Fall's Legend
5 year old buck +
If this is not allowed, please delete.
I teach at a community college in the business department/economics. Our college also offers consultations to start-up businesses.
A few months ago the Small Business Center contacted me to see if I was willing to assist on a project. Being a known hunter on campus is what prompted them to ask. An entrepreneur had developed a new product they wanted my opinion on.
The product is bio-degradable "crystals" that can be impregnated with scents. The entrepreneur is exploring all kinds of uses, but one that came to mind was to use them to attract wildlife.
The product almost looks like Rice Krispies, roughly the same size. It comes in a small package about 1/2 the size of a business envelope. You tear the bag open, dispense the product on the ground, no other prep is needed.
My initial reaction to hearing the pitch was to tell him the scent market is saturated, and I am not a big fan of them and have seldom used them. Mainly a cost barrier to me, I already spend enough on hunting.
I agreed to try the product. It was post hunting season, late January into February. I documented three different locations, and used a camera at each one. Two of the packages were impregnated with natural doe estrous urine, the third a synthetic doe urine. Synthetics will be offered as an option as many states are banning natural animal urine due to CWD and other concerns.
Guys, I was honestly surprised by the results as this was post rut. Within 48 hours max each site had deer checking the scent out. Deer would urinate, paw, etc. It was obvious these attractants were effective. The synthetic site had the least activity, but this was probably more due to location. All three sites were on my well managed farm that had a heavily used deer plot attracting 20 plus deer at a time with little other food sources available.
The scents attracted deer, which their activity no doubt attracted other deer. The product was completely absorbed by the ground after about three weeks, but deer kept checking out each spot.
This product has met the government certifications required and is approved for use. The entrepreneur would like to market it through smaller dealers, he is not interested in big box retailers. He is a very experienced and successful businessman.
I am going to provide this link to him so he can read your feedback and suggestions. FYI, it is school policy that someone in my position cannot except any form of financial payment or gift for these types of efforts. In full disclosure, Paul took me to lunch to discuss possible avenues of marketing this product to hunters, and I repaid him by taking him to lunch on Tuesday where I suggested this approach as one of several.
Hope Bill allows this thread to stay. Paul is not looking to sell this product to individuals on sites like this, but suggestions on how to distribute it through smaller dealers. He had a booth at this year's ATA show and one for next year as well in the Innovations area.
Thanks!
I teach at a community college in the business department/economics. Our college also offers consultations to start-up businesses.
A few months ago the Small Business Center contacted me to see if I was willing to assist on a project. Being a known hunter on campus is what prompted them to ask. An entrepreneur had developed a new product they wanted my opinion on.
The product is bio-degradable "crystals" that can be impregnated with scents. The entrepreneur is exploring all kinds of uses, but one that came to mind was to use them to attract wildlife.
The product almost looks like Rice Krispies, roughly the same size. It comes in a small package about 1/2 the size of a business envelope. You tear the bag open, dispense the product on the ground, no other prep is needed.
My initial reaction to hearing the pitch was to tell him the scent market is saturated, and I am not a big fan of them and have seldom used them. Mainly a cost barrier to me, I already spend enough on hunting.
I agreed to try the product. It was post hunting season, late January into February. I documented three different locations, and used a camera at each one. Two of the packages were impregnated with natural doe estrous urine, the third a synthetic doe urine. Synthetics will be offered as an option as many states are banning natural animal urine due to CWD and other concerns.
Guys, I was honestly surprised by the results as this was post rut. Within 48 hours max each site had deer checking the scent out. Deer would urinate, paw, etc. It was obvious these attractants were effective. The synthetic site had the least activity, but this was probably more due to location. All three sites were on my well managed farm that had a heavily used deer plot attracting 20 plus deer at a time with little other food sources available.
The scents attracted deer, which their activity no doubt attracted other deer. The product was completely absorbed by the ground after about three weeks, but deer kept checking out each spot.
This product has met the government certifications required and is approved for use. The entrepreneur would like to market it through smaller dealers, he is not interested in big box retailers. He is a very experienced and successful businessman.
I am going to provide this link to him so he can read your feedback and suggestions. FYI, it is school policy that someone in my position cannot except any form of financial payment or gift for these types of efforts. In full disclosure, Paul took me to lunch to discuss possible avenues of marketing this product to hunters, and I repaid him by taking him to lunch on Tuesday where I suggested this approach as one of several.
Hope Bill allows this thread to stay. Paul is not looking to sell this product to individuals on sites like this, but suggestions on how to distribute it through smaller dealers. He had a booth at this year's ATA show and one for next year as well in the Innovations area.
Thanks!