New Scent Delivery System

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!
 
Whether it works or not, I’m sure it will sell. Everyone always wants the new thing.
 
I recognize you guys only know me by my posts. But, I would not have done this if the product did not work. I was simply surprised.


This is small, light weight and fits in your pocket. It is also discreet when you place it on the ground.


I can see guys who hunt heavily pressured public land being able to start an attractant area where they are the only one who know about it. Using it to create a "social area" closer to a permanent stand location I am willing to bet will bring results also.


Look, I was skeptical, and have not used scents much, they have not worked for me well enough to justify the expense. I was expecting Luke warm or incidental reactions. What my cameras captured were repeat daily multiple time uses, both during shooting hours and at night. Both does and bucks checked it out. Much easier to use than establishing a mock scrape, and less messy as well.


My study is not scientific. Could it be the deer reacted trying to figure out who the new "invader" was? Absolutely. But I was impressed enough that I will purchase some and use it both on my farm and home property this Fall.
 
Sounds interesting. I'd have to see it work for myself to give an assessment of the product.
 
I agree bbucks.

I have sent a text asking the owner if I can post the website. Hopefully Bill will let me know if I should not.


But, Paul is not interested in individual orders but finding methods to contact possible small dealers.
 
I agree with your initial assessment "the scent market is saturated". It all comes down to the effectiveness of the marketing. Nothing in your description of use significantly differentiates it from other scent products in terms of effectiveness for hunting. The right scent used at the right time with the right technique can be extremely effective. When conditions are not right, responses can be extremely negative. For most of the hunting season attractive scents are pretty low on the list of factors that contribute to a successful hunt.

The hunting industry has proven time and time again that one can take the strangest off-the-wall things, develop a good marketing story, and with a big enough buck on the packaging sell things to hunters. Attractive scents clearly have a well defined niche in the hunting market.

Let's talk about the science. One application is to apply a scent when you are in the woods hunting. Since scent is dispersed by the air, crystals don't seem to be the way to go. For this application most scent systems need to quickly get as many scent molecules into the air as possible.

Probably a better application is the one you described, scrapes. Of course, there is some science to show that making a mock scrape and putting deer urine in it is equally effective with building a mock scrape and pissing in it yourself. "Effective" as defined by the number of subsequent deer visits to the scrape.

I think it will be hard to actually find a technical argument, but most folks care more about the big buck on the package and the hype than about a solid use case.

Thanks,

Jack
 
Jack,

Excellent points. I have tried the liquids, the gels etc. This is clean and convenient. And my thoughts after pulling the SD cards on a weekly basis is the product attracted deer that then behaved in a manner to keep other deer coming. Sure, put it in travel corridors, but just like a dog tracking birds on the ground it does not have to be airborne for deer to find it.
 
Does he have a patent? I wouldn't contact anyone before my idea was secure.

Otherwise, what exactly is he looking for here? Just contacts for small retailers in the hunting industry? Sounds like a headache. Why avoid the big stores?

If the price is right, and I can be reasonably sure the product is free of disease, I would try it. I like the idea of a solid instead of a liquid. I rarely use scents because the liquids are so impractical for me.

And don't forget the other markets. Seems like every deer product ends up with hog and bear versions. Make sure the technology is protected accross all markets.

Maybe a combo pack with doe estrus and young buck urine?

Maybe a single large crystal to hang from a tree instead of just leaving it on the ground? Many hunters, myself included, don't want the scent lying there. I would rather make the buck think a hot doe is standing in front of my tree stand instead of a hot doe peed once in front if my tree stand. I killed my biggest buck ever after I started taking the scent wicks with me when I left the stand.

What about bedding/calming scents? Seems you could spread the little crystals around a large area to mimic a doe bedding area.
 
Thanks. I am sure Paul is reading your suggestions.
 
Hopefully Bill will let me know if I should not.

Ok by me.

I’d start with some of the older regional catalog guys. “Now online more than catalog” Like mid south shooters supply, Rogers sporting goods etc.
 
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