corn too?

[SpeckleDawg]

Sometimes I do the corn and potatoes, but usually I do it by itself and put on top of a steak. It comes out just like crabmeat. Crumbling and all.

[Uncle Ruckus]

Damn. Just damn. I will be doing that for sure.