Stake-mounted turkey pot call holder

A holder for the sound-box of a pot call for a wild turkey comprises a mass-producable unitary synthetic resinous trough having a generally cylindrical shape and a coaxial U-shaped channel in the trough, the channel being wide enough to snugly removably hold the sound-box. The trough is removably mounted on a vertical mounting post projecting axially, vertically from a two-piece or two-strut stake the lower end of which is pointed so that it can be pushed into the ground at height not higher than that of a hunter's fingers when he is seated. Two embodiments are provided: (i) the lower strut may be retracted fully into the upper strut; (ii) the upper end of the lower strut is slidably inserted into the lower end of the upper strut and locked in position in a T-slot.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a device for holding the sound-box portion of a sound generating “pot call” which utilizes a striker to mimic the cluck, yelp, putt, purr or other sounds made by a turkey. The “pot call” includes a sound-box portion and a short rod, referred to as a striker or rubbing stick, one end (the striking or rubbing end) of which is contoured, typically rounded. The sound-box portion is commonly referred to as a pot call ignoring the fact that, without the striker, the desired sounds could not be generated. Pot calls and pot call holders are currently sold by several sporting goods stores such as Primos, Cabela's, Quaker Boy, Flambeau and others.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art

A hunter who plans to shoot a turkey, typically chooses to use a turkey decoy to draw the turkey (heard by the hunter, or suspected by the hunter to be in the immediate vicinity) to a decoy he has positioned in a chosen patch at an earlier time. Though the decoy is a molded likeness of a turkey, artfully calculated to attract another turkey, the hunter must get the attention of the wild turkey in the first place.

To do so, the pot call he uses most commonly comprises a cylindrical, rarely an ellipsoidal, sound-box and the striker. Typically, the hunter positions his turkey decoy, then secretes himself in a camouflaged shelter or under cover of a bush, in a sitting position, with his gun on his lap, or on the ground beside him. He then holds the sound-box in one hand and the striker in the other, and by contacting and rubbing the sound-box's surface with the striker with a back-and-forth motion with just the right pressure, he generates the desired sounds. The sounds generated are meant so closely to mimic the sounds which would likely have been generated by the decoy, if it were a turkey, that the wild turkey flies in to investigate what it believes to be another turkey in the fateful patch.

Upon arrival of the turkey, it is of the utmost importance that the hunter have the least possible movement before the gun is braced against the shoulder. This is not possible if both one's hands are occupied with calling in the turkey. One has to put down both the striker and the sound-box before picking up the gun. It is at least two of these movements which the device of this invention, and the many devices of the prior art, have attempted to eliminate.

To free at least one hand, namely the hand which is to lift the gun to the shoulder, hunters, over the years, have been offered a wide spectrum of holders for the sound-box, one (U.S. Pat. No. 7,353,974) of which is to be mounted on one's thigh, another (U.S. Pat. No. 7,927,172), mounted on a tree-trunk fortuitously positioned at exactly the best portion of ground on which the blind is to be deployed, and still others (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0155282) which are to be foot-operated.

Wild turkeys are well known both, for their acute eyesight and hearing, which accounts for their skittishness. Wild turkeys also are likely to feed in the early, or, less likely, the late hours of the day. Therefore, anyone who has tried to attract a wild turkey to a decoy knows full well that the slightest unusual movement on the ground in the vicinity of the patch will spook a wild turkey. Generally, it is necessary to deploy the decoy(s) just before dawn when there is little light, with as little movement as possible, and get settled into a blind or on a stool or rounded boulder with his back resting against a tree, so as to be able to get the gun from the ground, or from one's lap to a shoulder. Again, the gun is typically set on a shooting stake adjusted for shoulder height while in a sitting position, before the hunter prepares to call the turkey into his shooting range; to call the turkey he uses his other hand to make the calls. He does this with as little unnecessary movement as possible to create as little sound as possible.

Using a pot caller or a box caller typically requires both hands and this preferred manner of using a pot call holder allows maximum control to generate a precise “live” sound desired with a chosen sound-box specifically constructed to produce that particular “live” sound when stroked or scratched with the striker, using a particular amount of force and moving the striker back and forth at a particular frequency. The precise movement required to generate a desired “live sound is famously difficult to control, because one hand must cradle the sound-box stably, preferably without the sound-box resting on the palm of the one hand, and the other hand must manipulate the striker against the surface of the sound-box, with a delicate touch, using just the right force (pressure) and frequency.

THE PROBLEM

Because prior art devices have obvious drawbacks, no single such device is known by this inventor to be sold commercially in this country. For example, the sound generated by a thigh-mounted sound-box is readily distinguishable from that of the same sound-box if held in one's hand. The simple reason is that the thigh which is in contact with the lower surface of the sound-box, distorts the frequency and amplitude of sound waves generated because the sound-box is cushioned by the thigh. As for a foot-operated device in which a pot call is mounted, even if one was to find a flat uncluttered space on a forest floor, on which space to position the foot-operated device, manipulating the striker with the required delicate touch with one's foot is all but impossible—assuming that the working of the moving parts of the device generates no sound.

The foregoing is an age-old problem which hunters have coped with ever since it was found that a wild turkey can be attracted to a decoy with an expertly operated pot call. The art has simply overlooked a simple, but unexpectedly effective solution to the problem. That solution is presented herebelow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A simple, readily mass-produced device is provided for holding the sound-box of a pot call for a wild turkey being called by a hunter manipulating a striker on the surface of the sound-box while in a sitting position waiting for arrival of the turkey to a selected portion of ground.

The device comprises a crescent-shaped unitary trough and a sound-box of a turkey pot call removably secured to a stake one end of which is pointed so as to be manually pushed into the ground. Because the sound-box in plan view is typically cylindrical, sometimes elliptical, the trough is semi-cylindrical or semi-ellipsoidal. It is essential that the sound-box in the trough be held in a generally horizontal position, at a height, referred to as the “calling height”, no higher than the hunter's fingers when he is in his chosen seated position. A two-part or two-strut stake, when assembled, presents the sound-box at the “calling height” for the hunter's fingers.

The trough has a generally unitary semi-crescent configuration within which is formed a coaxial channel having a U-shaped cross-section, extending over the entire arcuate length of the trough which has a width sufficient to snugly removably hold a sound-box having a shape conforming to that of the crescent-shaped channel, when the sound-box is inserted laterally into the channel. The sound-box is removably, snugly inserted in the semi-crescent-shaped channel, the sound-box having a conforming shape corresponding in shape to the cross-section of the channel which extends over the entire arcuate length of the trough.

To be readily transportable on a hunter's person, the stake comprises an upper strut and a lower strut detachable from the upper strut, the lower end of the lower strut having a pointed end adapted to be pushed into the ground. The upper strut, at its upper end, is provided with an upstanding vertical mounting post, projecting axially, upon which post the trough is removably mounted by securing the post in a bore in the trough.

It is essential that the height of the stake be no higher than the calling height so that the hunter's fingers holding the striker, will contact and rub or otherwise manipulate the striker on the upper surface of the sound-box at that height, typically no higher than about 2 feet, depending upon the height of the seat and the size of the hunter. To ensure that the inserted sound-box is securely held within the trough while it is in use, it is desirable to use a restraining means each end of which is anchored to pins or other anchoring means on opposed sides of the trough.

Accordingly, a hunter might choose a first stake which can be deployed at no calling height other than the only one he prefers when he is hunting a turkey, and purchase a stake which provides that height only. On the other hand, a hunter might prefer to use a stake which is adjustable in calling height. In which case he would choose a second stake which is adjustable and comprises an outer upper cylindrical strut which has telescopably disposed therewithin an inner lower strut the lower end of which is pointed so that it can be pushed into the ground. Such a second stake may have a safety feature in that, in the fully retracted position, the pointed end of the inner lower strut is withdrawn within the outer upper strut, and cannot pierce an errant limb.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Though, as stated hereinabove, a sound-box may be either circular or elliptical in plan view, it is typically circular and will be described herebelow as being held in a trough provided with a generally semi-circular channel which closely conforms to and snugly embraces a sound-box with a correspondingly configured shape held within the channel.

Referring toFIGS. 1,2and3, there is schematically illustrated a device of the present invention referred to generally by reference numeral10, which device will be described as a telescopable stake40to which is removably secured a trough30, in which, in turn, is secured a commonly used right-cylindrical sound-box20, also referred to as a pot call. The sound-box is defined by an upper element21, typically a circular plate of slate which may be perforated to produce a desired sound, and a lower circular element22(not visible) corresponding to the upper element21, which together with a circumferential vertical wall23, enclose a resonating space. The sound-box20having a wall23of height “h” is slidably inserted into and removably snugly secured in a channel31cut in a unitary semi-circularly shaped trough30, having a width from 0.010″ to 0.032″ greater than “h”. The sound-box20is removably secured atop the stake40which, in this first embodiment shown, is a telescopable strut. The trough30is preferably molded in a single shot, either of a rigid synthetic resinous material such as a polyamide, e.g. nylon, commercially available as DELRIN®, a polyolefin, e.g. polypropylene and the like, or from aluminum or other light metal alloy. The molded piece is then machined to provide the appropriate features described herein.

The channel31has a U-shaped cross-section and is cut in the entire arcuate length of the trough. The bottom32of the channel is inwardly spaced-apart from the circumferential outer surface33of the trough30, the radius of the bottom32of the channel31being from about 0.020″-0.5″ smaller than the radius of the outer surface33, and concentric therewith. The smaller the radius of the bottom of the channel31, the thicker the vertical wall38of the trough30. It will be evident that, to save on material required to make the trough, it is desirable to have the thinnest wall which will provide adequate strength and other desired features in the trough.

The width of the U-shaped channel31is chosen so as to snugly, removably secure the largest cylindrical sound-box which the hunter might use, that is, having the greatest diameter, typically 4″ (inches), and the greatest thickness or width, typically 0.625″. Thus, the radius of the bottom32of the U-shaped channel31is slightly greater, typically from 0.005″-0.030″ greater, than the 2″ radius of that largest sound-box, and the width of the channel31is slightly greater, preferably from typically from 0.010″-0.020″ greater, than the maximum width “h”=0.625 of that sound-box, so that the contours of the channel closely match those of that portion of the sound-box, typically about one-half, inserted in the channel.

This choice of channel dimensions is designed to receive a resilient pad70(seeFIG. 4) functioning as a shim to snugly, removably secure a smaller sound-box25(seeFIG. 4) in the trough, that is, having a smaller radius and lesser height than the corresponding dimensions for the largest sound-box for which the trough is designed. Such smaller sound-box may have either a smaller diameter or a lesser height, or both, than that of the largest sound-box. Any such smaller box can thus be secured in the trough to ensure the sound-box does not move when it is being stroked, rubbed or otherwise manipulated with the striker (not shown).

To ensure that the smaller sound-box remains snugly secured, a flexible restraining means60such as a piece of twine, but preferably a resilient synthetic resinous (plastic) strap of a polyolefin, or a rubber band, is provided on the outer surface body of the trough, preferably by having one end of the restraining means secured to a vertical pin61and the other to another pin62radially protruding from the surface of an arcuate surface63cut into the outer surface33of the trough.

In a first embodiment, the stake40includes telescoped upper and lower struts41and42respectively, the latter slidable inside the upper and preferably being solid for maximum strength. The lower end42lof the lower inner strut42is provided with a pointed end43which is preferably flattened on at least one, preferably both sides, so as not to allow the stake40to be rotatable about its vertical axis when thrust into the ground. The lower inner strut42is slidably, fully retractable within the upper outer strut41so as to conceal the pointed end43for safety reasons. If desired, except for the upper portion42uof the lower strut42, near its uppermost end, which must be cylindrical and slidable within upper strut41, the lower strut42may be entirely flat, that is a narrow laminar spike, the lower end of which is pointed.

The upper strut41is provided, in a longitudinally axial direction, over a majority of its length, with a slot41sin which the threaded stem48is reciprocably, slidably movable, so as to adjust the calling height at which the stake40is to be deployed. At its upper end, the upper strut41is provided with a trough-mounting means50including a vertical mounting post51protruding axially from a collar52secured to the end of the upper strut41.

The upper portion42u, of the lower strut42, is provided near its upper end with a threaded through-bore44into and through which threaded stem48of a first thumb screw45is threadedly received. The thumb screw45is preferably provided with a large cylindrical head to facilitate manually locking and unlocking the lower inner strut42within the upper outer strut41at any chosen position between fully retracted and fully extended in the lower portion41lof the upper outer strut41. To do so, the thumb screw45is provided with a cooperating contoured locking washer46provided with a through-bore47through which threaded stem48passes before it is threaded into the threaded through-bore44. Near its end, the lower portion48lof the threaded stem48is not threaded so as to provide a shoulder48s. When the threaded stem48is inserted through the slot41sand the thumb screw45is threadedly advanced through the threaded bore44, the tip of the lower end48lis forcefully biased against the inner surface of the upper strut42so that the upper end42uof the inner strut42is effectively jacked against the inner wall of upper strut41. When so extended, the strut40provides the height the hunter has chosen.

To stow the inner strut42, it is retracted so that the lower portion48lof the threaded screw48is aligned with the through-bore41b, aligned directly behind the slot41s, so that when the thumb screw45is tightened, threaded screw48is advanced through the upper portion42uof the inner strut42, lower end48lenters the bore41b, the shoulder48sabuts the inner wall of the upper portion42uof the upper strut42, and the inner strut42is jacked against the inner wall of outer strut41. The inner strut42is thus doubly, securely locked within the upper strut41. The length of the screw48sand the thickness of the washer46are chosen so that, when the inner strut42is stowed, the end48ldoes not protrude through the wall of the upper strut41.

The washer46is provided with a lower surface46lhaving a radius matching that of the outer surface of the upper strut41; and the upper surface46uof the washer46is planar as is the lower surface45lof the thumb screw.

As shown inFIG. 3, the outer strut is provided with at least two vertically aligned through-bores41b, the upper through-bore to lock the lower inner strut42in the fully retracted position, and the lower through-bore to lock the inner strut in the fully extended position, if that is chosen to be the hunter's height requirement, for his comfort.

The calling height is adjustable to any extended position between the upper and lower through-bores41bbecause, when the thumb screw45is tightened, the tip of the lower end48lis forcefully biased against the inner wall of the upper strut42uand inner strut42is locked at the desired calling height, against the inner wall of the upper strut42. For doubly securing the height of the extended strut40, at various predetermined, equally spaced-apart intervals (e.g. adjustability at one inch intervals), multiple, vertically aligned, through-bores41ban inch apart may be provided in the outer strut. An outer strut42, provided with such through-bores41bwould allow multiple choices of height for the stake40which could be extended in one inch increments.

Reverting toFIG. 1, the trough30is preferably provided with a radial slot34through which a first anchor pin61is vertically securely fixed (seeFIG. 4) to anchor one end of the restraining means60. A second anchor pin62is securely fixed at a point oppositely disposed from the first anchor pin61, in the outer portion of the trough where it is contoured, the contoured surface serving to keep the restraining means conforming closely to the outer surface of the vertical wall23of the sound-box20. The restraining means60may be a piece of string, or a flexible strap of synthetic resinous material (“plastic”), or a resilient strap or rubber band.

Trough30is also provided with a threaded radial bore35(shown in phantom outline) to receive a threaded stem of a second thumb screw53. The threaded radial bore35communicates with an intersecting vertical bore36(shown with dotted lines inFIG. 4), the bore36being dimensioned to slidably, closely receive the mounting post51to minimize play of the sound-box in use. If the vertical circumferential wall of the trough is thick enough, the vertical bore36may be a through-bore, though as shown, it terminates just above the radial bore35. When the mounting post51is inserted in the vertical bore36, the trough30rests on the collar52, and when thumb screw53is tightened against the mounting post51, the sound-box20is firmly and securely held in the trough.

For additional convenience, and to minimize the sound that placing the striker (not shown) on the ground might create after the hunter has attracted the wild turkey to the patch, the trough30may include a vertical through-bore37, again, provided there is enough material in the wall of the trough, the through-bore37having a diameter slightly greater than that of the striker inserted therein.

Referring further toFIG. 3, there is shown a view of the stake40in which the upper strut41is provided with multiple, vertically aligned and spaced-apart through-bores41bto receive the lower end48lof threaded stem48of the thumb screw45, described hereinabove. As shown, in the fully retracted position, the threaded screw of the thumb screw45is inserted through washer46and advanced through through-bore44in the upper end42uof the lower inner strut42(not visible), so that lower end48lis slidably secured in uppermost through-bore41b.

To deploy the inner lower strut42at a height determined by an intermediate through-bore41b, the thumb screw45is, in a manner analogous to that for the prior positions, tightened to advance stem48through through-bore44and lower end48linto a chosen intermediate through-bore41bdirectly below and vertically aligned with uppermost through-bore41b. In this manner, the calling height at which the sound-box is presented to the fingers of the hunter can be adjusted to any chosen height between a fully extended highest position and another lowest position of use.

Since a hunter typically prefers a particular seated position only, there is shown inFIGS. 4 and 5a second embodiment of a non-adjustable stake80which is deployable at a chosen calling height only, which height is determined by the seated position chosen by the hunter. Assembled as shown, the stake presents trough30at the chosen calling height. The trough30is the same as that shown inFIGS. 1-3, and, as before it is removably mounted on a stake80which comprises an upper strut81and a lower strut82which is detachable from the upper strut81. For use, the stake80can only be deployed as an assembly in a fully extended form, then disassembled for transport or storage. The outer upper strut81may be a solid cylinder or tubular. Its upper end is provided with a mounting means90including a mounting post91protruding vertically axially. Preferably, as before, the upper strut81is tubular and is fitted with a collar92through which mounting post91protrudes vertically axially. The mounting post51is inserted into vertical through-bore36in trough30and the thumb screw53is tightened to lock the mounting post81in the trough30. The lower end of the upper outer strut81is tubular and provided with a T-slot81t.

The lower strut82is preferably a solid cylinder the lower end of which terminates in a pointed end82p. As in the previous embodiment of the stake, the lower end may be rectangular, ending with a sharply pointed tip to prevent rotation of the stake when the pot call25is being used. The upper end82uof the lower strut is slidably insertable into the lower end of upper strut81. As shown, upper end82uhas a diameter sufficiently smaller than that of the mid-portion of the lower strut82so as to provide a shoulder82supon which the lower end of the upper strut81is biased. To lock the inner strut in the upper strut, upper end82uis provided with a screw83threaded into82uand projecting laterally. The threaded stem84of the screw83is slidably insertable into the T-slot81tso that when the lower strut81is rotated, the stem84is held in an arm of the T-slot81t. If the screw83is tightened, the lower strut82is securely held in the extended position.

Having thus provided a general discussion, described the stake-mounted pot call holder in detail and illustrated the invention with a specific example of the best mode of making and using the device, it will be evident that the invention has provided an effective solution to an age-old problem. It is therefore to be understood that no undue restrictions are to be imposed on the embodiments illustrated, and that the invention is not restricted to a slavish adherence to the details set forth herein.