Abstract:
A deer carcass transport assembly including a handle member to which are attached two U-shaped hooks in planar relationship, one leg of each hook secured to an end of the handle member, the legs of the U-shaped hook spaced apart sufficiently so as to engage the hind hock of the rear legs of a deer carcass so as to permit the hunter to drag the deer carcass, by means of the hind hooves, from the kill site to a suitable means of transportation.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Applicant claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 61/068,009, filed Mar. 5, 2008. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for use by a hunter for facilely transporting a deer carcass from the kill site to a more suitable form of mobile transportation by dragging the deer by its hind legs. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     A problem facing deer hunters is the transportation of the deer carcass from the kill site back to a more suitable form of mobile transportation, such as a truck, car, van or the like. Deer, being skittish animals, normally prefer to remain in areas which provide cover and camouflage pursuant to their natural survival instincts. As such, the deer hunter normally can drive to a certain location and park his vehicle, but then the deer hunter must enter the woods or fields in order to locate or track deer. The deer hunter may remain on the ground stalking the deer, or the deer hunter may utilize a tree stand in which the deer hunter sits a height above the ground in the hopes that the deer will pass within sight. In either instance, the deer hunter may have to travel a considerable distance from his vehicle in order to locate a deer. 
     If the hunter is successful in locating a deer and killing the deer, the deer hunter then faces the task of transporting the deer carcass from the kill site back to his vehicle. In some instances, the deer hunter may utilize an all terrain vehicle, however, such a vehicle may not be allowed in the territory where the deer hunter is hunting. Various sled-like apparatus have been utilized, but these are bulky to carry while the deer hunter is stalking the deer, and interfere with the silence required which the deer hunter wishes to maintain while stalking a deer. Applicant&#39;s apparatus is a lightweight transport assembly easily carried by the hunter, and utilized to engage the hind hocks of the deer such that the hunter can lift the hind legs to a reasonable height and pull the carcass along the ground back to his vehicle. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide for a novel lightweight deer carcass transport assembly which allows the hunter to drag the deer from the kill site to a suitable transportation means. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide for a novel deer carcass transport assembly which is lightweight and can be carried by the hunter without interfering with the hunter&#39;s ability to stalk the deer. 
     A still further object of the present invention is to provide for a novel deer carcass transport assembly which easily and securely engages the hind hocks of the deer carcass allowing the hunter to drag the carcass from the woods. 
     A still further object of the present invention is to provide for a novel deer carcass transport assembly which is collapsible and lightweight. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A deer carcass transport assembly including a handle member to which are attached two U-shaped hooks in planar relationship, one leg of each hook secured to an end of the handle member, the legs of the U-shaped hook spaced apart sufficiently so as to engage the hind hock of the rear legs of a deer carcass so as to permit the hunter to drag the deer carcass, by means of the hind hooves, from the kill site to a suitable means of transportation. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent, particularly when taken in light of the following illustrations wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a top view of the handle member of a preferred embodiment of the transport assembly; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the handle member of the preferred embodiment of the transport assembly; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of a hook member of the preferred embodiment of the transport assembly; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded open side view of the preferred embodiment of the transport assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a side open view of the preferred embodiment of the transport assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a closed view of the preferred embodiment of the transport assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of a hind hock of a deer; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates the deer carcass transport assembly secured to the hind legs of a deer carcass; and 
         FIG. 9  is a side view of a second embodiment of the transport assembly of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 5  is a side open view and  FIG. 6  is a side closed view of the preferred embodiment of the deer carcass transport assembly  10  of the present invention. The deer carcass transport assembly  10  includes a handle member  12  which is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , which are a top view and a side view of the handle member  12  of the preferred embodiment of deer carcass transport assembly  10 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , handle member  12  is tubular having a cylindrical side wall member  14  defining a first end  16  and a second end  18  with a throughbore  17 . The first end  16  and second end  18  are formed with aligned slots  20  and  22 . In 90 degree relationship with slots  20  and  22  on first end  16  and second end  18  on handle member  12  there are formed aligned apertures  24  and  26  for receipt of a pin as described hereafter. 
     The handle member  12  can vary in the material of construction and dimensions, however, the preferred embodiment could be fabricated of a steel tubular material of a length of 0.25 inches and a diameter of 0.75 inches. The aligned slots  20  and  22  at first end  16  and second end  18  of handle member  12  would extend 0.75 inches from first end and second end  16  and  18  respectively, and be of a width of 0.25 inches. The aligned apertures  24  and  26  would be of a diameter of 0.25 inches. 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of a hook member  30  of the preferred embodiment, which would be secured to handle member  12 . Hook member  30  is generally U-shaped, having a first leg  32 , a second leg  34 , which second leg  34  is bent back upon itself in parallel and planar relationship with the second leg  34  and the first leg, and secured to second leg  34  forming an auxiliary leg  36  and defining a slotted aperture  38 . There is a hook member  30  of the type illustrated in  FIG. 3  associated with the first end  16  and the second end  18  of handle member  12 . 
     The hook member  30  can vary in its material of construction, but in the preferred embodiment it is formed by bending a continuous rod of steel of quarter inch diameter. The dimensions of the hook member  30  may also vary, but are tied to the dimensions of the handle member to allow for the collapsibility of the transport means as described hereafter. Therefore, with respect to the handle member previously described, the hook members would have an overall length of 4.75 inches. The combined width of second leg  34 , auxiliary leg  36 , and slotted aperture  38  would be 0.75 inches with slotted aperture  38  having a width of 0.25 inches. The length of the auxiliary leg  36  would be 3.75 inches and the distance between first leg  32  and second leg  34  would be 1.75 inches. 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded side view of the preferred embodiment of the deer carcass transport assembly  10  of the present invention. Second leg  34  of hook member  30  and that portion of auxiliary leg  36  bent upon itself forming slotted aperture  38  is inserted into the first end and second end  16  and  18  of handle member  12  in slots  20  and  22 . Pin members  40  and  42  are then inserted through apertures  24  and  26  in the side wall  14  of handle member  12 , and through slotted aperture  38  formed in the hook member  30 . Pin members  40  are then secured by any suitable means to handle member  12 . 
     When assembled for use, the transport assembly  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The second leg  34  and auxiliary leg  36  are secured to handle member  12  by pin members  40  and  42 . Second leg  34  and auxiliary leg  36  are maintained in position by slots  20  and  22  such that the hind hock of the deer carcass can be engaged in each of the U-shaped hooks, and the hunter, grasping the handle member  12 , can drag or pull the deer from the kill site.  FIG. 5  further illustrates an additional accessory to the transport assembly  10  in the form of a padded handle member  50  positioned between first end  16  and second end  18  of handle member  12 . Padded member  50  may be a padded wrap or a padded or foam sleeve which can be slidably inserted onto handle member  12  prior to the attachment of the U-shaped hook members  30   
       FIG. 5  also illustrates another accessory for the transport assembly  10 . This accessory is a tubular member  52  which is partially attached to the end of the first leg  32  of one of the U-shaped hooks  30 . This tubular member aids in the collapse or folding of the transport assembly  10  and storage when not in use. 
     The storage of the transport assembly  10  is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . When not in use, the U-shaped hooks  30  are rotated 90 degrees such that the second leg  34  and auxiliary leg  36  of U-shaped hooks  30  are now in alignment with handle member  12 . Since handle member  12  is tubular, the second leg members  34  and auxiliary leg member  36  can be slidably received within handle member  12  by pushing them inwardly while pin members  40  ride within slotted aperture  38 . The tubular member  52  on the end of one of the first legs  32  of one of the U-shaped hooks  30 , is aligned with the end of the first leg  30  of the opposing U-shaped hook  30 , and slidably received therein thus securing the transport assembly  10  in a closed position for storage or for carriage by the hunter in his pack or on his belt prior to its intended use of transporting a deer carcass. 
       FIG. 7  is a side view of the rear leg  100  of a deer identifying the hind hock  102 . The user of the transport assembly of the present invention in transporting a deer carcass would make an incision  104  between the rear tendon  106  and bone  108 . The hunter would make this incision on both hind hocks of the deer carcass. With incisions  104  in place, the hunter would then open the transport assembly  10  of the present invention. The hunter would insert a U-shaped hook  30  through each of the incisions made at the hind hock. 
       FIG. 8  is a top view of a deer carcass with the transport assembly  10  so positioned such that the hunter then engages the handle member  12  so as to partially lift the hind legs of the deer off of the ground and thus enables the hunter to drag the deer carcass to a desired location. 
     The foldability of the deer carcass transport assembly  10  of the preferred embodiment allows for the assembly to be carried easily by a hunter when stalking a deer, and then opened and secured in order to transport the deer carcass. Therefore, while the foldability for transport is an important feature of the preferred embodiment, a second embodiment as illustrated in  FIG. 9  would include the elements of the preferred embodiment, however, there would be no rotation and storagability of the U-shaped hooks  30 A. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 8 , second leg  34 A of the U-shaped hook  30 A would be permanently affixed to the handle member  12 A such that the assembly would be permanently positioned in the open position as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . This would allow the hunter to transport the deer carcass in the same manner as previously described, but would provide for a transport assembly which would be more bulky and which would not facilitate its being carried by the hunter during the stalking process. 
     Therefore, while the present invention has been disclosed with respect to the preferred embodiments thereof, it will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore manifestly intended that the invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalence thereof.