I need some "Deer Camp Party Favor" ideas.

[Royce Meritt]

i everyone. For the past several years I have made what my wife refers to as "deer camp party favors" for my 2 deer hunting buddies.

In the past I have made:

Walking sticks (sort of an inside joke, don't use them too much during the hunt)
Wooden mugs (these get a lot of use back in camp after the day's hunt)
"Bullet" pens (.308 cal. lower barrels & antler top barrels)
Deer grunt calls (these actually work pretty well)
Wood handles 6 way screwdrivers (the handles are made from Oak found on the farm where we hunt)

This year I am fresh out of ideas. Anyone have any ideas? These can be useful and practical items (like the calls & screwdrivers), not so practical but no less useful (like the mugs) or anything in between.

Deer season opens in 3 weeks so I need to get started on this year's projects.

I am open to any suggestions as long as some or all of the item is made of wood (turned or flat). Thanks!

(This is also cross posted with Moderator permission in GW for "flat work" ideas)

[Jack Mincey]

You could turn turkey calls and if they sound bad they work great as a coaster.
Jack
http://usera.ImageCave.com/flyrod444/100_0560-copy.jpg

[David Walser]

I'm having a hard time getting my mind wrapped around the concept of party favors for a hunt. What, you have lace curtains on the cabin windows, too? ;) To each his own, I guess.

As long as you're going to do this, here are a couple of suggestions:


One of Brinkley's travel mugs would be useful at camp and on the way home. http://www.smoothturning.com/shop/custom.aspx?recid=1 The link is to the gallery so you can see what the finished product might look like.
A match/toothpick holder. Hunters, like boy scouts, should be prepared for an emergency. Craft Supplies USA offers several key fob kits that can be used to carry an emergency supply of matches. Here's a link to one sample: http://www.woodturnerscatalog.com/store/Projects___Key_Rings___Toothpick_Holder___toothpic k_holder?Args=

Good luck and good hunting. Hope you don't mind my giving you some grief over the party favors. Never heard of such a thing.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Don't know if you do any other hunting but thought of duck or goose calls.

[Royce Meritt]

I'm having a hard time getting my mind wrapped around the concept of party favors for a hunt. What, you have lace curtains on the cabin windows, too? ;) To each his own, I guess.


Good luck and good hunting. Hope you don't mind my giving you some grief over the party favors. Never heard of such a thing.

No offense taken. The term "party favors" was first used by my wife and it just sort of stuck.

[Greg Ketell]

While not "turned", how about a handcrafted knife? WoodCraft carries a kit. And for the more adventurous you could check out knifekits.com (http://knifekits.com). Then go to ebay and search for "burl knife scales" (shortcut http://tinyurl.com/5jhn94 (http://%3Cb%3Ehttp://tinyurl.com/5jhn94%3C/b%3E))
and get you will have some truly beautiful gifts.

GK

[Terry Achey]

Party favors :D.... what a great idea and a witty tag by your wife! I just finished a few slate calls for my hunting buds and actually mailed them instead of delivering. Eveeryone likes getting a mystery package in the mail :).

Don't know if you and your buds hunt blackpowder, but how about a ball starter?

Turn a shotgun shell with different color wood for the brass and plastic sections. i.e.- maple and purpleheart or bloodwood or yellowheart or cocobola? Perhaps two as a salt & pepper pair?

Enjoy the camp trip!
Terry

[Stan Cook]

Wine or spirit stopper

[Frank Kobilsek]

Royce

I know a guy that turns night sticks for cops. How about a night stick/ billy club as a 'party favor'. You can use them to hunt a big buck and make it a fair fight.

I like the 'Party favor' term. Whenever my neighbor lady sees a odd pick up truck in my driveway or someone other than me wielding a chainsaw outside my garage, she knows a fellow turner has come to visit. She'll ask later if I had a 'Play Date'?

Sometime the women we are close to use convert terminology that can really connect our world to thiers.

Frank

[Jeff Nicol]

I have made some nice dice cups in the past, turn them out of your favorite local wood and make the dice also if you ar up to it! Other wise a nice box for their gun cleaning equipment always works ! I am packed and ready to head to deer camp right now I have a nice big buck all picked out for myself. I hope he read the script! As it is archery season here in WI one chance is all you get, so shoot straight! Good luck with the PARTY FAVORS!

Jeff

[Andrew Derhammer]

Fire piston, useful for survival

[Tim Anderson]

I've made my boys hunting items over the years. Ball starters, Range rods, both folder and fix blade knives from TexasKnife supply and knifekit (both very good companies), key fobs, shooting boxes to hold shooting and cleaning supplies. How about building a picture frame with a camp picture in it? One of the coolest things I have rec'd was a wooden golf club duck. Find a wooden head golf club driver (local salvation army store). Cut the metal shaft off at the head. Carve a duck head of your choice and attach where the shaft was. Paint and seal. My FIL made mine and it has garnered a lot of attention.

Tim