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Buzz Column Mug You know what they say: “The only thing certain in life is change.” And that statement is more than true when it comes to the wants and needs of the outdoor person in your life.

For example, it wasn’t all that long ago that a Coast Guard approved floating cushion was what many boaters carried to meet the required personal floatation device (PFD) rule (is my age showing?) . Regulations have changed as boaters must now carry a Type I, II, or III life jacket for each person on board. And while wearable life jackets definitely have their place, inflatable life jackets (they are rated Type III) are what many anglers are switching to and make a habit of wearing as part of their everyday boating apparel.

After all, they’re so comfortable you sometimes forget to take them off, which is why I once ordered dinner while wearing one.

Rangefinders: Laser rangefinders have become common among hunters wanting to accurately determine distance and adjust for bullet or arrow drop. Many of the newest rangefinder models include inclinometers that take into account flight information for up or down hill shooting, which is why I’ve switched to one offering this feature. Although offered by all major manufacturers, Leupold calls this feature TBR or True Ballistic Range.

If you’re unfamiliar with TBR, realize that the flight of an arrow or bullet is pulled downward by gravity over the horizontal distance it travels, which may vary quite a bit from the actual distance should you be aiming at a steep up or downhill angle.

The inclinometer built into Leopold's all-new RX-1000 rangefinder (a very compact, digital laser rangefinder) calculates the True Ballistic Range based on distance and incline (shooting angle) as compared to the true horizontal distance, and provides the amount of hold, MOA adjustments or equivalent horizontal range depending on which program you choose. This "smart" rangefinder can be programmed based on the ballistics of individual rifle or bow.

Folding fillet table: You know the fishing is good when fishing tackle buyers tell you they’re selling collapsible fillet tables at a brisk pace. At $64.99 the AP Outdoors Fish & Game Cleaning Station makes a suitable work station for filleting most fish in sizes ranging from Crappie to Salmon.

AP Outdoors Cleaning Station According to the manufacturer, the unit comes fully assembled and is made of 100% FDA & USDA approved HDPE plastic. Its legs are made of durable and light galvanized steel tubing that angle outward at the bottom for extra stability. You can easily attach a bucket underneath the table on the provided clip and push all of your waste through the top hole and into your bucket.

The table is designed with “juice grooves” that surrounds the tabletop to catch unwanted liquids from spilling over the edges - check it out at www.apoutdoors.com. A gift certificate might be the right way to announce this gift, since its size might make it difficult to wrap.

Can't miss with these: Other gift candidates for that special outdoor person in your life might include a digital fish scale, fishing reel (like Abu Garcia Line Counter), tackle box (new from Flambeau is one called a T-5), fishing vest, knife (check out Kershaw’s popular Chive, Leek and Blur assisted opening knives with locking blades), portable electric smoker, Leatherman tool, compact digital camera, boot dryer, 2-way radio, fish finder (like Humminbird with build-in map screen with GPS locator), binocular, gun cleaning kit, knife sharpening tool or (if all else fails) a gift certificate - most outdoor retailers offer them.

-Buzz Ramsey