Abstract:
A scented trail apparatus for applying a scent trail across selected terrain and luring animals along the scent trail to a blind or observation area, which apparatus includes a scent canister secured at one end of the trail and containing an animal scent lure; a reel apparatus located at the other end of the trail; a scent carrier for insertion in the scent canister and receiving a quantity of the animal lure scent in the scent canister; and a line connecting the reel and the scent carrier. A cap typically encloses the scent carrier and a segment of the line inside the scent canister and the scent carrier is caused to traverse the trail by operation of the reel to apply a residue of animal lure scent along the scent trail. A line depressor may be used to depress the line and the scent carrier on or close to the ground while the scent carrier and line are manually pulled from the reel to the scent canister.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of and incorporates by reference in its entirety prior filed copending Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/900,705, Filed Feb. 12, 2007. 
     
    
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Various scent-dispensing devices have been utilized by hunters and animal observers to dispense animal scent lure in order to obtain a sight advantage in luring animals to a stand, blind or observation point. The scented trail apparatus of this invention includes a scent canister typically containing a quantity of animal lure scent and secured to a tree, bush, rock or other object for containing a scent carrier, which is typically constructed of one or more liquid absorbent strips attached to a scent strip mount. A cap may be used to removably enclose the animal lure scent and the scent carrier inside the scent canister in a friction-fit and a reel is typically disposed in spaced-apart relationship with respect to the scent canister at or near a stand or blind and at the opposite end of the trail to which the animal scent lure will be applied. The reel may be manually-operated or automatic and may likewise be attached to a tree, bush, rock, hunting stand or blind, or other object. A line, which is typically characterized by a monofilament fishing line, extends from the spool of the reel along the trail for attachment to the scent strip mount element of the scent carrier. Accordingly, when the scent carrier is removably placed in the scent canister or removably closed inside the scent canister by a cap, operation of the reel applies tension to the line and if the cap is in place, the line tension causes the cap to be removed from the end of the scent canister and allows exit of the scent carrier from the scent canister. Continued operation of the reel causes the scent carrier to traverse the trail and leave a residue of animal lure scent thereon, between the scent canister and the reel. A line depressor, typically having a fork at one end, can be used to manually depress the line rearwardly of the scent carrier to direct the scent carrier into a desired proximity with respect to the ground along the trail as the line is initially extended from the reel and the scent carrier is carried to the scent canister. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0003]    The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0004]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a typical embodiment of the scented trail apparatus of this invention, including a removable scent canister cap in place on a scent canister and a reel fitted with a monofilament fishing line, with a segment of the line secured between the cap and the scent canister; 
           [0005]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the scent canister illustrated in  FIG. 1 , more particularly illustrating the cap and the scent canister in open configuration and a scent carrier removably positioned in the scent canister; 
           [0006]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the scent canister illustrated in  FIG. 2 , with the cap in open configuration and the scent carrier removed from the scent canister for traversal of a trail; and 
           [0007]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the embodiment of the scented trail apparatus illustrated in  FIG. 1 , illustrating a typical line depressor for depressing the line forwardly of the scent carrier illustrated in  FIG. 3 , as well as the spaced-apart positioning of the reel from the scent carrier and scent canister along a trail. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0008]    Referring initially to  FIGS. 1-3  of the drawings, an embodiment of the scented trail apparatus of this invention is generally illustrated by reference numeral  1 . In this embodiment the scented trail apparatus  1  is characterized by a scent canister  6 , typically having a generally cylindrical canister housing  7  defining a canister housing interior  10  and having a housing mount end  8 , with a canister retainer  9  extending therefrom. The opposite end of the scent canister  6  is open at an interior lip  10   a  ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ) to removably receive a cap  11 , typically fitted with a cap tether  12  for retaining the cap  11  on the open end of the canister housing  7  of the scent canister  6 . The cap  11  is typically designed to fit on the interior lip  10   a  of the canister housing  7  in a friction-fit, as hereinafter further described. A cap band  13  may be typically be used to attach the cap tether  12  to the canister housing  7  of the scent canister  6 . 
         [0009]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 4  of the drawings the reel  17  has a rotatable spool  18  fitted with one or more spool grips  19  and journalled for rotation on a frame  20  by means of a shaft or spindle  21 . A line  15 , which may be of any size and character, but is typically characterized by monofilament fishing line, is wound on the spool  18 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4  of the drawings. The opposite end of the line  15  is typically secured to a mount eye  4 , provided in an eye bracket  5  attached to a scent strip mount  3  of a scent carrier  1   a.  Referring again to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , it will be appreciated that the scent carrier  1   a,  including a pair of typically flexible, liquid-absorbent scent strips  2 , attached to the scent strip mount  3 , can be inserted in the open end of the canister housing  7  of the scent canister  6 . In one embodiment an animal lure scent (not illustrated) can be poured or otherwise placed in the canister housing interior  10  of the canister housing  7 , to coat or saturate the scent strips  2  with an animal scent lure of choice. Alternatively, the scent strips  2  can be coated or saturated with an animal scent lure and the scent strips  2  then placed in the canister housing interior  10 . Under circumstances where the scent carrier  1   a  is inserted in the canister housing  7  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the typically plastic cap  11  can be closed over the interior lip  10   a  of the canister housing  7 , with a portion or segment of the line  15  depressed between the cap  11  and the canister housing  7 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0010]    Referring now to  FIG. 4  of the drawings, under circumstances where it is desired to use the scented trail apparatus  1  to create a scented trail through brush  24 , typically between a tree  23  and the reel  17 , the latter of which is spaced-apart from the scent canister  6 , the scent canister  6  is initially secured or tethered to the tree  23 , typically using a retainer strap, rope or chain  14  and clip  14   a.  The retainer chain  14  may be typically secured to the canister retainer  9  at the housing mount end  8  of the canister housing  7 . The scent carrier  1   a  is attached to the line  15  and wound to the reel  17  and a quantity of the animal scent lure (not illustrated) is either placed inside the canister housing  7  of the scent canister  6  or applied directly to the scent strips  2 . The reel  17  is then attached to brush  24  or to a tree or stake at a blind or observation area (not illustrated) and the scent carrier  1   a  is grasped and the line  15  manually carried and unwound from the spool  18  along a predetermined trail, until the scent carrier  1   a  is located at the tree  23 , where it is inserted in the scent canister  6 . The cap  11  is then closed over a segment of the line  15  near the eye bracket  5  of the scent strip mount  3 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the drawings. The reel  17  is then activated, either manually by grasping the spool grip or grips  19  and rotating the spool  18 , or automatically, using an electric reel of suitable design, according to the knowledge of those skilled in the art. Rotation of the spool  18  applies tension to the line  15  and causes the cap  11  to be removed from the friction-fit on the interior lip  10   a  of the canister housing  7 . Additional tension applied to the line  15  by continued rotation of the spool  18  causes the scent carrier  1   a  to exit the now-open canister housing interior  10  as illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4  of the drawings, and traverse the brush  24  along the terrain of the predetermined trail between the scent canister  6  and the reel  17 . 
         [0011]    During the initial transportation by hand of the scent carrier  1   a  through the brush  24  from the reel  17  to the scent canister  6 , a line depressor  16 , having a depressor fork  16   a,  may be typically manually applied to the line  15  at the depressor fork  16   a,  to force the line  15  downwardly against or near the ground or terrain as the scent carrier  1   a  is carried through the brush  24 . Reverse movement of the scent carrier  1   a  along the trail by operation of the reel  17  then operates to leave a residue of animal lure scent from the scent strips  2  along the trail between the scent canister  6  and the reel  17 . When the scent carrier  1   a  reaches the reel  17  the desired scent trail has been established between the scent canister  6  and the reel  17  and the scent carrier  1   a  and reel  17  are put aside, while the scent canister  6  typically remains in position at the tree  23 . 
         [0012]    It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that use of the line depressor  16  is optional for adjusting the height of the line  15  from the ground and depending upon the nature of the terrain and the plant, grass and tree growth or rocky ground between the scent canister  6  and the reel  17 , the line dispenser  16  may not be needed. However, under circumstances where fairly thick grass or brush  24  is located between the scent canister  6  and the reel  17 , the line depressor  16  may be utilized to manually engage the depressor forks  16   a  with the line  15  rearwardly of the scent carrier  1   a  as the scent carrier  1   a  is carried along the terrain to the scent canister  6 , into a desired position between the ground and the grass or brush  24 , to leave the residue of animal scent lure at a selected level along the scent trail. It is understood that a selected length of line  15  can be located in the scent canister  6  and saturated or coated with scent in lieu of the scent carrier  1   a.  This segment or length of the line  15  remains in place along the trail after deployment. 
         [0013]    It will be further appreciated by those skilled in the art that the scent canister  6  may be of any shape, size and design which is characterized by a container having a closed or sealed canister housing suitable for application of a typically liquid animal scent lure for enclosing animal scent and a scent carrier of selected design. Alternatively, saturation or coating of the absorbent scent strips on the scent carrier or on the segment of line  15  can be effected for leaving the desired scent residue along the trail. Furthermore, any number of scent strips  2  can be utilized with the scent strip mount  3  on the scent carrier  1   a  and the scent strip or strips  2  are typically constructed of flexible felt, sponge or an alternative liquid-absorbent material, to facilitate easy insertion in and removal from the canister housing interior  10  of the canister housing  7 . It will be further appreciated that the canister housing  6  and the reel  17  can be attached or tethered to substantially any spaced-apart objects, such as stumps, rocks or stakes, as well as a tree  23  or even some brush  24 , to relatively immobilize, tether or secure the reel  17  and scent canister  6  in place and facilitate placement of the scent carrier  1   a  or the scent-impregnated segment of the line  15  in the scent canister  6  and later retrieval of the scent canister  1   a  or segment of the line  15  from the scent canister  6 , by tension in the line  15  responsive to operation of the reel  17 . Moreover, the scent canister  6  may be designed such that the scent strip or strips  2  or the scented segment of the line  15  are encapsulated inside. This design allows the scent strip or strips  2  or the segment of the line  15  to be pulled through the encapsulated seal and deployed as described above. This allows use of a non-capped canister  6  with the animal scent lure and scent carrier  1   a  or the scented segment of the line  15  placed in the canister housing interior  10  without using the cap  11 . 
         [0014]    It will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the reel  17  may be of any desired design, including the design illustrated in the drawings, or a fishing reel of any character, as well as a more simple device, such as a stick or board for receiving the monofilament line  15  wound thereon. Moreover, when a reel  17  of selected design is utilized, it may be manual and provided with one or both of the indicated reel spool grips  19  as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , or it may be automated by an electric motor (not illustrated), according to the knowledge of those skilled in the art. When automated, the reel  17  may be secured to the stand or blind (not illustrated) at one end of the trail and activated, and the user may first carry the scent carrier  1   a  to the scent canister  6  and optionally utilize the line depressor  16  by placing the depressor forks  16   a  on the line  15  rearwardly of the scent carrier  1   a,  to effect the desired later application of animal scent residue on, or at a selected height above, the ground and through the brush  24  by operation of the reel  17 . 
         [0015]    While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may be made in the invention and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.