Abstract:
A dog blind including a hollow body shell having a neck extending therefrom and configured as a waterfowl. The hollow body shell includes a chest region having a door therein for selectively releasing a dog, such as a retriever, restrained within the shell.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/088,839, filed Jun. 10, 1998. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Blinds to conceal hunters from overflying waterfowl are well known in the art. An example of a “mirrored” blind designed to reflect the blind&#39;s surroundings is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,960. Some blinds are also themselves configured as waterfowl, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,501,517, 4,581,837, 5,075,999, 5,678,346, and Des. No. 391,617, all of which blinds are designed to conceal a hunter. 
     While dogs are used to retrieve fowl shot by hunters, little attention has been paid to an effective means to restrain the dogs and hide them from the fowl which would also promote easy release at an appropriate time. Many hunters keep their dogs inside a so-called “pit” blind dug into the earth, an approach which causes obvious problems getting a dog into and out of the blind. Pit blinds also have the disadvantage of being limited to one permanent location, while geese move from field to field in order to feed. Other hunters will just leave the dog sitting near the blind. In recent years, camouflage vests for dogs have become available. This approach does help camouflage the dog, but does not provide a restraint mechanism. In either instance, a dog left outside of the blind must be well-trained to remain motionless and not walk amongst the decoys placed near the blind when fowl are spotted. This is particularly critical when hunting geese, which have very keen eyesight and can detect very small movements. Of course, a hunter might very well place the dog in a standard kennel near his blind, but any object which is perceived by a goose as not “natural” to the field or to the decoy spread can flare (i.e., spook) the birds. 
     While the blind disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,592,960 optionally employs a door at one side thereof for release of a dog, restraining an excitable dog in the same blind with hunters and loaded shotguns is undesirable, for obvious reasons. The blind of the &#39;960 patent, with its reflective sides, also does not rely on blending in with the other decoys, but rather relies on its visual resemblance (through reflection thereof) to the surrounding terrain and topographical features. 
     Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a simple but effective enclosure for dogs in the field which will not only physically restrain a dog and also permit selective and rapid release of the dog when desired, but which will otherwise hide the dog and his or movements from the keen-eyed quarry without raising its suspicions. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention comprises a hunting blind for a dog which is configured as a waterfowl decoy and, more specifically, as a goose. The inventive blind will conceal and restrain a dog without having to place an object, such as a standard kennel, in the field, which might appear foreign or strange to a goose. Thus, the dog may be hidden as well as restrained when the hunters&#39; guns are fired until it is deemed necessary to release the dog to retrieve the downed geese. In addition, the blind serves as a shelter protecting the dog from the elements. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the waterfowl body is configured as a hollow shell, and a door is provided within the chest portion of the body shell for entry and exit by the dog. It is also contemplated that the blind will be configured as a feeding goose, with its neck and head protruding in front of the chest for providing concealment of the door and minimizing the height of the blind in comparison to an upstanding or “sentry” style configuration of a goose exhibiting a raised head. This format will assist the blind in blending in with standard decoy shells employed by the hunter. The “feeder” configuration is also less alarming to overflying geese, being indicative of a calmer group of geese on the ground. 
     An optional automatic door release and/or closure mechanism may be provided with the inventive blind, and an optional floor may be provided as well. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 comprises a side elevation of a an embodiment of the dog blind decoy of the present invention showing optional built-in and removable floor arrangements; 
     FIG. 2 comprises a front elevation of the embodiment of FIG. 1, depicting a door set in the chest of the blind decoy body; and 
     FIG. 3 comprises a top elevation of another blind decoy body embodiment with a rounded door in the chest. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the dog blind decoy  10  of the present invention comprises a body shell  12  having a neck  14  and head  16  extending therefrom. It is preferred, as shown and as previously noted, that the neck  14  and head  16  extend forwardly of body shell  12  in a so-called “feeding” orientation. Body shell  12  may be formed in any suitable manner known in the art, such as by plastic injection molding, plastic sheet molding, laying glass fiber over a mold and binding it with a resin, forming a heavy wire frame over which is stretched a fabric or plastic sheeting shell, forming a skeleton or frame of ribs over which an outer shell is placed, or otherwise. It is presently contemplated that the body shell  12  is preferably formed by injection molding. Body shell  12  should be sufficiently robust to withstand the effects of wind and weather, as well as vigorous movement by a dog enclosed within. Neck  14  with head  16  is preferably formed separately from body shell  12  for ease of transport to the hunting site, where the base  18  of neck  14  is secured to body shell  12  at location  20  above chest  22  of the body shell  12 . Neck  14  and head  16  may be of plastic molded, or other suitable, construction. Neck  14  may be secured to body shell  12  by screws or bolts and may be stabilized against movement under wind and rain contact by a pin  24  extending from the body shell  12  into a receptacle  26  on neck  14 , or vice versa. Other means of securement may be employed, such as a plastic twist-locking connection, a snap-fit connection, a hook-and-loop fabric connection, etc. The exterior of the entire dog blind decoy preferably exhibits the feather arrangement and coloring of a goose. 
     As shown in broken lines in FIG. 1, an integral, permanently attached floor  30  may be provided, or a separate floor  30   a  employed and fastened on-site to body shell  12  with securing elements  32  such as bolts, screws, snaps, quick-release clamps, hook-and-loop fabric patches, or otherwise as known in the art. A two-piece removable floor  30   a  may be hinged in the center  30   b  to facilitate folding for transport and storage. Alternatively, a floor  30   c  may be employed comprising a plurality of parallel slats  31  laterally joined by an overlying fabric floor  33  in a tambour arrangement as is found in a roll-top desk so as to be rollable for compact storage and transport. Use of a floor such as  30 ,  30   a  or  30   c  provides additional protection and comfort for a dog within dog blind decoy  10 , and an optional blanket or pad may be employed on the floor  30 ,  30   a  or  30   c  for additional padding and insulation from the often-cold, damp ground. Using a floor of any of the foregoing types or otherwise would also prevent the dog from moving the blind and/or escaping from he blind without having to anchor body shell  12  to the ground. 
     Also, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and particularly useful if an optional floor is not to be employed, retention elements  34  in the form of rope loops or D-rings may be provided at the periphery of the bottom of body shell  12  to receive stakes  36  driven therethrough to hold the dog blind decoy  10  to the ground under adverse conditions and prevent a dog within from upsetting it and getting loose. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, a door  40  is provided in the chest  22  of blind body shell  12 , hinged at one side at hinge points  42  and including a screen  44  to provide ventilation and a sight line for the dog. As shown in FIG. 1, chest  22  is flat for simplicity of attachment of door  40 . The chest  22  and screen  44  are preferably camouflaged with appropriate colors in a selected pattern in the same manner as the rest of body shell  12  for additional concealment from overflying geese. To prevent undue flexing and possible jamming of door  40 , a reinforced door frame  46  is provided at the periphery of door  40 . Door  40  may be similarly reinforced. Such reinforcing may comprise, for example, lightweight aluminum members secured to the chest and/or door material, or molded-in ribs. While depicted as rectangular, door  40  might be round, oval or some other suitable shape. The door  40  might be hinged at the top, rather than at the side, to provide a wider effective exit for the dog. A latching device  50  is provided opposite hinges  42  to retain door  40  in a closed position until the hunter desires to release the dog. This is significant because many young dogs will break (i.e., run) at the sound of a gun. 
     At its simplest, a simple gate latch might be employed as latching device  50 . In order to permit the hunter at least to remain in his blind initially, the latching device might comprise a spring-loaded bolt mechanism  52  having a bolt  52   a  extending over the front of the door  40  and preferably into a receptacle  54 . Bolt  52   a  may be withdrawn remotely by the hunter using a cable, rope or string  56  extending to the hunter&#39;s blind. The door itself might be spring-loaded to an open position, as by torsionally spring-loading hinges  42 , to facilitate quick release of the dog. 
     A more complex remote control system for the door  40  might be employed to permit the hunter to remotely close as well as open the door  40 . Such an arrangement might be effected with a continuous loop of rope and pulleys if the hunter&#39;s blind is relative close. Alternatively, door  40  might be spring-loaded to one position (open or closed) and pulled with a rope or cable to the other position. Of course, a power-driven door might be used, but this would necessitate a power source in the field or built into the blind, such as a replaceable or rechargeable battery. 
     FIG. 3 depicts another door design, wherein a door  140  is rounded or convex to mimic the protruding chest of a goose, and either hinged at  42  at one side of body shell  12 , or split in the center as shown at  144  and hinged at  42  on both sides. As with door  40 , a camouflaged screen (not shown) is employed for sight and ventilation. 
     By way of example only and not limitation, a dog blind decoy  10  of the present invention may have a body shell  12  about 48 inches long and about 24 inches high and 24 inches wide, adequate to comfortably enclose a dog such as a Labrador, Chesapeake or Golden Retriever. The length and size of neck  14  and size of head  16  are preferably in proportion to the body shell  12 , so as to present the most natural look to overflying geese. 
     While the present invention has been disclosed in terms of a particular embodiment and variations thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand and appreciate that it is not so limited, and that additions deletions and modifications to the embodiment as disclosed may be effected without departing from the scope of the invention.