Abstract:
A device for moving game after the game has been slain wherein the device acts as a sled or toboggan. A combination of the device is the device in a folded condition and inserted into a container for carrying the device. The container is a fabric bag with appropriate openings and straps for inserting the device and carrying the device, respectively.

Description:
[0001]     The invention disclosed and claimed herein deals with a device for moving game after the game has been slain. A second embodiment of the invention is a combination of the device, in a folded condition, and inserted into a container for carrying the device.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The invention is a device for moving game after it has been slain, and many such devices have been designed and used for such purposes. One such device is the “buck pole” device that is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,497, that issued on Feb. 3, 1998 to Ponczek in which there is shown a portable carrier for dead game which includes a tubular member that can be broken down into several components for transportation, but can be re-assembled in the woods to allow the transport of a deer. The device itself can be transported by one person, but the device requires two persons to effectively move the game.  
         [0003]     For smaller game, devices such as are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,907, that issued on Nov. 21, 1993 to Celik, have been created. The pack is comprised of three panels, two mesh and one blood proof, sewn together with a suspension system and a drawstring for completeness. The device is obviously not useful for hauling large game, such as deer or elk.  
         [0004]     A second small game device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,674,188, that issued on Jul. 4, 1972 to Anderson, in which there is disclosed a sack like device with a water-impervious liner bag having perforations for water and other liquids to drain from the bag. This bag is also not designed to carry large game.  
         [0005]     A fourth device is shown in design patent 356,948, that issued Apr. 4, 1995 to Nahatchewitz. This device appears to be a bag that has a small opening at the top to allow the insertion of game.  
         [0006]     There is a device that is advertised in Cabela&#39;s catalog (1999-2005) that is identified as a “Deer Sleigh&#39;r that appears to be a plastic sled that can carry large game.  
         [0007]     None of the aforementioned devices are analogous to the device of the instant invention, and none of the references anticipate or make obvious the instant invention.  
       THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The invention disclosed and claimed herein deals with a device for hauling or moving game.  
         [0009]     With more specificity, a first embodiment of the invention deals with a device that comprises a flat sheet of puncture resistant fabric having a top edge, a bottom edge, two essentially parallel side edges, a front side and a back side.  
         [0010]     The bottom edge and both side edges have a fold of the fabric back unto the fabric itself, forming two layers and as formed, they are secured together. The top edge also has a fold of the fabric back unto the fabric such that a sleeve is formed, the sleeve having a near end and a distal end.  
         [0011]     There is located within the sleeve, a pull strap, the pull strap having a near end and a distal end, wherein the distal end is securely attached to a pull string. The pull string is long enough to extend from the distal end of the pull strap to a point outside of the distal end of the sleeve when the flat sheet is laying flat. The near end of the pull strap has a handle attached to it, the handle being located in the near end of the sleeve.  
         [0012]     The flat sheet of fabric has a glossy slick finish on the front side and a water resistant coating on the back side.  
         [0013]     The flat sheet of fabric has a closure means near the top edge comprising a strip containing small loops located and attached on the back side surface of the fabric and a corresponding strip containing small hooks that stick to such loops, being located on and attached to the front surface of the fabric.  
         [0014]     A second embodiment of this invention is a combination of the device of this invention in a folded condition and inserted in a fabric container for carrying and storing.  
         [0015]     The device, and the combination of this invention is quick and easy to use and is easy to store. It is exceptionally easy to carry because it is lightweight.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]      FIG. 1  is a full back view of the device of this invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is a full front view of the device of this invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is a full front view of the device of this invention showing the pulling apparatus in phantom within the fold.  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged full top view of the pulling apparatus of this invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is a full side view of the device of this invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  is a view in perspective of the bag of this invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 7  is a full side view of the looped belt of this invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0023]     Turning now to the Figures, and with reference to  FIG. 1 , which is a full back view of a device  1  of this invention, which is a flat fabric in a fully laid out, flat position.  
         [0024]     There is shown the top edge  2 , the bottom edge  3 , the side edges  4 , the back surface  6 , folds  7 , and the securing means, in this case stitching  8 . The securing means can also be, for example, gluing, stapling, and the like. Stitching is the most convenient means of securing the folds.  
         [0025]     The folds  7  are a means of providing an even edge  4 , a means of providing strength and a stable dimension to the fabric, and a means of preventing fraying of the edges  4 . The folds  7  are not large, in that, it is only necessary to make them as large as is needed to prevent the fraying mentioned Supra.  
         [0026]     The top edge  2  has a fold  9  of the fabric unto itself, except, in this case, the fold is larger to accommodate the pull strap  10 , discussed infra. As with the folds  7 , fold  9  is secured by, in this case, stitching  8 , however, the securing means may be the same as used for folds  7 . The fold  9  forms a sleeve that must be large enough to loosely hold the pull strap  10  ( FIGS. 3, 4  and  5 ). The fold  9  has a near end  11  and a distal end  12 .  
         [0027]     With reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , there is shown the pull strap  10  attached to a pull string  20  assembly within the fold  9  (all in phantom in  FIG. 3 ). Regarding  FIG. 4 , the pull strap  10  has a near end  13  and a distal end  14 , and the distal end  14  has securely attached thereto, a pull string  15 . The pull string  15  is long enough that it can extend from the distal end  14  of the pull strap  10  to a point  16  outside of the distal end  12  of the fold  9 , measured when the fabric is laying out in a flattened position.  
         [0028]     The near end  13  of the pull strap  10  has a pull handle  17  attached thereto, the necessity of which is set forth infra. As shown in  FIG. 3  in phantom, the pull strap  10  lays fully within the fold  9 , and the pull handle  17  sits just into the fold  9 . During storage, the pull handle  17  sits on the outside, near the fold  9 .  
         [0029]     The flat sheet of fabric has a glossy slick finish on the front side  5 . The glossy slick finish is a result of the fabric from which the device  1  is manufactured. This fabric is a puncture resistant, as opposed to a puncture proof, fabric, and is commercially available as a polyester fabric, or a nylon fabric. The commercial material can be for example, rip stop nylon, or polyester, manufactured in various camouflage. The fabric has a denier of from about 75 to about 200 and can be of any color, however, for hunting and other outdoor purposes, the color should be dark or hunter&#39;s orange, and especially preferred is camouflaged colors, such as Trebark®, manufactured by Haas Outdoors, Inc. Corporation Mississippi, P.O. Box 757, West Point, Miss. 39773, Mossy Oak®, manufactured by Mossy Oak Apparel Company, 3330 Cumberland Boulevard, Suite 600, Atlanta Ga. 30339, and Real Tree®, manufactured by Jordan Outdoor Enterprises, Ltd., 1390 Box Circle, Columbus, Ga. 31907, and the like. Also preferred is hunter&#39;s orange for use by rifle deer hunters.  
         [0030]     The main reason for the glossy slick finish on the front side  5  is that it facilitates the movement of the game by being slippery against the ground. Normally, a fully grown deer will weigh in the neighborhood of about 150 pounds and this amount of weight when dragged along the ground is a full effort for an adult person. Using the device of this invention, the 150 pound deer can be dragged along the ground by a person that is of slight build, and even younger, smaller persons can move game using this device.  
         [0031]     Also shown in  FIG. 1  is ½ of the securing means of this invention in that there is shown a Velcro® strip and in this Figure, this ½ strip  18  is the looped portion of the Velcro. The corresponding securing strip  19  contains the hook portion of the Velcro, and is attached to, and located on the front surface  5  as shown in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0032]     The back side  6  of the fabric has a water resistant coating on it. One reason for the water resistant coating is that blood and other fluids from the game will be contained within the fabric when it is enclosed around the game.  
         [0033]     In addition, this device can be used as a temporary hunting blind, or a rain coat, or for a body wrap for retaining body heat.  
         [0034]     The fabric of the device is machine washable, but must be line dried only.  
         [0035]     The device, even with the pulling apparatus is completely foldable into a very small size. Thus, there is a second embodiment of this invention, which is a combination of the folded device in a container. The container is a fabric bag  21 , that is generally manufactured from the same fabric as the device and into which the folded device will fit completely.  
         [0036]     The bag is shown in  FIG. 6 . The bag  21  has a zipper  22  in the top  23 . The bag  21  also has a looped belt  24 , that has a top end  25  and a bottom end  26 . The top end  25  is securely fastened to the back  26  of the bag  21  and the bottom end  26  is fastened using the same type of securing means as is used for the device itself wherein a ½ of a Velcro strip  27  is attached to the back  26  of the bag  21 , and the other ½ of the Velcro strip  28 , is attached to the inside surface  29  of the bottom end  26 . By this means, the bag  21  can be attached and released from the belt of a person without having the person remove his or her belt.  
         [0037]     In use, after the game is field dressed, the device is removed from the carrying bag and unfolded to its greatest extent and laid on the ground with the front surface down, that is the water resistant side facing upwardly.  
         [0038]     The game is placed in the center of the device, with the head of the game at the fold  9  end. The pull string is pulled to move the fold together and scrunch it up until the pull strap comes into view. The handle of the pull strap is inserted through the pull strap to tighten it around the game neck. Then, the Velcro strips are meshed together at the head.  
         [0039]     The game is ready for movement. This is accomplished by pulling on the handle, either using the handle directly, or attaching a tow rope to the handle, and dragging the device containing the game along the ground like a sled or toboggan. Because of the glossy finish of the front side, this is easily accomplished.  
         [0040]     When the device containing the game is ready for loading into a vehicle, the opposite end of the device from the fold  9  is wrapped around the legs of the game and tied with a rope or strap. By this means, the blood or other liquids draining from the game is held in the device until the game is unloaded. It is within the scope of this invention to use the device, spread out on the floor underneath the game as a drop cloth to catch any blood or other liquids that drain from the game.  
         [0041]     After use, the device is washed, dried, folded, and returned to the bag for storage.