The entrepreneurial spirit has always been alive and well in the outdoor industry. In going through old hunting bags, I get a kick out of some of the old hunting gizmos I find. For me, it brings to mind the many old gadgets that are either long gone or you just don’t hear about anymore. Some of them are unconventional and others not. However, in all cases, their intended purposes make complete sense and they seek to address real needs in the outdoors.
Many things have changed in the hunting culture and industry, but one timeless fact is that hunters like to stack the odds in their favor with the latest hunting gear. But the gear is always changing and improving. Yesterday’s clunky game camera (loaded with film) is now a high-tech wireless camera; one that pings you on your smartphone when a hit-list buck gets within camera range 200 miles away. Or bow sights with built-in range-finders. The list is long.
There are many past hunting and outdoor products that were witty, clever, and useful all at the same time. Hunting thingamajigs. Some older than others, they’re a unique part of our somewhat modern hunting and outdoor history. Some faded away due to newer technology and others at the hand of a market since flooded with equipment and gadgetry. Here are a just few of my favorites.
Disclaimer: This article is in no way making light of these products. No doubt, a lot of hard work and thought went into their development. Rather, these innovative offerings should be celebrated and remembered. Note that some are still offered today. In these cases, we wish their creators the best of success!
The Feeder Repeater
Oh, the memories. In states where deer feeders are legal like my home state of Texas, there is no more familiar sound than that of a spin-cast feeder going off. The “dinner bell” of whitetail hunting. Fitting in the palm of your hand, the Feeder Repeater is/was a simple push-button device that would simulate this sound. A “corn call”, if you will. Having had a tailgate feeder go out, I last used this piece of genius equipment on a 2004 South Texas hunting trip. And it worked. Though the sound quality rivals that of the average children’s toy, it accurately mimics the sound of an electronic deer feeder. Originally costing around $10, it represents legitimate hunting equipment, deer camp conversation, and memorabilia at the same time. I’m pretty sure I got my first Feeder Repeater in the late-80s and it’s still in one of my hunting packs.
The Deer View Mirror
The Deer View Mirror was marketed as Eyes in the back of your head, for hunt safety and success! Nobody likes the thought of a big buck or fellow hunter sneaking up on you from behind. This gem was designed to help hunters avoid just that. This flexible mirror can/could be clamped to just about any tree stand for 360-degree sight in the woods. Think of the many times in the woods when you hear game approaching from behind and simply can’t turn to look. You have to love the name of this one too.
Spare Bladder
Let’s just say, I continue to hate toting Gatorade bottles and the like to my blind or tree stand. That’s why I certainly appreciate this innovation. The Spare Bladder is a disposable, degradable, scent free urination pouch. (4 bladders per box I recall). Each spill proof degradable Pouch contains a “Granular Polymer” that instantly absorbs and converts fluids into a scent neutralizing Gel. One of the feature description “integrated handles allow for easy one-hand use” still makes me chuckle.
Though I don’t remember the year the Spare Bladder was introduced, I used it on a few hunts before losing it. Priced under $10, I may just have to get another one of these days (if they’re still available).
Bumper Dumper
You had me at “hitch-mounted toilet”. The Bumper Dumper has no doubt, been copied over the years, but is dear to many outdoorsman’s hearts. It’s great for the hunting camp, off-road hunting situations, fishing, and really any situation when nature calls; “Sanitation situations”, as referred to by the makers of the Original Bumper Dumper. Supporting over 350- pounds, it can be used alone or slid onto a 5-gallon bucket. I’m happy to say I once got one of these for a birthday gift. I’ve also seen guys dove hunt from them, but I digress.
Do you have a receiver hitch on your truck or SUV? If so, this one is a no-brainer if you ask me.
Make Scents Arrow
Admittedly, I never owned one of these but saw them online many times over the years. I just never pulled the trigger. Though I can’t speak to their effectiveness, I wish I had given it a whirl. At a minimum, this was a good concept for a common hunting problem – scent control.
The idea here was to avoid contaminating your bow hunting areas. Infused with your favorite hunting scent, the Make Scents Arrow could be shot from a tree stand or blind. In this way, the scent could be placed in the area of your choice. Marketed as a “mobile scent lure device”, it came/comes with 2 30-inch fletched arrows (with scent wicks). The directions read to simply apply the scent to the wick and insert it into the fletched end of the arrow. Add a field point to the end and make sure the black metal sleeve is covering the scent release holes. Shoot the arrow into the ground and, boom, the scent is deployed upon contact. Brilliant.
Proc’s Huntin Buddy
Unfortunately, I’ve been called a hunting dummy a few times in my life – or something to that effect. I can live with it. You could call me worse. Then there’s Proc’s Huntin Buddy. I don’t remember when I first noticed this one online, but my guess it was in the early-2000’s. This one isn’t nearly as old as some of the above products, but could really be useful in some of the high-pressure areas I hunt. In fact, long before I knew of Proc’s Huntin Buddy, I often imagined tricking competing hunting neighbors by placing dummies in stands, just to keep these pesky folks honest. The difference is owner, Jeff Proctor devised the idea and acted on it.
Proc’s Hunting Buddy is an American-made human hunter decoy largely designed to get deer and other big game to get used to seeing a human in favorite hunting spots. I’ve always thought the figure could also be used for staging during Halloween. Then again, Halloween is a popular time to be bowhunting and this guy would probably be pulling duty in the field.
These are but a few of the products that jar my memory. I know there are many more. All of them have legitimate purposes in the outdoors and represent true entrepreneurial spirit. Do any others come to mind for you? If so, we would love to hear them. After all, these doohickeys are often made in the USA and are part of our hunting history and heritage. Some called them “redneck genius”. I just call them genius.
