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Santa's helpers offer gift tips for sportsmen I'm not absolutely sure if Santa Claus is a sportsman. But as he lives in the North Pole, I figure he must have at least tried ice-fishing, and we all know about his love of reindeer. Whatever Santa's leanings are, sportsmen across the Mid-Columbia are hoping his bag is loaded with outdoor goodies. In the spirit of the season, I called a few of Santa's helpers in the Tri-Cities to see what jolly Old Saint Nick might want to pack on his Dec. 24 trip. John Powell, manager of Sportsmen's Warehouse, the Tri-Cities' newest outdoor store on Canal Drive in Kennewick, said gift certificates are quite popular, but really aren't as much fun to open on Christmas Day as, say, a new reel. "We got all kinds of brand name reels, like Shimano, for under $50. It helps that whoever is buying the gift at least know what the person fishes for. We can do the rest," he said. And what angler - child or adult - couldn't use a new tackle box. Another item that has caught the attention of shoppers at Sportsmen's Warehouse is Coleman's new stainless steel cooler. The coolers, which bring back fond memories of Coleman's original metal coolers I lugged around for years, sell for about $100. Novelty gifts are always popular because they most often are bought by non-sportsmen who think they've found the perfect gift for the hunter or angler. Remember last year's singing bass. Powell said one such item that has been hot this year is an electronic fly swatter. "It's basically a hand-held bug zapper that runs on two AA batteries. It's been very popular," he said. Along the same line are the assortment of trailer ball hitch covers and car radio antenna covers. Dennis Damon, who works at Griggs Department Store in the sporting good section, said hitch covers, bass, deer, boat and trout slippers, socks and T-shirts all make great stocking stuffers and are inexpensive. I liked the black Lab trailer ball cover I bought myself an early Christmas gift. Some might find it a bit strange considering Christmas' peace and joy theme, but firearms make popular Christmas gifts. I can see Ralphie now getting ready to shoot his eye out with his Red Ryder BB gun in The Christmas Story. However, Todd Smith, assistant manager of the new Richland Big 5 Sporting Goods store in George Washington Way, said BB guns, .22 caliber rifles and 20-gauge shotguns are big Christmas sellers for beginning hunters. Smith said anyone buying a .22 rifle or shotguns may have to wait up to three days while a background check is conducted, although most checks are done in a matter of minutes. One gift idea I'm considering for my 7-year-old nephew is one of Remington's Hunter Dan action figures. The figures are involved in several outdoor pursuits including Hunter Dan the waterfowl, turkey and bow hunter. My nephew is always asking me about waterfowl hunting and the Hunter Dan duck hunter has all the accessories, including decoys and calls. You can even buy a separate black Labrador retriever holding a mallard. Hunter Dan sells for about $18. You know, I might just end up buying two of them. If you've got a bit more to spend on Christmas, Dave Keiser at REI in the Highland Center in Kennewick said the store has been selling a lot of its new jacket called The One, with Powershield outer fabric by Polartec. "The idea behind this jacket is that you don't have to wear several layers of clothing. The jacket is about 98 percent windproof and very water resistant with a four-way stretch outer fabric and a micro-fleece lining. It can be worn for just about any activity from skiing to casual wear," he said. The One sells for about $185 to $200. While you're at it, you might want to add a set of REI's popular MTS (mositure transfer system) polyester long underwear. A full set will cost you about $70. A couple of other interesting items REI is selling are Monopoly games with national park and mountaineering themes and head lamps. "The mountaineering game even has an yak as a game piece. It's pretty cool," he said. The headlamps, such as the Black Diamond Moon Light, is a must for backpackers who have to set up a tent in the dark, although it would make a great item to carry in the car for nighttime emergencies such as changing a tire or putting on tire chains while heading for the ski slopes. "One of the selling points, beside its hands-free use, is the bright and long-lasting LED bulbs. The light comes with three AAA batteries and is supposed to last up to 70 hours," he said. Lastly, if you really want to give a gift that keeps on giving, consider buying your favorite sportsmen an annual state recreational license. New fishing and hunting licenses are valid from April 1, 2002 through March 31, 2004. To purchase a license, only the license holder's name and birthdate are needed if the person is currently licensed in the Washington Interactive Licensing Database. If not, you'll need to provide a home address, telephone number, Social Security number, height, weight and eye color. To purchase one on the Internet, go to www.wa.gov/wdfw and click on licensing. By phone, call 866-246-9453, or go to any one of the state's license vendors, including Rite Aid and Fred Meyer. The new fishing and hunting license fees are unchanged from this year.
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