Device and method for determining the suitability of a particular hunting stand for hunting wild animals on the day of the hunt

Abstract

Device for determining the suitability of a particular hunting stand for hunting wild animals on the day of the hunt, comprising a device for measuring current wind data, in particular wind direction and / or wind speed, at a specific hunting stand, wherein this device for measuring current wind data is attached directly to the hunting stand or provided in the immediate vicinity of the hunting stand, a radio device, in particular comprising a mobile communication device (GSM module), for the timely transmission of the measured wind data to a remotely located computing unit, in particular to a server, and Means of outputting wind data to a user, characterized by an electronic storage unit on which the primary wind direction applicable to the hunting blind is stored, Software for calculating the difference between the currently measured wind direction and the stored primary wind direction and Means of outputting the calculated difference to the user.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device and a method for determining the suitability of a particular hunting stand for hunting wild animals on the day of the hunt.

[0002] Hunters typically use permanently erected hunting blinds, also known as high seats, in suitable locations to hunt wild animals. From these blinds, the hunter has a good view of the spot in the hunting area where, based on experience, the animal is likely to emerge from the forest. However, such a blind is only suitable for hunting on days when the wild animal does not perceive the hunter, meaning when it is impossible for the animal to pick up the scent of the hunter in the blind. This is regularly the case when the wind is blowing from a direction that prevents the hunter from detecting the animal.

[0003] If, upon arriving at the hunting stand he has chosen for that day, the hunter finds that the wind is blowing from an unfavorable direction, he will look for a different hunting stand in order to hunt successfully.

[0004] To avoid unnecessary trips to hunting stands with unfavorable wind conditions, hunters can use publicly available wind data, such as weather forecasts, from home or while traveling to determine a suitable stand for the day of the hunt. However, this wind data is very imprecise and does not take into account the microclimate of the desired hunting area, meaning that a reliable prediction of the suitability of a particular stand on the day of the hunt cannot be derived from this publicly available wind data.

[0005] Relevant background information on the technical field to which the present invention relates can be found in DE 10 2016 103 572 A1.

[0006] Based on this, the present invention aims to create a device and a method with which the suitability of a particular hunting stand can be reliably determined before traveling to the stand on the day of the hunt, in order to avoid unnecessary journeys to unsuitable hunting stands.

[0007] According to the invention, a device with the features of claim 1 and a method with the features of claim 4 are proposed as a technical solution to this problem. Advantageous embodiments of this device and this method are described in the respective dependent claims.

[0008] A device and a method designed according to this technical doctrine have the advantage that the user, in this case the hunter, has access to precise and unadulterated wind data for the respective hunting area and, above all, for the specific hunting stand, by measuring the current wind direction directly at or in the immediate vicinity of the stand, and that this wind data is made available to the user in such a timely manner by means of a radio device that the user can select the suitable hunting stand early on and thus avoid unnecessary journeys.

[0009] According to the invention, a separate primary wind direction is determined for each hunting stand, indicating the direction from the center of the hunting area to the stand. The primary wind direction is the direction from the point where the game animal is expected to emerge from the forest to the specific hunting stand. This primary wind direction indicates the ideal wind direction for hunting, because with this wind direction, the hunting stand is downwind (leeward) from the perspective of the game animal, and the animal is unlikely to detect the hunter. The primary wind direction is given as a compass direction from 0° to 360° and stored electronically. This has the advantage that the difference between the current, measured wind direction and the primary wind direction can be calculated, providing the user with a single figure—the difference—and thus allowing them to easily assess whether this hunting stand is suitable for hunting on that particular day.

[0010] Advantageously, only the difference amount is used and passed on to the user. This difference serves as a measure for the user of the suitability of the hunting stand, with a difference of 0° being ideal, as this means the stand is downwind (leeward) from the perspective of the game animal. At a difference of 180°, the game animal is downwind (leeward) from the stand, and in this case, the animal can easily smell the hunter and flee, or may not even leave the woods in the first place.

[0011] In a further, preferred embodiment, the determined difference is assigned to a suitability class, particularly by software, and this suitability class is communicated to the user. It has proven advantageous to provide three suitability classes and to indicate them with the colors of a traffic light, wherein the first suitability class is displayed in green and signals to the user that this particular hunting stand is very well suited for hunting on that day, the second suitability class is displayed in yellow and signals to the user that this hunting stand is only conditionally suitable on that day, while the third suitability class is displayed in red and signals that this hunting stand is unsuitable on that day, i.e., under the current wind conditions.

[0012] The classification into the respective suitability class is at the discretion of the operator of the device or process. However, it has proven advantageous to set the first limit as the transition from the first (green) to the second (yellow) suitability class at a difference of 90°, while the second limit as the transition from the second (yellow) to the third (red) suitability class is advantageous at a difference of 135°. However, a first limit between 30° and 105° and a second limit between 75° and 150° would also be reasonable, whereby, of course, the second limit should always be higher than the first.

[0013] In a beneficial advanced training system, wind speed (wind force) is measured alongside wind direction at the hunting stand and displayed to the user. It is advantageous to indicate the wind speed in a fourth suitability category and to display it in red if the wind speed is at least above 30 km / h, preferably above 40 km / h, because successful hunting is not possible at such wind speeds at the hunting stand.

[0014] Further advantages of the device and method according to the invention become apparent from the embodiments described below. Likewise, the features mentioned above and those described further below can each be used individually or in any combination according to the invention. The embodiments mentioned are not to be understood as an exhaustive list, but rather as examples.

[0015] A preferred device for determining the suitability of a particular hunting stand for hunting on the day of the hunt comprises a device for measuring current wind data, in this case a wind direction meter and a wind speed meter, as well as a radio device for receiving and transmitting the measured wind data to a processing unit, in this case a server, at the operator's location. The wind direction meter and the wind speed meter are advantageously mounted at the hunting stand, ideally at its highest point, to record the wind direction and speed as accurately as possible.

[0016] In another embodiment, the wind direction indicator and the wind speed indicator can also be mounted on a stand or holder in the immediate vicinity of the hunting blind. The distance between the wind direction indicator and the wind speed indicator and the hunting blind should not exceed 50 m, preferably not more than 10 m.

[0017] The radio system comprises a GSM module for transmitting the measured wind data to a server (or other computing unit) located at the operator's site and a microcontroller for electronically recording and forwarding the measured wind data. To minimize power consumption, a wind direction value and a wind speed value are recorded every 60 seconds and temporarily stored in the microcontroller before the collected wind data is transmitted to the server via mobile network every 15 minutes. In an alternative configuration, the wind data can also be measured every 300 seconds and transmitted to the server every 60 minutes.

[0018] The primary wind direction for each hunting stand is stored on the server. The primary wind direction is the direction the wind blows from the location where the game is expected to be towards the hunting stand. Therefore, if the actual wind direction is identical to the primary wind direction, the wind blows directly from the game towards the hunting stand.

[0019] Furthermore, software is installed on the server that calculates the difference to the primary wind direction from the currently measured wind direction value for the respective hunting stand and stores the amount of this difference for the respective time and hunting stand as a wind direction difference value.

[0020] The software then performs a classification for each wind direction difference value and assigns each wind direction difference value either the suitability class green as particularly suitable for hunting at this stand, yellow as conditionally suitable for hunting at this stand, or red as unsuitable for hunting at this stand at the respective time.

[0021] From the stored wind direction difference values ​​for various times, the software then creates a graph that visually represents the current wind direction over time at the respective hunting stand. It has proven particularly useful to display only the suitability classes green, yellow, or red in the graph, allowing the hunter to see at a glance whether this hunting stand is suitable for hunting on that day.

[0022] The suitability class “green” indicates good suitability for hunting and is assigned to the wind direction difference value if the amount of the wind direction difference value does not exceed a first limit value, whereby the first limit value is at least 30 degrees, but can also be higher, namely up to 105 degrees.

[0023] The suitability class “red” indicates poor suitability for hunting and is assigned to the wind direction difference value if the amount of the wind direction difference value exceeds a second limit value, whereby the second limit value is at least 75 degrees, but can also be higher, namely up to 150 degrees.

[0024] If the value of the wind direction difference is between the first and second limit values, the hunting stand is assigned the suitability class "yellow" as conditionally suitable for hunting.

[0025] In some hunting areas, several hunting stands are available, and in this case it is advisable to carry out a separate measurement and evaluation of the wind data for each stand so that the hunter can select the optimal stand.

[0026] The practical application of the device and method according to the invention is described in detail below: A device for measuring the current wind direction, a connected microcontroller, and a GSM module are installed at a hunting blind. The microcontroller and GSM module are housed in a waterproof enclosure. The primary wind direction for this blind is determined and stored on a server. The wind direction is measured every 60 seconds and temporarily stored in the microcontroller. Every 15 minutes, the GSM module transmits the accumulated wind data to a server for further analysis.

[0027] Software installed on the server calculates a wind direction difference value for a given time based on the measured wind direction value and the primary wind direction for that hunting stand. The magnitude of this wind direction difference value is then used to determine a suitability class. If the wind direction difference value is less than or equal to 90 degrees, the software assigns the hunting stand the suitability class "green" for that time; if the wind direction difference value is greater than 90 degrees but less than or equal to 135 degrees, the software assigns the hunting stand the suitability class "yellow" for that time; and if the wind direction difference value is greater than 135 degrees, the software assigns the hunting stand the suitability class "red" for that time.The suitability class "green" signals to the hunter that this hunting stand is suitable for hunting at this time, "yellow" signals to the hunter that this hunting stand is conditionally suitable at this time, and "red" signals to the hunter that this hunting stand is unsuitable for hunting at this time.

[0028] The suitability class determined for each measurement time (green, yellow or red) is graphically displayed by the software, and this graphic can be viewed by the user, in this case the hunter, provided he logs into the server and accesses the corresponding hunting stand.

[0029] It goes without saying that the suitability class is also determined for any other hunting blinds, so that the user can conveniently find out from his home computer or mobile phone which blind is suitable for hunting on the day of the hunt, in order to then specifically visit this blind.

[0030] In another embodiment, a wind speed sensor is additionally mounted on the hunting stand. The wind speed at the stand is also measured every 60 seconds and stored in the microcontroller. The wind speed data, along with the wind direction data, is transmitted to a server every 15 minutes. On the server, a suitability class is assigned to each measured wind speed. The suitability class "green" is assigned if the measured wind speed is less than or equal to 30 km / h, and the suitability class "red" is assigned if the measured wind speed is greater than 30 km / h. Here, too, the software generates a graph showing the suitability classes over time for each hunting stand and makes this graph accessible to the user / hunter.