Portable support for a field implement

Abstract

A portable support for field implements, including a shaft, a socket assembly, and an equipment support mechanism. The socket assembly can be worn by the user, and the shaft can be inserted into the socket assembly in the field, making the portable support easier to transport into the field, such as to a hunting blind or tree stand. The socket assembly can be incorporated into clothing such as a boot, for example. The portable support can be supported by the user, avoiding the need for positioning the portable support on limited space such as on a tree stand, or uneven surfaces as may be found in the field. The field implement can rest on and be stabilized by the equipment support mechanism to aid in support of the weight of the field implement for an extended duration, and to steady the field implement.

Description

Portable Support for a Field ImplementCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of United States provisional application no. 63 / 602,326, filed 22 November 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION a. Field of the Invention

[0002] The invention relates to portable supports to support and stabilize field implements. The invention further relates to an apparatus for supporting such field implements from a body part or clothing to support and stabilize the field implements. The invention additionally relates to methods of supporting field implements. b. Background Art

[0003] One type of background art is rifle supports. Various rifle supports, including tripods, bipods, monopods, or “shooting sticks” have been introduced to help support the weight of a rifle and to aid in stabilizing the rifle while hunting. These existing supports generally contact the ground and may be adjustable to accommodate varying heights. Such existing supports are not well adapted for use in some hunting situations where ground support is impractical, such as when hunting from a tree stand, or when the ground is irregularly shaped, sloped, and / or unstable. There remains a need for apparatuses and methods for supporting and stabilizing field implements in such situations.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] In preferred embodiments, the invention includes portable apparatuses and methods for supporting and stabilizing field implements. Preferred apparatuses include a portable support having an elongated member with a lower portion and an upper portion, a socket assembly for removably receiving the lower portion, and anequipment support mechanism securable to the upper portion of the elongated member, the equipment support mechanism being, in some configurations, removably engageable with the field implements.

[0005] In some embodiments, the socket assembly can be attached to or incorporated into a clothing item such as a boot. In some embodiments, the socket assembly can be secured to the user (e.g., directly or indirectly clipped onto or otherwise attached to a natural or prosthetic body part, or to a boot or shoe or other clothing article).

[0006] Some embodiments include methods of supporting field implements, the methods including the steps of providing a portable support comprising an elongated member with a lower portion and an upper portion, a socket assembly for removably receiving the lower portion, and an equipment support mechanism secured to, or securable to, the upper portion of the elongated member, the equipment support mechanism being, in some configurations, removably engageable with the field implements or the user, and using the equipment support mechanism to support the field implements.

[0007] In some embodiments, the height or length of the elongated member can be adjusted to locate the equipment support mechanism at a desired location to support a field implement.

[0008] In some embodiments, the orientation of the elongated member can be adjusted to orient the equipment support mechanism in a desired orientation to support the field implement.

[0009] These and various other advantages and features that characterize the present invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, its advantages and objects obtained by its use, reference should be made to the drawings that form a further part hereof, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which there is illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the present invention.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] In the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts of the various embodiments throughout the several views, and the various embodiments generally differ only in the manner described and / or shown, but otherwise include parts corresponding to the parts in the other various embodiments.

[0011] Fig. 1 is an isometric view of the front and right side of a portable support for a field implement of the present invention, depicting a socket assembly, an elongated member or shaft, and an equipment support mechanism, shown mounted to a user’s leg (depicted in phantom).

[0012] Fig. 2 is an isometric view of the back and left side of just the portable support for a field implement of Fig. 1 .

[0013] Fig. 3 is a front view of the portable support of Fig. 1 .

[0014] Fig. 4 is a right side view of the portable support of Fig. 1 .

[0015] Fig. 5 is an exploded, isometric view of the portable support of Fig. 1 , showing the elongated member and the equipment support mechanism exploded away from the socket assembly and the attachment mechanism.

[0016] Fig. 6 depicts a portion of the portable support of Fig. 1 , showing the adjustability of portions of the elongated member or shaft.

[0017] Fig. 7 is an isometric view of the back and left side of the portable support of Fig. 1 , shown mounted to a user’s leg (depicted in phantom) and supporting a field implement (i.e. , a rifle also depicted in phantom).

[0018] Fig. 8 is an isometric view of the front and right side of a boot having mounted thereon a second embodiment of a socket assembly and attachment mechanism according to the present invention.

[0019] Fig. 9 is a right side view of the boot, socket assembly, and attachment mechanism shown in Fig. 8.

[0020] Fig. 10 is an isometric view of the front and right side of a boot having mounted thereon a third embodiment of a socket assembly and attachment mechanism according to the present invention.

[0021] Fig. 11 is a right side view of the boot, socket assembly, and attachment mechanism shown in Fig. 10.

[0022] Fig. 12 is a front view of the portable support for a field implement of the present invention according to a fourth embodiment, showing a socket assembly secured to a leg of a user and pivoted to orient the elongated member to a desired configuration to support the field implement.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Referring now to the drawings, the invention includes a portable support 10 for a field implement (see, for example, the rifle 6 shown in phantom in Fig. 7) that aids a person in supporting and / or stabilizing the field implement. Field implements include implements used in the field that need to be, or that benefit from being, supported and / or stabilized during use. Thus, the invention relates to portable supports to temporary stabilize field implements such as, for example, hunting equipment (e.g., a rifle or other firearm, a crossbow, an archery bow, a spotting scope, binoculars, a monocular, a wind indicator, a rangefinder, a game call, a game camera, and the like) and photography equipment (e.g., a handheld camera, a cellphone camera, a videorecorder, a camcorder, a television recorder, a digital video recorder, a zoom or telephoto lens, a webcam, a gimbal, and the like).

[0024] As illustrated in Figs. 1-7 and 12, the portable support 10 (Figs. 1-7), 10' (Fig. 12) may include an elongated member or shaft 20, an equipment support mechanism 60, a socket assembly 70, 70'", and an attachment mechanism 80, 80'". The equipment support mechanism 60 comprises a support body 62 (see, e.g., Figs.1 , 5, and 7) that may comprise, for example, a V-shaped support (as shown to good advantage in, for example, Figs. 1 -3 and 5), a U-shaped support, a pocket-like support, a trough-like support, a planar support, and / or a grip-shaped support orother tactile support, the support body 62 is thereby configured to support and / or stabilize the field implement 6. Alternatively or additionally, the equipment support mechanism 60 may comprise, for example, at least one clamp, at least one magnetic surface or other magnetic support, hook-and-loop tape or another binding surface, and / or a screw or other threaded mount (e.g., a 1 / 4”-20 or 3 / 8”-20 threaded screw).

[0025] The elongated member or shaft 20 is typically arranged generally in a vertical orientation, and includes a lower portion 22, a lower curved portion 23, a distance adjustment portion 26, an upper curved portion 27, and an upper portion 30. The equipment support mechanism 60 is secured to the elongated member 20 at the distal end of the upper portion 30 (e.g., by a support attachment feature 66).

[0026] The socket assembly 70, 70', 70", and 70'" includes a socket body 72, 72', 72', and 72", respectively, having a receptacle 74 that can receive the lower portion 22 of the elongated member 20. In some embodiments, the socket assembly 70 is securable to a user 2 or to clothing worn by the user such as a boot 4 (e.g., Figs. 1 and 7-11 ) or pants 90 (Fig. 12). In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1 , the socket assembly 70 is configured to removably attach to the boot 4 by attachment mechanism 80. In some embodiments, the socket assembly 70' is secured to the boot 4 by slipping a hook 88 into a boot 4, such as is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. In some embodiments, the socket assembly 70" is permanently or temporarily attached to clothing such as a boot 4 (see attachment panel 81 in Fig. 10) or pants 90 (see attachment panel 8T in Fig. 12).

[0027] In some embodiments, the equipment support mechanism 60 includes an alignment guide or equipment stabilizing feature such as support body 62 (shown in Figs. 1 , 5, and 7) on which the field implement may rest (see, e.g., rifle 6 shown in Fig. 7). In some embodiments, the equipment support mechanism 60 is incorporated together with the upper portion 30 of the elongated member 20. In the example embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 -7, the equipment support mechanism 60 is removably attachable to the upper portion 30 of the elongated member 20 by a support attachment feature 66. In some embodiments, the support attachment feature 66includes threaded elements as is shown in Figs. 1-7, wherein threads of the support attachment feature 66 engage corresponding threads in the upper portion 30 of the elongated member 20. In some embodiments, the support attachment feature 66 provides for adjustment of the relative height or orientation of the equipment support mechanism 60 with respect to the upper portion 30 of the elongated member 20.

[0028] In some embodiments, the equipment support mechanism 60 is configured to removably secure the field implement to the equipment support mechanism 60, such as by mechanical or magnetic elements. Such securement can provide a relatively fixed removable securement; alternatively, such securement can provide a flexible or adjustable removable securement, allowing the user engage the securement while being able to vary the exact positioning and orientation of the field implement without having to disengage the securement.

[0029] In some embodiments, the portable support 10 has an orientation that aligns with an aiming direction of the field implement, with the orientation of the portable support 10 being adjustable.

[0030] In some embodiments, the elongated member 20 includes a distance adjustment portion 26 (see, e.g., Figs. 5 and 6) that is arranged between the upper portion 30 and the lower portion 22 of the elongated member 20. The distance adjustment portion 26 can be configured with curves or angles so that the upper portion 30 may be displaced a distance from the lower portion 22, so that the equipment support mechanism 60 is located farther from the user 2 than the receptacle 74 of the socket assembly 70 when the lower portion 22 and the upper portion 30 are arranged substantially vertically in front of the user. In this way, the equipment stabilizing feature 64 can better support, balance, and stabilize the field implement.

[0031] In some embodiments, elements such as the equipment support mechanism 60, the upper portion 30, the distance adjustment portion 26, the lower portion 22, and the receptacle 74 engage with adjacent elements in a way that provides for distance and angular adjustment so that the equipment support mechanism 60 can be located as needed at a desired height, distance, and direction with respect to the user. For example, as shown in Fig. 6, a length adjustment mechanism 40A, 40B, 40C can beincorporated that provides for an upper length adjustment 44 via 40C, a lower length adjustment 42 via 40A, and / or a distance adjustment 28 via 40B, such as by telescoping of adjacent elements as illustrated in Fig. 6. In some embodiments, some adjacent elements can rotate with respect to each other; in some embodiments, some adjacent elements can telescope with respect to each other; and in some embodiments, some adjacent elements can pivot with respect to each other. In some embodiments, some adjacent elements include threaded features that enable length and orientation adjustments. Alternatively, it may be possible to adjust the friction between some adjacent elements, whereby the relative position of components may be adjusted while the inter-component friction is decreased and then held fast when the inter-component friction is increased. In some embodiments, some adjustments are limited by stops, keys, keyways, grooves, or other mechanical elements. Some embodiments include a collar 24 (see, e.g., Fig. 5) secured to the lower portion 22 that could, for example, limit how far the lower portion 22 may extend into the receptacle 74, or to control whether the lower curved portion 23 may be adjusted relative to the lower portion 22. In some embodiments, the location of the collar 24 with respect to the lower portion 22 is adjustable to provide a preset configuration to facilitate assembly.

[0032] In the embodiment illustrated in, e.g., Figs. 1 , 5, and 7, the socket assembly 70 is attached to a brace 82 that is configured for attachment to the boot 4 by fasteners (such as slide buckles 84) and straps (such as tensioning straps 85 and anchoring straps 86) that secure the brace 82 to the boot 4. An attachment mechanism 80 (comprising, e.g., slide buckles 84 and straps 85, 86) can be provided to allow the location and orientation of the socket assembly 70 to be adjusted with respect to the boot 4, and to accommodate various sizes and configurations of the boot 4. In some embodiments, the straps 85, 86 are hook-and-loop straps that together with the fasteners 84 allow variable cinching of the straps 85, 86 to provide securement of the socket assembly 70 to the boot 4 in a desired orientation. In some embodiments, the socket body 72 is secured to the brace 82 by clamps 76 and fasteners 78; the height and / or orientation of the socket body 72 with respect to the brace 82 can be adjusted by using the clamps 76 and the fasteners 78. In someembodiments, some elements can be combined, such as the socket body 72 which can be molded or formed together with the brace 82. In some embodiments, a stop pin 79 is provided to limit the amount of the lower portion 22 that is received in the receptacle 74 (and to prevent the lower portion 22 from extending below the socket body 72). The stop pin 79 can also limit the adjustment of the socket body 72 with respect to the brace 82. The stop 79 can be utilized as an alternative to or in addition to, for example, the collar 24 to limit the location of the lower portion 22 within the receptacle 74 of the socket body 72. In some embodiments, the brace 82 includes padding 83 to help the brace 82 conform to the boot 4 or to provide for comfort for the user 2.

[0033] The portable support 10 can be utilized when the user 2 is in various positions, including standing as illustrated in Fig. 1 , sitting as illustrated in Fig. 12, and other positions. By adjusting the various elements, the height, distance, angular orientation, and so forth, of the equipment support mechanism 60 with respect to the socket assembly 70 can be chosen as desired for the particular situation encountered by the user 2. In some embodiments, the portable support 10 can be adjusted or reconfigured by the user to accommodate different positions and situations, by telescoping or pivoting elements as described herein, for example, to transition between such different positions and situations.

[0034] As is illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, in some embodiments the socket assembly 70' is removably secured to the boot 4 by slipping a hook 88 into a boot. The hook 88 can be configured to match the shape of the boot 4. This configuration provides for simple attachment of the socket assembly 70' to and detachment from the boot 4, and allows the socket assembly 70', and therefore the portable support 10, to be quickly transferred from one boot 4 to another boot 4, such as from a right boot 4 to a left boot 4, or from one user 2 to another user. The configuration of the hook 88 can be chosen so that the hook 88 applies an interlocking or pinching of the boot 4 so that the boot 4 is securely held between the hook 88 and other portions of the socket assembly 70', so that when the socket assembly 70' is secured to the boot 4, the equipment support mechanism 60 is held in a stable position with respect to the boot 4. In some embodiments, the boot 4 may be adapted to facilitate securementwith respect to the hook 88 and the socket assembly 70'. In some embodiments, the shape and stiffness of the hook 88 is chosen to facilitate removable assembly onto the boot 4. In some embodiments, the hook 88 may include shape features that interact with corresponding features in the boot 4 to facilitate securement of the socket assembly 70’, such as mechanical or shape features, magnetic features, clasping or interlocking features, and so forth. In these embodiments, the socket assembly 70' and the hook 88 interact with the boot 4 to provide locational and orientational stability of the socket assembly 70' with respect to the boot 4, so that the equipment support mechanism 60 is held in a stable position so that the user 2 can support and stabilize the field implement 6 using the portable support 10. The hook 88 is configured for minimal interference with the foot of the user 2 so that the boot 4 can be worn by the user 2 with the socket assembly 70' secured to the boot 4 by the hook 88. In particular, the configuration of the hook 88 is chosen so that the lower portion of the hook 88 does not extend to intersect with the foot of the user 2 such as to be uncomfortable. The thickness of the hook 88 is chosen so that the boot 4 will comfortably accommodate the leg and foot of the user 2 when the hook 88 is in place securing the socket assembly 70'. The hook 88 is curved to accommodate the shape of the boot and the body of the user 2. In some embodiments, the hook 88 includes padding to help the hook 88 conform to the boot 4 or to provide for comfort for the user 2.

[0035] As is illustrated in Fig. 10, in some embodiments the socket assembly 70" is incorporated into the boot 4'. In this embodiment, the collar 24 (see, e.g., Figs. 1 , 2, and 5) can be used to control the depth of insertion of the lower portion 22 (shown in, e.g., Figs. 5 and 6) in the receptacle 74". Such depth control can be useful in ensuring that a sufficient length of the lower portion 22 is inserted into the receptacle 74" to provide a stable engagement between the lower portion 22 and the receptacle 74", or to fix a pre-set depth for the particular dimensions of the boot 4', or to adjust the height of the equipment support mechanism 60 (see, e.g., Figs. 1 -7) to the desired location of a field implement 6 (see, e.g., Fig. 12).

[0036] In other embodiments, the socket assembly 70", 70"' may be secured to or incorporated into other clothing items such as pants, a belt, a leg brace, a vest, ashirt, a jacket, a chest harness, and so forth, or it may be secured to or incorporated into a prosthetic device.

[0037] In some embodiments, the portable support 10' is utilized as illustrated in Fig. 12 to support the field implements 6, with the upper portion 30 and lower portion 22 and distance adjustment portion 28 of the elongated member 20 (see, e.g., Fig. 6) arranged to place the equipment support mechanism 60 at a desired location for support of the field implement 6 by the equipment stabilizing feature 64 (see, e.g., Fig. 5) so that the field implement 6 is supported, oriented, balanced, and / or stabilized as desired by the user 2.

[0038] As illustrated in Fig. 12, in some embodiments the socket assembly 70'" includes a pivot mechanism 50 that provides for pivoting of the socket body 72" with respect to the attachment panel 81 '. In some embodiments, the socket assembly 70'" is secured to a user 2, such as by straps 85, 86 (not shown in Fig. 12) secured around the leg of the user 2. In these embodiments, the socket body 72" is typically arranged at a medial aspect or at a lateral aspect of the leg of the user 2 to allow for the pivot mechanism 50 to pivot the socket body 72" to a desired pivot angle 52 with respect to the attachment panel 81 '. In a similar manner, the socket assembly 70'" can be attached to the boot 4 at the medial or the lateral aspect so that the pivot mechanism 50 can pivot the socket body 72" with respect to the boot 4.

[0039] Depending on the particular application, clothing, and other equipment utilized, the socket assembly 70"' can be positioned at various locations with respect to the user 2. For example, in some embodiments, the socket assembly 70"' is configured and arranged so that the socket body 72" is at the medial aspect of the natural or prosthetic body part or clothing to which the socket assembly is secured. In other example embodiments, socket assembly 70'" is configured and arranged so that the socket body 72" is at the lateral aspect of the body part or clothing to which the socket assembly is secured. In other example embodiments, socket assembly 70'" is configured and arranged so that the socket body 72" is at the anterior aspect of the body part or clothing to which the socket assembly is secured.

[0040] In some embodiments, the portable support 10 includes a socket assembly 70 having a socket body 72 that is secured to other structures or equipment, such as a blind, a vehicle, a wheelchair, a walker or other mobility assistance device, a tree stand, and so forth. In some embodiments, the portable support 10 includes a plurality of socket bodies 72, each having a receptacle 74, allowing for the lower portion 30 of the elongated member 20 to be received in any of the receptacles 74, and to be moved between the receptacles 74 as desired by the user 2.

[0041] In some embodiments, the portable support 10 is adapted for use in supporting a field implement 6, which can include a rifle, a carbine, a pistol, a firearm, a bow, a crossbow, a scope, a still camera, a video camera, a trail cam, a lens, binoculars, a monocular, a telescope, infrared optics, night-vision optics, a rangefinder, or the like. The term “field implement” is used herein for convenience; while many uses of the portable support are to provide support for equipment such as firearms that are used in hunting, the invention can be utilized for non-hunting activities, such as for watching or photographing wildlife, for measurement, for reconnaissance, or for other activities. In some embodiments, additional adapter structures can be utilized to effectively support various field implements 6 using the equipment support mechanism 60 of the portable support 10. For example, some field implements 6, such as certain cameras or binoculars, may not be configured in a shape that easily accommodates the shape of the equipment stabilizing feature 64 depicted in, for example, Fig. 5. In these situations, an adapter structure can be utilized to provide a compatible shape or structure or mounting configuration. For example, an adapter can be utilized that includes standard 1 / 4-20 UNC or 3 / 8-16 UNC threads or other connectors for a camera or scope, and which adapter includes an extended portion that protrudes below the portion of the camera or scope to be supported, so that the extended portion can rest in a stabilized manner on the equipment stabilizing feature.

[0042] In some embodiments, the invention includes use of the portable support 10 in supporting a field implement 6.

[0043] One object of the present invention is to provide a portable support for field implements that is easily transported into the field, such as to a hunting location, tree stand, or the like.

[0044] Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable support for field implements that can be entirely supported by the user, yet provides for support and stabilization of the field implements.

[0045] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a portable support for field implements that can be easily assembled and disassembled in the field.

[0046] Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method of supporting field implements using a portable support that is easily transported, assembled, and disassembled.

[0047] Various embodiments are described herein of various apparatus and / or systems. Numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the overall structure, function, manufacture, and / or use of the embodiments as described in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood by those skilled in the art, however, that the embodiments may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known operations, components, and elements have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments described in the specification. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that the embodiments described and illustrated herein are non-limiting examples, and thus it can be appreciated that the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein may be representative and do not necessarily limit the scope of the embodiments, the scope of which is defined solely by the appended claims.

[0048] Reference throughout the specification to “various embodiments,” “some embodiments,” “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an exemplary embodiment,” or the like, means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in various embodiments,” “in some embodiments,” “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” “in an exemplary embodiment,” or the like, inplaces throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. Thus, the particular features, structures, or characteristics illustrated or described in connection with one embodiment may be combined, in whole or in part, with the features structures, or characteristics of one or more other embodiments without limitation given that such combination is not illogical or non-functional.

[0049] As used herein, terms such as “inside”, “outside”, “inner”, “outer”, “height”, “width” “thickness”, “top”, “bottom”, “side”, “above”, “below”, and so forth generally are used herein with their ordinary meaning, consistent with the drawings herein illustrating the invention. These general direction and orientation indications are used herein for clarity of presentation, but are not necessarily intended to be limiting. For example, the “width” of an element may be longer than the “length” of the element, and “height” may be used to describe a vertical dimension of an element, but still used if in some views or embodiments that element is oriented horizontally, for consistency and clarity of presentation, unless such interpretation would be inconsistent with the teachings of the present disclosure. While the arrangements described in detail herein are preferred, some disclosed elements can be oriented or ordered differently but within the scope of the present disclosure, to the extent that such variations are not illogical or non-functional, and are consistent with the teachings of the present disclosure in view of the art.

[0050] It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, number, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. Specific elements herein described with relation to any of the embodiments disclosed herein may be combined or substituted to the extent that such combination or substitution is consistent with the general functioning of the invention and the teachings herein, and as consistent with the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:1 . A portable support to aid a person in supporting a field implement, the portable support comprising: an elongated member having a lower portion and an upper portion; a socket assembly for removably receiving the lower portion of the elongated member; and an equipment support mechanism securable to the upper portion of the elongated member, the equipment support mechanism being removably engageable with the field implement.

2. The portable support of claim 1 , wherein the socket assembly can pivot to orient the elongated member.

3. The portable support of claim 1 , wherein the upper portion of the elongated member is adapted to telescope with respect to the lower portion of the elongated member.

4. The portable support of claim 1 , wherein the upper portion of the elongated member is adapted to pivot with respect to the lower portion of the elongated member.

5. The portable support of claim 1 , wherein the equipment support mechanism has an adjustable height feature.

6. The portable support of claim 1 , wherein the field implement has an aiming direction, and wherein the equipment support mechanism has an orientation that aligns with the aiming direction of the field implement, and wherein the orientation of the equipment support mechanism can be adjusted.

7. The portable support of claim 1 , wherein the field implement is selected from the group consisting of a rifle, a carbine, a pistol, a firearm, an archery bow, a crossbow, aspotting scope, a still camera, a handheld camera, a cellphone camera, a video camera, a trail camera, a videorecorder, a camcorder, a television recorder, a digital video recorder, a zoom lens, a telephoto lens, a webcam, a gimbal, a lens, binoculars, a monocular, a telescope, infrared optics, night-vision optics, a wind indicator, a game call, and a rangefinder.

8. The portable support of claim 1 , wherein the socket assembly is removably securable to the person.

9. The portable support of claim 8 further comprising means to removably secure the socket assembly to a clothing item worn by the person.

10. The portable support of claim 9, wherein the clothing item is selected from the group consisting of a boot, a sleeve, a vest, a shirt, a jacket, pants, a belt, a leg brace, a chest harness, and a prosthetic device.11 . The portable support of claim 8, wherein the socket assembly is incorporated into a clothing item worn by the person.

12. The portable support of claim 11 , wherein the clothing item is selected from a group consisting of a boot, a vest, pants, a belt, a leg brace, and a chest harness.

13. The portable support of claim 8, wherein the equipment support mechanism includes an alignment guide.

14. The portable support of claim 13, wherein the field implement is adapted to rest on the equipment support mechanism.

15. The portable support of claim 8, wherein the socket assembly can pivot to orient the elongated member.

16. The portable support of claim 8, wherein the upper portion of the elongated member is adapted to telescope with respect to the lower portion of the elongated member.

17. A method of supporting a field implement, the method comprising the steps of: using a portable support to support the field equipment, wherein the portable support includes an elongated member having a lower portion and an upper portion, a socket assembly for removably receiving the lower portion of the elongated member, and an equipment support mechanism securable to the upper portion of the elongated member, the equipment support mechanism being removably engageable with the field implement.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the steps of: assembling the lower portion into the socket assembly; and securing the equipment support mechanism to the upper portion.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of: removing the lower portion from the socket assembly; providing a second socket assembly; and assembling the lower portion into the second socket assembly.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the socket assembly is removably securable to a person, and wherein the method further comprises securing the socket assembly to the person.21 . The method of claim 20, wherein the socket assembly is removably securable to a natural or prosthetic body part, and wherein the method further comprises securing the socket assembly to the natural or prosthetic body part.

22. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of securing the socket assembly to a clothing item worn by the person.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the clothing item is selected from a group consisting of a boot, a sleeve, a vest, a shirt, a jacket, pants, a belt, a leg brace, a chest harness, and a prosthetic device.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the socket assembly is secured to a clothing item using a strap.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the socket assembly is incorporated into a clothing item.

26. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of adjusting the position of the equipment support mechanism with respect to the socket assembly.

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