Abstract:
A manually operated game call is provided which includes a number of contacts having a non-round cross section, and at least one band bundling the contacts to one another when manipulated by the hand of a user. The band allows the contacts to move relative to one another so that a sound of antlers striking one another is simulated when the call is operated. Also, a method for attracting an animal is providing including the steps of providing a number of contacts bundled to one another, and manually moving the contacts within the hand of a user. Each contact has a non-round cross section so that the call produces a sound similar to the sound of antlers striking one another.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/242,563, filed Oct. 23, 2000. 
     
    
     
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    “Not Applicable.” 
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    This invention relates to a game call for attracting wildlife during a hunt. More specifically, this invention relates to a hand operated game call producing the sound of antlers striking one another.  
           [0004]    Deer hunters typically employ a number of methods and devices for calling deer within range to be shot by a rifle, bow or other weapon. Many of the calls simulate bleats, grunts, bawls and other sounds originating from a single deer. Other calls simulate the sound of antlers striking one another to produce the sound of male deer fighting to attract other deer. For instance, many hunters strike actual antlers, plastic antler replicas or other objects against one another to simulate the antler sounds produced by antlers striking one another during an actual deer fight.  
           [0005]    While these calls produce the sound of antlers striking one another, the prior art calls tend to produce noise at undesirable times. For instance, the antlers of the prior art calls may rattle against one another as the hunter moves from place to place, or while the hunter is reaching for a weapon. These undesirable sounds tend to alert deer of the presence of the hunter and drive the deer away from the location of the hunter. Also, the operation of these prior art calls requires a significant amount of movement by the hunter to create the desired sounds. The movement of the hunter may also alert the deer of the hunter and frustrate the hunter&#39;s attempt to call the deer within range. Also, the prior art calls are sometimes held within bags or boxes that absorb unwanted odors and undesirable muffle the sound produce by the antler-like components within the bag.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a game call having a number of contacts bundled to one another that closely emulates the sound of antlers striking each other.  
           [0007]    A further object of the invention is to provide a deer call that does not produce unwanted sounds when the hunter is moving from one location to another.  
           [0008]    Still another object of the invention is to provide a method of producing the sound of antlers rattling against one another with relative little movement on the part of the user.  
           [0009]    In accordance with these and other objects evident from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, a manually operated game call is provided which includes a number of contacts having a non-round cross section, and at least one band bundling the contacts to one another when manipulated by the hand of a user. The band allows the contacts to move relative to one another so that a sound of antlers striking one another is simulated when the call is operated.  
           [0010]    In another aspect of the invention, a method for attracting an animal is providing including the steps of providing a number of contacts bundled to one another, and manually moving the contacts within the hand of a user. Each contact has a non-round cross section so that the call produces a sound similar to the sound of antlers striking one another. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    The following description of the drawings, in which like reference numerals are employed to indicate like parts in various views:  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view a game call constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention demonstrating the placement of a user&#39;s hand about the call;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the game call of FIG. 1;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the game call of the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a contact of the game call of the present invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the game call taken along line  5 - 5  of FIG. 3;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the game call taken along line  6 - 6  of FIG. 3;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the game call of FIG. 5 during operation of the call. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]    Referring to the drawings in greater detail, attention is first directed to FIG. 1, where a game call generally designated by numeral  10  is shown. Referring to FIG. 2, the game call  10  broadly includes six contacts  12 A-E and a number of bands  14 ,  16 ,  18  and  20  holding the contacts in a bundle in two equal rows.  
         [0020]    The contacts are preferably formed from plastic and are manufactured by molding two halves and securing the halves to one another. The contacts may also be constructed from other materials having sufficient hardness to produce the requisite antler sounds when contacting one another. As shown in FIG. 5, each contact includes four lobes  22  disposed about the periphery of the contact and extending from one end of the contact to the other. An equal number of recesses  24  are defined between each pair of adjacent lobes  22 . The radius of curvature of each lobe  22  is greater than the radius of curvature of each recess  24  so that the lobes do not nest within the recesses of the adjacent contacts when the call is being operated as described below. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each lobe has a radius of curvature of about 0.218 inches, and each recess has a radius of curvature of about 0.125 inches. An elongated sound passageway  26  is also defined within each contact. The elongated sound passageway extends axially from one end of the contact to the other, and preferably has a circular cross section.  
         [0021]    With reference to FIG. 4, a cutout  28  having an arcuate profile extends about the periphery of each contact  12  near the upper end. As best shown in FIG. 2, a lanyard  30  is secured to the call at the cutout  28  of contact  12 A. The lanyard  30  is preferably made from an elastic material and includes a loop  32  at one end that encompasses the cutout  28  of one of the contacts. At the end of the lanyard  30  opposite loop  32 , a releasable clip  34  is held on the lanyard at a second loop  36 . The releasable clip is of conventional construction, and includes a hook  38  and a shaft  40  moveable with respect to the end of the hook  38 . The shaft  40  is spring biased toward the end of the hook  38 , and may be moved away from the hook by grasping a pull  42  extending through a slot in the clip, and moving the pull in a direction away from the hook.  
         [0022]    Returning to FIG. 4, each contact  12  includes a first pair of notches  42  and  44  at one end, and a second pair of notches  46  and  48  at the opposing end. At each notch, the contact  12  presents a cylindrical surface at which one of the bands engages the contact. Each band is made of a flexible material such as rubber. The elasticity of the bands holds the contacts to one another when the call is not being operated, yet allows the contacts to move within the bundle during operation of the call as described below. With reference to FIG. 3, bands  14  and  16  are held within notches  42  and  44  of the contacts, respectively. As shown in FIG. 5, first band  14  extends around the outside of contacts  12 A and  12 C at the end of the first row, and about the central contact  12 E of the second row. The second band  16  extends around contacts  12 D and  12 E at the end of the second row, and about the central contact  12 B of the first row. Thus, each contact is held between bands  14  and  12  to bundle the contacts together at the upper ends of the contacts.  
         [0023]    Likewise, with reference of FIG. 3, at the lower ends of the contacts, bands  18  and  20  are held within the notches  46  and  48  of the contacts, respectively. Third band  18  weaves about the contacts in a pattern similar to that of band  16 . Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, band  18  extends around contacts  12 D and  12 F at the end of the second row, and about the central contact  12 B of the first row. Fourth band  20  weaves about the contacts in the same pattern as first band  14 . Specifically, band  20  extends around the outside of contacts  12 A and  12 C at the end of the first row, and about the central contact  12 D of the second row. Thus, each contact is held between bands  18  and  20  to bundle the contacts together at the lower ends of the contacts.  
         [0024]    In operation, the hunter places the call between his or her hands as shown in FIG. 1. The hunter&#39;s fingers are fully extended and light pressure is applied to the call. Once the call is grasped, the hunter slowly begins to rotate the contacts  12  of the call. As shown in FIG. 7, the lobes  22  of the each contact are generally geared with the recesses  24  of the adjacent contacts. As the hunter rotates the call in the direction of the arrows, contact  12 A moves from the first row to the second, and contact  12 F moves from the second row to the first row. While the contacts are generally geared to one another, due to the differing curvature of the lobes  22  and recesses  24 , the contacts do not nest with one another. Since the contacts do not nest with one another, a number of lines of contact are present when the call is being operated. The percussive sounds produced along the lines of contact closely emulate the sounds of antlers contacting one another during a deer fight.  
         [0025]    Specifically, the slow rotation of the contacts produces the sound of two deer intially engaging one another. After a brief period of slow rotation, the hunter then rapidly rotates the contacts of the call within the bundle to produce the sound of clashing antlers during a deer fight. After the clash is produced, the hunter pauses for a brief moment, and follows with another period of slow rotation followed by a period of rapid rotation. By following this pattern, the game call produces sounds closely simulating all types of antler sounds produced during a deer fight.  
         [0026]    Alternatively, the call may be operated with one hand. For instance, the hunter may hold the call in one hand and roll the call against the hunter&#39;s leg or another object. In one handed operation, the call  10  may be tethered to a belt loop of the hunter by the releasable clip (FIG. 2).  
         [0027]    Whether being operated by one or two hands, the sounds produced by the call may be changed by varying the pressure with which the call is held and the rapidity of the hunter&#39;s movements. To muffle the sound, the hunter may operate the call with gloves on the hunter&#39;s hand or hands. Additionally, the call may be used in conjunction with other deer calls that produce grunts and other sounds associated with deer other than antler sounds.  
         [0028]    The game call and method of the present invention simulates the sounds of antlers striking one another while required limited movement on the part of the hunter. Also, when the call is not being operated, the bands holding the contacts to one another prevent unwanted noise from being produced. Also, the call does not include a bag or box, and thus eliminates the undesirable scents of the prior art calls. Additionally, the call is compact, and may be easily stored by clipping the call to the user.  
         [0029]    From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with the other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure. It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.  
         [0030]    Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative of applications of the principles of this invention, and not in a limiting sense.