Abstract:
A method and apparatus for dispensing a scent for attracting big game animals, includes a container with a wick that is configured to be easily inserted into the container in the field. The scent within the container is thickened so it will not drip too fast and preferably contains a substance to prevent freezing. The preferred scent is urine from the female species, during estrus, of the big game being hunted.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/887,568 filed Oct. 7, 2013 entitled “Wick Dispenser for Dispensing animal Scent and Method of Using Same” which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to hunting big game and more particularly to an apparatus and method of dispensing animal scent in the woods while hunting big game. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    It is well known that deer, and many other big game animals, have a highly developed sense of smell. It is well known that they can smell things that humans cannot. 
         [0004]    Whitetail bucks, in particular, are known to be attracted to the smell of whitetail deer urine, whether it is from another buck or from a doe. This attraction is much greater during the mating season, commonly referred to as “the rut”, when bucks are looking for a doe in estrus, commonly referred to in the deer hunting community as “a doe in heat”. So during the mating season, while a buck might be curious about and consequently attracted to any deer urine it smells, the buck will be infinitely more interested in doe urine from a doe in estrus during the mating season. 
         [0005]    Consequently, there are countless brands of doe in estrus products on the market which can be purchased on the internet, in sporting goods stores or in sporting goods departments of other general merchandise stores for example. Also, there is a plethora of various types of ways to dispense the urine in the woods, from simply just pouring or spraying the doe in estrus urine from a container onto, the ground, a bush, tree or plant to more elaborate ways of pouring or spraying the doe urine into the air or on an absorbent material that is then attached to something in the woods where deer are to be hunted. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,430 to Zeise issued in 1987 shows one such deer urine dispenser using a capillary feed tube for dispensing deer urine from a container onto the ground. While this works well, the capillary feed tube is somewhat complicated and expensive way to produce a desired dispensing speed. 
         [0007]    Accordingly, there is a need for a cheaper and simpler solution to this aforementioned dispensing problem. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The above needs are at least partially met through provision of the method and apparatus described in the following detailed description, particularly when studied in conjunction with the drawings, wherein: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view of a wick scent dispenser constructed in accordance with the present invention being used in the woods to attract a deer; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the present invention shown prior to assembly for use in the field; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged partial side elevational view with a portion broken away to show one way the a cap can be attached to a container holding urine from a big game animal and showing the wick in solid lines as it is prepared to be inserted into the container and in dashed lines to show where it will be after insertion into the container; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view like  FIG. 3 , but having a portion thereof broken away to show the wick extending to the inside of the container; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a view looking up from below  FIG. 4  with the cap open before the wick is inserted to the  FIGS. 3 and 4  position; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of the cap portion taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
       [0015]    Elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention. Certain actions and/or steps may be described or depicted in a particular order of occurrence while those skilled in the art will understand that such specificity with respect to sequence is not actually required. The terms and expressions used herein have the ordinary technical meaning as is accorded to such terms and expressions by persons skilled in the technical field as set forth above except where different specific meanings have otherwise been set forth herein. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate identical or similar parts throughout the several views,  FIGS. 1-6  show an apparatus and method of dispensing animal scent in the woods while hunting big game. 
         [0017]    Looking to  FIG. 1 , a dispensing apparatus  10  is shown hanging from a limb of a tree while dispensing animal scent in the woods by dripping while hunting big game. 
         [0018]    Looking to  FIG. 2 , the dispensing apparatus  10  has a container  11  for holding a scent used for hunting big game, such as urine from the species of animal being hunted, and most preferably urine from the female of the species while such female is in estrus. 
         [0019]    The container  11  has a U-shaped handle  11   u  on one end of the container  11  for being able to use a cord, such as part of a shoe string  14 , to tie the apparatus  10  to a limb or branch of a tree or bush, or perhaps to other things, such as a fence. 
         [0020]    Initially the container  11  is packaged with a wrapper/label  11   w  which sticks to at least the front and back side of the container  11 , but which is also wrapped around a wick  13 , which in a preferred embodiment is a boot lace having a plastic end  13   a  thereon for reasons which will be explained below. 
         [0021]    The container  11 , shown in detail in  FIGS. 2-6 , has a cap  12   c , which is actually shown inverted in  FIGS. 1-4 , but is the top of the container  11  when liquid scent  15  ( FIG. 4 ) is poured into it, for example when the cap  12   c  is removed from the threaded part  11   t  of the container  11  by unscrewing the cap  12   c  at fastener threads  12   ft  ( FIG. 6 ) from the threaded portion  11   t  of the container  11  shown in  FIG. 3 . Of course, the cap  12   c  can be sealingly attached to the container  11  in other ways known to those in the art. Looking to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the top  12   t  is pivotally attached to the cap  12   c  by a hinge  12   h.  When the cap is closed, as shown in  FIG. 2 , a plug portion  12   p  on top  12   t  extends into the orifice  12  or to block the flow of the liquid out of the container  11 . 
         [0022]    So after the scent  15  ( FIG. 4 ) is placed in the container  11  and the cap  12   c  with the top lid  12   t  in the position shown in  FIG. 2  is on it, the dispensing apparatus would be sold to a hunter. Directions (not shown) on the label  11   w  would typically be: “Remove cap and feed two inches (2″) of the wick through the hole in the cap. Replace cap. Hang from a branch.” 
         [0023]    Accordingly, when the hunter takes the dispenser  10  into the woods and finds a place to which he or she wants to lure a big game animal, he/she would follow the instructions given above and begin to thread the wick  13  into the orifice  12   or  best shown in  FIG. 3  by first placing the smaller end  13   a  of the wick first through the orifice  12   or  (see orifice  12   or  better in  FIGS. 5 and 6 ). 
         [0024]    After the wick is threaded by approximately the amount shown in  FIG. 4 , the scent dispensing apparatus  10  is hung from a branch as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4  so that the liquid scent  15  drips slowly onto the ground or onto whatever is under the wick  13  so as to attract the attention of a sensitive nose of the big game being hunted as depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0025]    During the breeding season (rut), big game animals, especially the male of the species, are often attracted to urine smells of the female and this is pronounced when for example a doe deer is in estrus. So “doe in heat” or “doe in estrus’ urine can be used interchangeably. 
         [0026]    If animal urine is the liquid  15  in container  11 , it would drip out too quickly, unless it was so cold that it became frozen first. So it is necessary to modify the animal urine in order for the drip dispenser  10  to work slowly enough to be used most efficiently. 
         [0027]    So ideally urine from a big game animal, such as a whitetail doe when the doe is in estrus, is the main ingredient of the liquid  15 . Mixed with the doe urine is sodium benzoate, which is an antimicrobial agent. Glycerin is added to raise the freezing point. Glycerin is also a preservative. In the preferred embodiment, ten percent (10%) by volume of the liquid  15  is glycerin. Corn starch and maltodextrin are also added as thickening agents to make the liquid  15  drip through the wick  13  slower. A commercially available product, THICK IT™, which is comprised of corn starch and maltodextrin can be used by adding it as 5 to 15 percent of the weight of the liquid  15 . While the specific “recipe” or formula for this liquid  15  is disclosed above, it is to be understood that other mixtures of these and or other ingredients are also contemplated to be within the scope of this invention. One option is to add cedar oil, or other wood oils, with the pre-rut formula to simulate a buck scraping a tree. 
         [0028]    The preferred formula is 1800 milliliters (mL) of doe estrus, 80 grams of THICK IT®™ brand thickener and 200 milliliters (mL) of glycerol. 
         [0029]    Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above described embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that such modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventive concept as expressed by the attached claims.