‘Resourceful Redneck’ sells innovative hunting products to New Brunswickers

RIVERVIEW, N.B. – Take a quick walk through the man cave in Mike Holland’s basement and it’s not hard to tell why he calls himself “The Resourceful Redneck.”

In the backwoods of New Brunswick, Holland has conjured up some innovative hunting products he hopes to sell to the more than 100,000 hunters and fishermen in the province.

“We found finger cots for restaurants and I use those to protect the end of my firearm so that I don’t get sand or mud or snow in it,” he said, giving an example.

His novelty “barrel buddies” are already creating a buzz in the hunting community.

“They are very similar to other products that are available on the market that are for something completely different than covering a gun barrel,” he said.

Holland hopes to build his brand on quality innovation that will help hunters save money and be safer in the woods.

“I spent a lot of time sitting in tree stands and I do hunt bears. Bears will climb trees and they are not opposed to climbing the tree you are sitting in,” he said.

So he invented the “bear-ier”, a device that clamps on the trunk of a tree stand.

“The bears cannot come up through it, because the bears hug a tree when they climb it.”

Holland has a whole product line of resourceful hunting tools with catchy names.

Fred Gionet from 3+ Corporation, an economic development outfit, said in order for Holland to create a successful business, he needs to think big.

“There are pockets of outdoor enthusiasts all across the globe. They are not just here in New Brunswick,” he said.

Holland said he plans to launch his company globally online this week. He acknowledged only about 50 per cent of new businesses in Canada succeed, but said he’s happy to have gotten his shot at it.

“Like I said, I am The Resourceful Redneck.”