Abstract:
The problems presented in hunting industry are solved by the systems and methods of the present invention. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a game carcass retrieval system is provided. The game carcass retrieval system has a frame and a removable retrieving head. The head may be attached to a game carcass and then retracted by a winch attached to the frame. The winch may pull the carcass into an upright position that allows for easy loading into a vehicle or easy processing of the game carcass. The head may rotate to provide for easy processing. An additional processing table may be attached to the game carcass retrieval system to assist in processing. The table may include a grapple that help to pull meat away from the carcass and a skinning arm to further separate the meat from the carcass.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to apparatus and system for retrieving and processing wild game carcasses. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Within the hunting industry, and in particular within the large game market, hunters often struggle to retrieve game that is taken in rough brush or that is larger than the hunter can reasonably handle. 
     A need exists, therefore, for an apparatus and system to retrieve game and position the game for cleaning and processing, if desired. 
     All references cited herein are incorporated by reference to the maximum extent allowable by law. To the extent a reference may not be fully incorporated herein, it is incorporated by reference for background purposes and indicative of the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The problems presented in hunting industry are solved by the systems and methods of the present invention. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a game carcass retrieval system is provided. The game carcass retrieval system has a frame and a removable retrieving head. The head may be attached to a game carcass and then retracted by a winch attached to the frame. The winch may pull the carcass into an upright position that allows for easy loading into a vehicle or easy processing of the game carcass. The head may rotate to provide for easy processing. An additional processing table may be attached to the game carcass retrieval system to assist in processing. The table may include a grapple that help to pull meat away from the carcass and a skinning arm to further separate the meat from the carcass. 
     Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the drawings and detailed description that follow. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an overview of a game carcass system attached to a vehicle; 
         FIG. 2  is view of the game carcass system of  FIG. 1  without the vehicle and with the adjustable retrieval arm in an upright position; 
         FIG. 3A  is view of the game carcass system with the adjustable retrieval arm pivoted down ward; 
         FIG. 3B  is a further close-up of the pivot mount of the frame showing the adjustable retrieval arm in an upright position and a shaded version of the adjustable retrieval arm in a downward position; 
         FIG. 4  is a further close-up of the retrieval head slightly removed from the retrieval arm; 
         FIGS. 5A-5F  is a scene-by-scene demonstration of how the game carcass system may be used to retrieve a game carcass; 
         FIG. 6  is a view of the game carcass system with a processing table attached to the adjustable retrieval arm; and 
         FIGS. 7A-7C  is a scene-by-scene demonstration of how the grapple arm and skinning bar are used on the processing table. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     All references cited herein are incorporated by reference to the maximum extent allowable by law. To the extent a reference may not be fully incorporated herein, it is incorporated by reference for background purposes and indicative of the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art. 
     In the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific preferred embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical mechanical and electrical changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. To avoid detail not necessary to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the description may omit certain information known to those skilled in the art. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. 
       FIG. 1  is an overview of a game carcass system  10  attached to a vehicle  12 . The vehicle  12  shown is an off road vehicle commonly used by hunters, although the game carcass system may be attached to other off road vehicles as well as on road vehicles, such as trucks or SUVs, that have a hitch receiver  14 . The carcass system has a frame  16  having a main arm  18  attached to the hitch receiver  14  by a receiver adapter  20 . Receiver adapter  20  is sized to fit the hitch receiver  14 , some common sizes being 1.25 inch or 2 inch square. At the opposite end of the main arm  18  from the receiver adapter  20  is the pivot mount  22 . Pivot mount  22  is shown with optional outriggers  24  extended to provide additional support to frame  16 . When carcass system  10  is used on full sized vehicles  12  outriggers  24  may not be necessary. 
     Mounted near the receiver adapter  20  along main arm  18  is winch  26  having a drum  28  and rope  30  wrapped around drum  28  and extending therefrom. A adjustable retrieval arm  32  is pivotally mounted to frame  16  at pivot mount  22  by a first end  34 . A second end  36  of adjustable retrieval arm  32  supports a retrieval head  38 . 
       FIG. 2  is view of the game carcass system  10  of  FIG. 1  without the vehicle  12  and with the adjustable retrieval arm  32  in an upright position. Frame  16  is clearly shown with main arm  18  and receiver adapter  20 . Pivot mount  22  is shown connected to main arm  18  and outriggers  24  are shown extending from pivot mount  22 . Adjustable retrieval arm  32  is in an upright position in pivot mount  22  and is supported by rope  30  extending from the drum  28  of winch  26  attached to main arm  18 . Rope  30  extends from winch  26  through rope hole  40  in adjustable retrieval arm  32  to retrieving head  38 . Rope  30  must be tough, strong and flexible, so would typically be a steel rope or very high strength synthetic rope. Winch  26  could be either an electric or human powered winch depending on several factors, such as cost, durability, ease of operation, and size of game to be retrieved. The winch  26  could also be powered by a power take off from a work truck or tractor. Finally, a hydraulic winch  26  may be practical for use with vehicles that have onboard hydraulic systems. A pivot pin  39  and locking pin  41  in first end  34  allow the adjustable retrieval arm  32  to pivot downward and be secured in an upright position. A locking nut  42  further secures adjustable retrieval arm  32  in an upright position by engaging nut slot  44  in pivot mount  22 . Locking nut  42  would be tightened during transportation of the carcass system  10  or when a heavy carcass is on the carcass system  10 . Locking nut  42  is simply loosened to allow pivoting of adjustable retrieval arm  32  when locking pin  41  is removed. 
       FIG. 3A  is view of the game carcass system  10  with the adjustable retrieval arm  32  pivoted down ward. Locking nut  42  is loosened to allow adjustable retrieval arm  32  to pivot downward and rope  30  nestles in leverage pulley  45  of pivot mount  22 . An anti-drag bar  37  is shown attached to outrigger  24 . The anti-drag bar helps with stabilizing the game carcass system  10  and may provide some ramping effect when lifting large carcasses. 
       FIG. 3B  is a further close-up of the pivot mount  22  of the frame  16  showing the adjustable retrieval arm  32  in an upright position and a shaded version of the adjustable retrieval arm  32  in a downward position. The locking nut  42  is to stabilize and make the adjustable retrieval arm  32  rigid during transportation and heavy loads while the locking pin  41  is to secure it upright during normal usage. The redundancy may not be needed on all units. 
       FIG. 4  is a further close-up of the retrieval head  38  slightly removed from the adjustable retrieval arm  32 . The upper end  36  of adjustable retrieval arm  32  is shown with dumping pivot pin  45  that allows the upper end  36  to pivot towards the vehicle  12  as will be discussed in  FIG. 5D . Dumping pivot pin  45  also allows for rope  30  to smoothly transition from rope hole  40  to retrieving head  38 . Retrieving head  38  is comprised of a base  46  that fits into the upper end  36  and a carcass support bar  48  that extends perpendicular to the base  46 . Carcass support bar  48  is shown having a v-shaped section. The v-sectional shape helps to support a game carcass  52  (not shown in this Fig.) but other sectional shapes may be used for the carcass support bar  46 , such as a c-sectional shape. 
     Attached to the carcass support bar  48  are tie downs  50 . Tie downs  50  are used to secure a game carcass  52  to the carcass support bar  48 . Two tie downs  50  provide sufficient strength to retrieve the carcass and some flexibility that allows for unfastening one tie down  50  at a time while processing the game carcass  52 . More tie downs  50  may be used if desired for additional flexibility or strength. 
       FIGS. 5A-5F  is a scene-by-scene demonstration of how the game carcass system  10  may be used to retrieve a game carcass  52 . In  FIG. 5A  the game carcass system  10  is attached to the vehicle  12  and the outriggers  24  are deployed to stabilize the game carcass system  10 . The adjustable retrieval arm  32  is in an upright position and the tie downs  50  are unfastened. From this position the winch  26  can be unwound to allow the adjustable retrieval arm  32  to pivot downward away from the vehicle  12 . As the winch continues to let out rope  30  the retrieval head  38  can be removed from the upper end  36  and extended to the location of the game carcass  52 . Once the retrieving head  38  reaches the carcass  52  the tie-downs  50  are wrapped around the carcass so that the carcass support bar is aligned with the spine of the carcass  52 . Tie downs  50  are typically fastened around the abdomen of the carcass  52  just inside of the front and rear legs of the carcass  52  as shown in  FIG. 5B . Rope  30  is retracted by winch  26  to draw the carcass towards the vehicle  12 . Retrieving head  38  is drawn towards the game carcass retrieval system  10  until base  46  is drawn into upper end  36 . Further retraction of rope  30  by winch  26  will lift the adjustable retrieval arm  32 , along with attached retrieving head  38  and carcass  52 , into an upright position as shown in  FIG. 5C . 
     From the upright position shown in  FIG. 5C  the carcass  52  may be dumped into the vehicle  12  by allowing upper end  36  to pivot on dumping pivot pin  45 , as shown in  FIG. 5D . Also shown in  5 C is the anti-drag bar  37  which may be used to help stabilize heavy loads. In this embodiment the anti-drag bar  37  is a inserted into the outrigger  24  at one end and pushed into the ground at another end. 
     Alternatively, from the upright position shown in  FIG. 5C  the carcass may be turned and tilted away from the vehicle  12  to facilitate processing, as shown in  FIGS. 5E and 5F . Retrieving head  38  may be rotated within upper end  36  to allow the carcass  52  to present various angles to aid in processing. In  FIGS. 5E and 5F  the carcass is supported by a single tie-down to allow better access. Also, the rope  30  supports the retrieval arm  32 . 
       FIG. 6  is a view of the game carcass system  10  with a processing table  54  attached to the adjustable retrieval arm  32 . processing table  54  includes a yoke  56  that may slide up and down adjustable retrieval arm  32  and a support arm  58  that is attached to the yoke  56 . Support arm  58  extends up at an angle from yoke  56  to hold support surfaces  60  away from the adjustable retrieval arm  32 , between the support surfaces  60  is a grapple arm  62  which pivots on support arm  58  on one end and has a meat grapple  64  opposite the pivot. A skinning arm  66  is piovtably attached to the support arm  58  of the processing table  54 . 
       FIGS. 7A-7C  is a scene-by-scene demonstration of how the grapple arm  62  and skinning bar  66  are used on the processing table  54 . In  FIG. 7A  the grapple arm  62  is moved forward so that the grapple  64  may engage the meat of a carcass  52 . Once engaging the meat the grapple arm is pulled back to lock the grapple  64  to meat of carcass  52  and finish pulling back to separate the meat from the carcass  52  as shown in  FIG. 7B . In  FIG. 7C  the skinning arm  66  is slid between the meat secured by the grapple  64  and the remaining carcass  52  and rotated to separate the meat from the carcass  52  as shown.