20 years ago I thought to myself, what if you could bottle deer urine.....[:-]

Probably not patentable

Thanks for all of the input. Sounds like I better contact a lawyer and get busy with a prototype.

Dont forget there are always plenty of investors willing to put their money into something that has potential. Thats where you need to have a Marketing Plan, etc ... to show how much money the hunting industry generates annually, and if you can break it down further in a particular field you are targeting thats even better. Not difficult, just time consuming but definately doable.

Good luck Craig, just don't forget about your friends. [8D]

a simple way protect your idea is to take all your papers drawings etc.. get them notarized (sp). The next step is to mail them to yourself by certified mail. When you recieve them don't open them until someone tries to steal your idea then you sue them. you win they fail.

If you think sueing is a way to win you haven't been in court enough. Legal issues suck and usually if someone has stolen your idea they have more money than you. Even if you win you lose.

The best ideas are those that can't be copied easily.

I don't mean to be a doomsdayer but another issue to contend with is making any real money without getting your stuff into the Big Boxes (Wal-Mart, Kmart etc...) is pretty tough. They have very significant rules about how much they buy how much you can supply. Also many times they will want you to own the inventory until sold. Means you could be on the hook indefinetly for returns etc... They can in a lot of cases also charge for space. Fits in with the inventory concept.

The little guy has amazing obsticles these days.

Tom

patent lawyer

You can do a patent search to see if someone has already come up with your idea...

http://www.uspto.gov/patft/

yep, i was building swivle game camera mounts on a 3/8" steel rod, it swiveled any direction and did not have to be mounted on a tree, i searched high and low and could not find anyone else making them, now they are everywhere. Patons were out of my league financialy $$