Abstract:
A shotgun shooting stick comprising an adjustable length hollow pole having a pair of retractable legs stored therein when not in use and first and second connectors to couple the hollow pole in a parallel configuration underneath a barrel of a shotgun.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/160,304 filed on Jun. 17, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,380,486, by the same inventor, and which has now been allowed, which application is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention generally relates to hunting accessories, and more particularly relates to hunting shooting sticks, and even more particularly relates to methods and systems for supporting a shotgun while hunting. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   For years, hunters have appreciated that having an aid attached to the gun for stabilizing the gun while shooting is often convenient and quite beneficial. 
   One type of shooting aid that has been used in the past is a telescopic monopod shooting stick which is attached to the barrel of the shotgun near the forearm and pivots forward for storage and backward for shooting. This device is adjustable in length via the telescopic pole and in orientation, by lockable pivot. 
   While this device has significant advantages, it has several drawbacks. One problem with this design is that it has only a single point of contact with the ground, which allows the gun to easily tip in any direction, even if it is not intended. Lateral stability of the gun is important in many situations. Additionally, it is held onto a gun&#39;s barrel by two clamping sleeve halves which are held together by a screw. The retention of the pole in the stowed position is by a screw which limits pivoting of the pole in any direction. With such a design, the shooting stick is exposed to loss if either of the sleeve half retaining screws were to become loose so as to allow the sleeve halves to separate enough to allow the barrel to slip through or the pivot screw were to fall out. This could be a problem if the hunter is carrying the gun and the attached shooting stick via a sling where the shooting stick could become loose and completely fall off. Additionally, this design has only a single point of contact with the ground which allows the gun to easily tip in any direction. 
   Consequently, there exists a need for improved methods and systems for supporting a shotgun in an efficient manner. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of one embodiment of the present invention to provide a system and method for supporting a shotgun in an efficient manner. 
   It is a feature of one embodiment of the present invention to utilize a secure slide-on or snap-on attachment with the barrel. 
   It is another feature of one embodiment of the present invention to provide a stowable multi-point ground-engaging structure. 
   It is another feature of one embodiment of the present invention to utilize a forward friction clip to positively hold the shooting stick in the stowed position and to redundantly hold the shooting stick to the gun barrel. 
   It is an advantage of the present invention to achieve improved efficiency in supporting a shotgun while shooting. 
   The present invention is an apparatus and method for supporting a shotgun while shooting, which is designed to satisfy the aforementioned needs, provide the previously stated objects, include the above-listed features, and achieve the already articulated advantages. The present invention is carried out in a “lateral stability loss-less” manner in the sense that the ability for the gun to tip over sideways has been greatly reduced. The present invention is also carried out in a “risk of loss-less” manner in a sense that the risk of the shooting stick from falling off the gun while carrying it in a stowed position has been greatly reduced. 
   Accordingly, the present invention is a system and method including a mono-pod shooting stick with multiple points of contact with the ground, which is attached to a shotgun with multiple secure means of attachment. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention may be more fully understood by reading the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, in conjunction with the appended drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a shooting stick and shotgun combination. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the shooting stick attached to the shotgun of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a close-up plan view of the shooting stick storage retention clip of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a close-up perspective view of the shooting stick barrel-engaging member of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
       FIG. 5  is a close-up perspective view of the shooting stick barrel-engaging member of  FIG. 4  and the swivel pivot end of the upper hollow tube of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
       FIG. 6  is a close-up side view of the spring-loaded legs of  FIGS. 1 and 2  shown in a splayed orientation. 
       FIG. 7  is a close-up edge view of the spring-loaded legs of  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  6  in a collapsed configuration prior to retraction. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Now referring to the drawings, where like numerals refer to like matter throughout, and more particularly to  FIG. 1 , which shows an exploded view of the shooting stick assembly  100  and shotgun  101  combination of the present invention. The dotted lines show that the placement of the shooting stick barrel-engaging member  112  must be forward of the shotgun forearm  109 . Other locations for connection may be used as well. Shooting stick barrel-engaging member  112  couples by either snapping the shooting stick barrel-engaging member  112  to the shotgun barrel bottom side  113 , or by sliding the shooting stick barrel-engaging member  112  over the shotgun muzzle  105  and down the shotgun barrel  103 . If shooting stick barrel-engaging member  112  snaps on, it may be made of a rugged resilient material, such as polypropylene or other suitable materials. If the shooting stick barrel-engaging member  112  slides over the shotgun muzzle  105 , it can be made of any rugged material, including, but not limited to steel, aluminum, or alloys, etc. The shotgun  101  is shown having a shotgun stock  107 , but it could be used with shotguns not having a stock or with shotguns having detachable stocks. 
   Shooting stick assembly  100  has an upper hollow tube  110  and a lower hollow tube  108  which collapses or slides in and out of the upper hollow tube  110 . Numerous types of connectors to permit the length of the combined upper hollow tube  110  and lower hollow tube  108  to vary infinitely could be used. Such well-known connectors or sliding latches are used in tripods, trekking poles, and many other adjustable length poles. While the shooting stick assembly  100  is shown here with just an upper hollow tube  110  and a lower hollow tube  108 , it should be understood that three or more segments could be used, depending upon the desired length when fully extended, and the desired length when fully collapsed. 
   The shooting stick assembly  100  is capable of both pivoting and swiveling for ease in aiming the shotgun while the shooting stick assembly  100  is being used. Swivel pivoting section  114  can be a simple swivel in combination with a simple hinge which pivots around a pin. Shooting stick barrel-engaging member  112  is shown near the shotgun forearm  109 , so that for storage, it can be collapsed and then pivoted forward and held to the shotgun barrel  103  by the shooting stick storage retention clip  116 , which couples to the shotgun barrel  103  via the shooting stick storage retention clip barrel-engaging portion  118 . 
   During use for supporting the shotgun  101  and aiming the shotgun  101 , the lower hollow tube  108  is shown having spring-loaded legs  104  which can be deployed from a retracted position from within lower hollow tube  108 . Spring-loaded legs  104  are biased by a spring ( FIG. 7 ) to splay and form a “V”-shaped base having leg bottom ends  106  which contact the ground or other surface from which the shotgun  101  is being supported. Spring-loaded legs  104  can be pivoted back together and pushed inside the lower hollow tube  108  for storage. When the shooting stick assembly  100  is fully collapsed, it can be folded up and held under the shotgun barrel  103 . 
   Now referring to  FIG. 2 , there is shown the shooting stick assembly  100  and shotgun  101  combination of the present invention in such a stowed position. The shooting stick storage retention clip barrel-engaging portion  118  clips around a bottom portion of the shotgun barrel  103  so as to hold it out of the line of sight along shotgun barrel top side  111 , but still in a handy and ready-to-be deployed configuration. 
   Ideally, the shooting stick assembly  100  will not extend beyond the shotgun muzzle  105  when the shooting stick assembly  100  is fully collapsed. While the attachment of shooting stick assembly  100  is shown to the shotgun barrel bottom side  113 , it could be attached to a magazine tube (not shown) or other structure found under the shotgun barrel bottom side  113 . Shooting stick assembly  100  is shown as being attached near the shotgun forearm  109  and pivoting forward toward the shotgun muzzle  105 . Shooting stick assembly  100  could be mounted nearer the shotgun muzzle  105  and folded or pivoted backward for storage. 
   Now referring to  FIG. 3 , there is shown a shooting stick storage retention clip  116  with a shooting stick storage retention clip barrel-engaging portion  118  and shooting stick storage retention clip stick-engaging portion  302  with a shooting stick storage retention clip stick-receiving orifice  304  therein. Shooting stick storage retention clip barrel-engaging portion  118  may be sized and configured to securely snap over a shotgun barrel bottom side  113  while still permitting to be released with applied pressure. 
   Now referring to  FIG. 4 , shooting stick barrel-engaging member  112  is shown in a close-up perspective view. Shooting stick barrel-engaging member  112  is shown having a shotgun barrel-engaging member top end  402  which is open and a shotgun barrel-engaging member barrel-receiving void  404 . Shotgun barrel-engaging member top end  402  could be enclosed so that the shooting stick barrel-engaging member  112  completely encircles a portion of the shotgun barrel  103 . In such cases, shooting stick barrel-engaging member  112  would need to be slid over the shotgun muzzle  105  and then slid down the shotgun barrel  103  to the desired point of attachment. Shooting stick barrel-engaging member  112  can be held firmly in place by shotgun barrel-engaging member set screws  406  or the like. A thin protective material such as rubber, plastic or leather may be inserted between the shooting stick barrel-engaging member  112  and the shotgun barrel  103  to enhance the firmness of the connection therebetween and to limit scratching of the shotgun barrel  103 . Stick pivot limiting structural feature  408  is shown on swivel pivoting section  114  mating section of shooting stick barrel-engaging member  112 . 
   Now referring to  FIG. 5 , there is shown a combination of shooting stick barrel-engaging member  112 , swivel pivoting section  114  and upper hollow tube  110 . Swivel pivoting section  114  is shown having a pivot pin  502  and a swivel pivot end  504 . Stick pivot limiting structural feature  408  is shown to limit the pivoting of the shooting stick barrel-engaging member  112  counter-clockwise. Swivel pivoting section  114  may pivot around pivot pin  502 , and it may swivel around a separate swivel or through the attachment with upper hollow tube  110 . 
   Now referring to  FIG. 6 , there is shown a close-up side view of the spring-loaded legs  104  in a splayed configuration. Spring-loaded legs  104  pivot around spring-loaded leg pivot pin  602  and can be pushed back together as shown in  FIG. 7 , which shows an edge view of the spring-loaded legs  104  with a spring-loaded leg spring  702  which rests between thinner upper portions of the spring-loaded legs  104  and mates with spring-loaded leg spring-engaging void  704  or other surface features. When the spring-loaded legs  104  are collapsed back over one another, they occupy a space small enough to be retracted back within the hollow tube bottom end  102  of lower hollow tube  108 . 
   Throughout the description herein, the shotgun  101  is used as the example of the firearm. It should be understood that the shooting stick assembly  100  may be used with rifles, pistols or other firearms as well. 
   The materials for the components of shooting stick assembly  100  are preferably rugged and lightweight. Numerous well-known materials can be used to accomplish the present invention. 
   It is thought that the method and apparatus of the present invention will be understood from the foregoing description, and that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construct steps, and arrangement of the parts and steps thereof, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of their material advantages. The form herein described is merely a preferred exemplary embodiment thereof.