Stupid idea?

FinsnFur · November 04, 2009, 08:52:18 PM

I have never been any good at any kind of marketing. Well, I guess you cant really call this marketing though since there's no fees or charges for anything.

I'm talking about my latest whim. It came about during the planning this Youth Promotional Hunt were holding.
A place to look for, find out about, and submit Youth Hunts.
I worked on the actual idea for weeks before finally buying another domain and putting things together. As I laid it all out in my head, it seemed like a really nice idea, something that could really come together and become useful for all kinds of people, and organizations, making the site a pretty big hit.

I've got countless hours in getting everything to do what I want it to do, making it simple enough for people to use, and structuring it in a way so that it appears appealing.

Now I think I'm going through the blues with it all, and am wondering if I should continue on with it. I"m beginning to to wonder why anyone would submit to it, when most hunts like these are advertised locally etc.

I'm on the verge of throwing in the towel, gimme your thoughts. I got pretty thick skin.

http://youthhunt.net

KySongDog · November 04, 2009, 09:07:12 PM

I am not sure who would use the site. The only youth hunts that I know of or ever heard of are the ones that the Fish and Wildlife people allow in the hunting regs. For example, there is a two day youth deer gun season in October before the regular gun season starts in November.

So while I think it is a great idea, I can't think of who the target audience would be or who would use the site. Like you said, any youth hunts are probably done locally for in state kids.

BTW, I am no good at marketing either so what do I know.

alscalls · November 04, 2009, 09:12:14 PM

I think the Idea has a LOT of merit Jimbo......I just wonder what it would take to get adults involved for their kids sake.
If it were just up to the kids ......ya just put some shiny cool stuff in there and they would find it.
I think what your doing is a fantastic Idea. I just wonder if you wont have the same problem......no one puts fourth the effort to show the kids what we see in the outdoors.

We really are going to loose hunting if more folks dont take their kids hunting....and the neighbors kids......and adults that have never been.
I know a lot of folks on here are very involved with youth and hunting and shooting sports.....But when you look at the big picture......We are a very small minority.
I think your on the right track as far as marketing......you should look at it that way....It will take a lot of research and head scratching to figure out the right angle to make it fun and exciting enough to get some of those folks off their butts that would normally say well maybe later.
Maybe a photo Bragging board.....Trophy room......Funny video sec. a place for them to show off a little........
But getting them there is gonna be tough.

Bopeye · November 04, 2009, 09:49:04 PM

I can see some real opportunities here. I couldn't tell if there was a forum or not, but I know kids like searching each other out on the web, just like we like searching out old fart coyote hunters. Kids have their own language, situations, music, etc. Make it very kid oriented and who knows, maybe they'll put a hunt together kind of like we did the LBL.
Advertise every kid hunt we can find and maybe even offer to go with some of the kids and their non-hunting parents. I know there is a kids hunt in West Tennessee, so there has to be others.
Also, maybe we could get some of these hunts to be kind of like the LBL, but instead of all the emphasis on hunting have other activities. Teach them how to use hand calls. Teach them how to do a set. How to locate sign (deer, turkey, coyote, etc.) Have a BB gun shoot with the top three winning something. Have a drawing where each kids could at least win a FNF hat or something along that line.
We have a tremendous amount of outdoorsman on this site and I'm sure several of them would enjoy giving up one of their saturdays to teach kid something. You could teach them how to read and use a compass. How to read a topo map. How to use the stars to navigate at night. How to properly camoflauge themselves and their gear.
The list is endless.

Each state could have one. Use the board to get it started and maybe have a link to this board so we could keep up with it. I'd love to show some kids tracking and land navigation or anything like that.

It's a good idea Jimbo. Instead of nailing the negative guys, lets hear some positive stuff. Look what many of you did for one little cubscout and it didn't hurt too much did it?
It made his month and will be with him always. Imagine what one day with some hardcore outdoorsman could do for a kid?
This group is made up of some smart people. Let's hear it.

Palegroe · November 04, 2009, 10:59:43 PM

This year the Kentucky DNR sent out surveys to some of the people that bought the Sportsman License in KY and I got one. There was a ton of questions on there but one was what do you think we can do to promote the outdoors or something like that maybe it was what would you like to see. I mentioned having a mentor hunting program where it could be advertised through boy scouts, school or 4H and hunters could sign up like big brother and take children hunting during the free youth hunting weekends here in KY. I wouldn't mind going through a back ground check or what ever just to be able to share out great outdoors with a new generation. Maybe the forum could be tied to scouting or 4H sites some how I'm not really good with how all of that stuff work but I'd say you are. I don't know any children that are at the age to go hunting that don't already have parents that take them and maybe something like this would give all of us the chance to share with a child what would we love and they may never get a chance to see. This is a great idea we just all need to do our part. And I'm all for putting on a youth hunt if anyone is in.

Bills Custom Calls · November 05, 2009, 04:30:33 AM

Bop I can't believe you stayed on course that long

Jim You've got a good Idea started
I don't know how to promote it but I would be happy as a pig in mud to help out in any way possible

FinsnFur · November 05, 2009, 05:57:34 AM

There wasnt a forum, I mean I could easily add one but there isnt one there now.
I dont want to try and create another facebook, or yahoo messenger to attracts kids and provide a place to hang. I was more along the lines of looking to providing a place for adults, parents and guardians to look for, locate, find out about, and submit Youth Hunts. Meaning hunts that are upcoming.

I do like the gallery idea, any kid would like to be able to send some pics in and have them posted.

But I'm still a bit shakey as to whether or not the whole concept is something that would roll.

KySongDog · November 05, 2009, 06:21:06 AM

Quote from: Bopeye on November 04, 2009, 09:49:04 PM

It's a good idea Jimbo. Instead of nailing the negative guys, lets hear some positive stuff.

Bop,

Jim said "gimme your thoughts" so that is what I gave him. My opinion. I did not see him request "No negative comments".

HaMeR · November 05, 2009, 07:09:34 AM

I like the website idea. I can only think of two ways to promote it. 1st we need to work everything out. Will there be a Turkey,deer,small game etc,,,etc,, Forum. Will it be a simple message Forum. Or just a "post your youth hunt here" Classifieds type of setting. I think once all this is established & the website is very user friendly for all ages & computer skill levels,, like pic posting,, then it can be advertised. You might consider a group of people,, not necessarily Mods,, that can answer every question within a few hours of it being asked.

#1-- Every FnF Member would add it to their sig line on every board they visit if it is allowed by the Admin of that board. Maybe even ask if they could have a free banner promoting the site. It would be in everybodies best interest to allow this & to promote this. If $$ would come up we could direct them to this site,, or the above mentioned group,, where they can contact somebody about this. They need to know it is FREE to advertise/join/participate on the site.

#2-- I would be more than happy to lobby with the Ohio DNR to post a link to the website once all the bugs are worked out. They might want to see a membership list of some sort tho to believe in it's existence.

#3-- A cool slogan might help by putting more words out for search engines. I like "The Hunt for Our Future"

Just a couple silly ideas & I hope they help some. Feel free to add to, ignore or delete above post!!

HaMeR · November 05, 2009, 07:25:37 AM

Also probably every call maker on here would love to help by donation. I just don't think it would be a good idea to promote them as giving away prizes for every hunt. Once it takes off there could be 200 hunts from September thru December easily. That would only be 4 hunts per State. So the Members would need to understand this is a place to get their hunt noticed by more people.

JohnP · November 05, 2009, 10:39:40 AM

May want to link it to other hunting sites, particularly the state hunting sites.

vvarmitr · November 05, 2009, 02:39:07 PM

Well, like a new fishing lure, ya don't know how it's going to work 'til ya throw it out in the water.

I think e-mailing each state & offering your free service to promote their youth hunts should bring some feed back.

What other organizations offer youth stuff? NRA, SCI, RGS, DU, PF, etc

Some magazines will post news of new websites.

Then there's Cabala's, Bass Pro Shop, Midway, etc

alscalls · November 05, 2009, 07:01:58 PM

Oh yea......If you ever need help with it I would be more than happy to help.

Todd Rahm · November 05, 2009, 10:07:11 PM

Seems like a good ideal but only time will tell. Give her a shot.

FinsnFur · November 05, 2009, 10:17:53 PM

I actually started to go through each states youth hunts and was going to post them but once I got to them I realized this would actually take a month of Sundays for one person to research and post accurately.

If there was a forum put on it, I think it'd only be right to include every species imaginable.
Emailing each state might be a good idea, and that'd be easily enough achieved. I mean we got the 50 state DNR links right here at the top of put forums.
But seriously, I'd have to turn the forums over to third parties, or party. I don't think I could manage this board, and my hosting business, plus another forum, and still maintain what I would like for customer support regarding the hosting.

Magazine promotion might possibly be a gimme. What magazine would turn down youth promotion, but on the other side of the coin...someone better be ready for the storm sorta speak.

vvarmitr · November 06, 2009, 09:05:53 AM

So is it like someone has a YH they come to the site, register, & paste their info. Right?

If you were to have categories I'm thinking dividing 'em up in territories. Pacific Northwest, New England States, Midwest, etc.
Then in each category have sub-categories as Big Game, Small Game, & Predator/Varmint & maybe shooting events.

Just some ideas ... just trying to help.

Bopeye · November 06, 2009, 01:13:21 PM

Quote from: Semp on November 05, 2009, 06:21:06 AM
Quote from: Bopeye on November 04, 2009, 09:49:04 PM

It's a good idea Jimbo. Instead of nailing the negative guys, lets hear some positive stuff.

Bop,

Jim said "gimme your thoughts" so that is what I gave him. My opinion. I did not see him request "No negative comments".

Didn't mean that Dad. I sure wasn't trying to single you out. My apologies. I just thought it was a good idea and with the knowledge on this board, surely we could help get something like that going.

Once again, sorry for the misinterpretation.

KySongDog · November 06, 2009, 03:53:51 PM

No apologies necessary, my son.

I was in one of my foul moods that day and vomited all over my keyboard.

I feel much better now.

The idea is indeed a good one. I just don't have a clue how to implement it.

nastygunz · November 06, 2009, 10:09:22 PM

My 1 1/2 cents is..... concerning duplication of services....in the internet world...you can check all the dnr sites anyways from anywhere as long as you have net access...for instance, I just typed in Ohio youth hunts and got tons of materail and info in seconds, just my thought, but it seems to be already pretty well covered.

FinsnFur · November 06, 2009, 10:23:43 PM

Quote from: nastygunz on November 06, 2009, 10:09:22 PM
My 1 1/2 cents is..... concerning duplication of services....in the internet world...you can check all the dnr sites anyways from anywhere as long as you have net access...for instance, I just typed in Ohio youth hunts and got tons of materail and info in seconds, just my thought, but it seems to be already pretty well covered.

That has crossed my mind also nasty.

Quote from: vvarmitr on November 06, 2009, 09:05:53 AM
So is it like someone has a YH they come to the site, register, & paste their info. Right?

Thats it in a nutshell VV

Quote from: vvarmitr on November 06, 2009, 09:05:53 AM
If you were to have categories I'm thinking dividing 'em up in territories. Pacific Northwest, New England States, Midwest, etc.
Then in each category have sub-categories as Big Game, Small Game, & Predator/Varmint & maybe shooting events.

Actually the search database is set up to do all that. Someone comes in and types Ohio in the search feature and it lays out all the submissions for Ohio.
That way there's never a chance of not having enough categories, or a particular category.