The new buzz in today’s technology landscape is around mobile and mobile applications. Apple released the iPad, a slick tablet PC capable of running mobile applications. Now, competitors such as HP, Microsoft, and Google are scrambling to release devices of their own. It is estimated by the year 2015, more people will access the internet via a mobile device versus a desktop. The trend has begun, what will the impact be on the hunting industry?
The three areas this will impact are everyday hunters, hunting products sellers, and hunting outfitters. First, hunters will be using devices such as their iPad and iPhones to set their hunting strategy for an upcoming hunt. Hunters will be using apps and their phones as a GPS device, check local weather, check optimal hunting times, communicate with other hunters in the woods, and a few other uses. Hunters will Tweet statuses from the woods, upload hunting pictures to Facebook, and socialize their hunting experience, all right from their tree-stand. No more having to go home after a long day of hunting and sitting in front of a computer to update your social networks. Hunting will now be going “Real Time”.
If you sell products and attend expos around the country, now you can conduct business and e-commerce on the go. There are apps out there for users to accept credit card payments, monitor product inventory, send invoices via email, capture your buyers contact information, and numerous other capabilities. The beauty of mobile devices and mobile apps is you can now have a virtual office and run your company on the go. No more delays in getting back to customers, you can update your status while attending conventions and keep communication lines open with your customers.
As an outfitter, you can take an iPad with you on your hunts. You can monitor weather, communicate with other guides, track game movement, and monitor your business from the woods and fields. Your business cannot slip and have delays while you are in the woods with your clients. With mobile devices and mobile apps, it’s business as usual. Outfitters can even pass time waiting for their customers to notify them when they have game down.
I’m expecting to see more real time updates coming out of this year’s hunting season. Collaboration between hunters will be at an all-time high. Mobility is going to expand the way hunting is conducted today.
Hunt Radar allows the hunter to set their hunt location, report wildlife during their hunt, see what other hunters are reporting via a map, and communicate via Hunter Messages.
