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Hunting product ideas…. Random thought/business??….

Sligh1

Sligh1

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Totally random but I bet we’ve all thought of a million hunting product ideas. I personally get in my stand & whatever “issue” I’m dealing with - I sit & think of a product to solve that problem. I’ll give you a trivial example…. I Get into hunting blinds & windows fog up. Solutions: keep windows open, bring heater, anti-fog wipe OR…. I got these consumer “AA clip on fans” that blow a tiny bit of air on window. Works amazing. They need made better for blinds if used there. So- idea is to sell a far better clip on fan with aa batteries. Or - I can make electric fat bikes - start to finish - for about half the price of what anyone sells them for. & that’s paying retail for parts. I Technically could sell these bikes & make a video “this is how you fix any part of the bike” - 5 minute video max. Anyone could fix their bike & buy the parts for low cost.
Or- I make these 1/16” steel custom signs that will last forever that work (I use some good verbiage & picture of a camera on them) - way better than cheap junk ones in store - they are $15 retail but way way better.
Another one…. I made a bag u can put cedars or pine or whatever in - run it in dryer with clothes & store with camo. More of a “goof off little idea”.

Big or small - I bet we all have a gazillion ideas. Some good that could be put to market - some not.
***Fine print - I’m guessing most folks do get tired of hunting products pimped like crazy…. BUT- if truly good ideas sold for a reasonable price & done tastefully - bet there’s a market. Then the MAIN ?…. “How do I tell someone about it without them ripping me off & how do I bring to market?”
I got a bunch of solutions there….. I know guys that make & source about anything. & there’s non-disclosure agreements. But, IMO- u need someone who you can trust that won’t rip you off - if it’s truly a great idea. 1000% - i have the connections & ability to get anything to market.
I’m going to guess I have 15 ideas that are “solid”. Small to big ticket items ($2 to $5,000).

Here’s my random thought:
Get 25-30 solid ideas…. Have them all designed & quoted on how build. My friend is also a patent a attorney so actually have a trusting buddy that does things right. I have a building already if needed to run things out of it. Form into one “brand” & I know how to get to market or who to give it to so it goes to market. I personally think it would be a fun business to do if it’s done tastefully & ideas are truly game changers, cost savers or innovative.
Throwing this out there. If you have ideas or even have any feedback on doing something like this - fire away.
 
Ive had the same thoughts and many good ideas, my biggest struggle has been the initial cost to get into an idea or product, the trust factor of others, and getting a sold patent. Ive had ideas where its a great thought but I think it would be easier to patent it and then sell it to a large company for a certain price and wipe my hands of the dirty work after that.
 
One word...patent. You mentioned that you have a friend that is a patent attorney, I would be sure to stay on his good side. I can tell you from personal experience that the "hunting products industry" is a very incestuous business and there are, or at least there were, companies that will be glad to look at your product idea(s) and then magically produce something pretty close to identical about 6-12 months later...and you get nothing in terms of royalties, etc. Be careful who you share your details with.

Otherwise, I think you could really do well if you have some legit ideas, companies are ALWAYS looking for something new in this category. If I were you, I would focus on selling the idea(s)/marketing rights to an already established manufacturer/distributor. Let someone else carry all the responsibilities and headaches of sourcing and producing and distributing, etc, etc...but that's just me. Good luck.
 
Honestly, I'm sick of "new" hunting gadgets. When I see people pimping useless products I tune them out. What more could we possibly need to kill a simple deer? On the other hand, there are a lot of hunters that can't get money out of their pockets quick enough for gadgets. If improving hunting is the idea, fine. If getting suckers to part with their money is the idea, then yeah, I'm sure you can come up with something to do that.
 
If you have a good idea and are passionate about it go for it, especially if you think you can make a profit. Sounds like you already have the ground work with storage and connections.

If there is a product that seems good i'm interested in it, but it feels like what else could there be to be developed anymore. Maybe I am just not that creative. But, i hardly buy any hunting products anymore. The more stuff I see pushed and advertised the more I want to just get back to the basics.
 
Spysar said:
Honestly, I'm sick of "new" hunting gadgets. When I see people pimping useless products I tune them out. What more could we possibly need to kill a simple deer? On the other hand, there are a lot of hunters that can't get money out of their pockets quick enough for gadgets. If improving hunting is the idea, fine. If getting suckers to part with their money is the idea, then yeah, I'm sure you can come up with something to do that.
Click to expand...
I get it. I'd be steering away from anything "gimic" for most part. I have a few ideas that are a bit goofy or not a huge game changer. But others that are. Put it this way.... If a product came out & someone had to wear a head-set & buy an informercial to sell it - NO THANKS... Remember the Sham-Wow guy?!?!?! I'm talking the OPPOSITE of that!!!! We all probably agree "product pimps" make us gag - never want that.
Give you another example.... Not one I'd do but how I think..... You ever notice that "hunting items" that are similar to a consumer item..... Use a million examples..... Like "detergent for washing machine".... They charge like 4x the price of the consumer item. You can buy a tiny stick of "hunting deoderant" for $5-8 & get a jumbo size "cheap consumer brand" for $2. Or an "SD Card" in the hunting section - charge 2x the cost. You get my point. Idea was to to take every hunting product that's "simple" & have it made & branded as the "cheap alternative" at more reasonable margins. Am I going to do that? No. But, that's my line of thinking - provide real value, quality & cost savings.
Where I would want to do something "truly good ideas". We have not hit the end of innovation. It's not just about "killing deer".... It could be habitat/farm related. Could be something that solves a real problem. It could be correcting an overpriced market with crap quality/high prices to get into a lower price with better product, EXAMPLE: The electric bikes.... There are guys that spend $5k on them! Could do a better quality bike & be able to repair yourself for 1/3rd that amount of $. That's just an EXAMPLE.
Yes, I can get patented & do trust buddy who is patent attorney. & I do have means to do this without anyone getting ripped off & could get things to market. Great ideas floating in back of folks creative minds are worth $0 if they do nothing.
 
You got me thinking for sure Skip. Like others mentioned, be careful of you trust. A friend of mine shelled out 10k to get an idea patented and never got anywhere. A year later a manufacturer came out with his idea and profiting from it, kind of similar to what Daver mentioned. My friend was out 10k.....
 
Love the idea! Have had many similar thoughts. Not gimmick. Just useful.


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Someone please make a quiver that doesn't stick out 4" off the side of your bow and doesn't cost $200. . I have several ideas Skip, as I'm sure every hunter does; they work great in my head, but I've never put em on paper.

Gotta watch out though, GSM outdoors will try to buy out your company and then make your products in China for pennies on the dollar.
 
Thanks for the suggestions in this thread! You've got a lot of great ideas for hunting products, and I think you're right that there's probably a market for them if they're done well and marketed tastefully. If you are still looking for ways to improve your product, consider working with a trusted manufacturer or distributor who can help you bring your products to market. It's important to have a good relationship with them and have clear agreements in place to protect your intellectual property. Also, when it comes to marketing your products, local SEO can be a great way to reach customers in your area. Crowdo.net offers the best local SEO service, which can help you get your products in front of the right people. Ok, that's it. Best of luck with your ideas!
 
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My buddy had an idea for a can call a few years ago but never pursued it. He did build a teetering holder for the can to sit in and had a string attached so he could sit the call on the ground and pull it to make a doe in estrous call. Don't know if making a battery operated wireless teetering gadget would be legal? I thought that was a great idea, kind of like lowering rattling antlers to the ground on a string so deer focus on ground level and not look up if the sneak up on you. I'll have to put my thinking cap on.
 
TBH, I have created a few things, but they are for my needs. Yes it may be a product everyone in the world would want, but I am at a point in my life where I just don't want to deal with all of the headaches that would come with creating a product, getting patents, etc. I just want to live the remainder of my days doing the things I love with the least amount of stress as possible.
 
I couldn't help getting intrigued by your post about hunting product ideas. It's true. We all have those moments in the stand where our minds start racing with potential solutions to hunting-related problems. Your clip-on fan idea for foggy blinds sounds practical, and those custom steel signs and the bag for drying and storing camo are pretty clever too. Starting a business around innovative hunting products does sound exciting! If you're looking for guidance and support in bringing your ideas to market, I recently stumbled upon enterprise consulting services provided by Succession Resource (successionresource.com). They offer valuable insights and resources for business growth and development, so they might provide some insights for you.
 
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A buddy of mine designed floor mats for redneck blinds, like the weathertech kind. He's been selling them thru redneck dealers. He designed, then found a manufacturer to produce and started the selling process. He says it's been interesting to learn about the process start to end. Said he'd be happy to get back what he has invested just for what he's learned.
 
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