Since launching Buck Bomb in 2004, Rick Schmidt has seen sales of the innovative deer bait grow from a slow trickle to a steady stream of profits.
The Crofton-based company's signature bomb is an aerosol can of deer urine that, when sprayed, unleashes a powerful scent that would make any human wince.
But it's irresistible to bucks, so hunters love it.
The Buck Bomb became so popular that Schmidt unveiled more bombs. There's the Hog Bomb and the Bear Bomb, the Elk Bomb and the Moose Bomb. Sales of the company's products topped $5 million this year, up from only $140,000 during its first year in business, and the bombs are sold everywhere from Annapolis outdoor retailer Angler's to Walmart.
In 2007 and 2009, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. named the small business its Hunting Vendor of the Year. Not bad for a company that has only seven employees during its peak season.
"We buy urine by the tractor-trailer," Schmidt said.
Now, with his new Fish Bomb, he's hoping to reach another wave of customers.
The Fish Bomb follows the same model as the other bombs. It comes in a 5-ounce spray can that retails for $9.99.
This bomb is full of menhaden oil, and is used by attaching it to the end of a fishing line. The bait is slowly dispersed once the can is underwater.
"People have been using menhaden oil for a long time, but usually it just sits on top of the water," said Schmidt's brother Mike Schmidt, developer of the Fish Bomb.
The Fish Bomb takes the bait right down to where the fish are.
"It's a simple enough concept," Schmidt said.
Read the full article at The Capital.