Weapon-Mounted Turkey Decoy for Concealed Approach

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Solution Overview

Problem

In turkey hunting, it is challenging for hunters to successfully lure gobblers due to their wariness of unusual sounds or activity, making it difficult to get close enough for a successful hunt despite camouflage and skilled calling.

Innovation Solution

A turkey decoy system where a decoy resembling a turkey's fan is mounted on a hunter's weapon, allowing the hunter to move the decoy to mimic a real turkey's movements, thereby attracting the gobbler's attention while keeping the hunter concealed, and can be coupled to the weapon to free hands for shooting.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a hunter uses a turkey call to mimic hen sounds and remains hidden with camouflage, then the gobbler may be enticed to advance, but the gobbler is easily frightened by unusual sounds or activity making it difficult to get close enough for a successful hunt

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehunter's ability to remain concealedVSAvoidsuccess rate of luring gobbler

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a decoy turkey as an intermediary element between the hunter and the gobbler. The decoy is positioned between the hunter and the gobbler to attract the gobbler's attention and distract it from the hunter's presence. This mediator allows the hunter to remain concealed while still effectively luring the gobbler within shooting distance, resolving the contradiction between maintaining concealment and successfully attracting the target.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The hunting system is segmented into distinct functional components: the hunter, the decoy turkey, and the calling system. The decoy serves as a separate entity that handles the attraction function, while the hunter focuses on remaining concealed and ready to shoot. This segmentation allows each component to optimize its specific function, improving overall hunting success while maintaining the hunter's concealed position.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Speed

If a hunter actively moves to approach a gobbler, then the hunter can get into a better shooting position, but the gobbler becomes more wary of unusual activity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehunter's ability to approach targetVSAvoidgobbler's wariness of unusual activity

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The decoy turkey acts as a moving intermediary that the hunter can manipulate to approach the gobbler. By moving the decoy instead of the hunter directly, the system creates unusual activity that attracts rather than alarms the gobbler. The decoy absorbs the attention of the gobbler, allowing the hunter to close the distance while the gobbler remains focused on the decoy's movements rather than detecting the hunter's approach.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The decoy is designed to be dynamically movable, allowing the hunter to adjust its position and movements in real-time to simulate natural turkey behavior. This dynamic capability enables the hunter to actively approach the gobbler while the decoy's naturalistic movements keep the gobbler engaged and less wary, resolving the contradiction between movement speed and avoiding alarm.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of manufacture

If a hunter uses extensive camouflage and skilled calling, then the hunter can fool the gobbler into believing calls are from a real hen, but it is often difficult to successfully lure a gobbler resulting in many unsuccessful hunts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehunter's skill and effort in camouflage and callingVSAvoidsuccess rate of the hunt

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The decoy turkey serves as a physical intermediary that enhances the effectiveness of the hunter's calling and camouflage efforts. While the hunter continues to use skilled calling and camouflage, the decoy provides a visual component that reinforces the illusion of a real hen presence. This combination of auditory calling, visual decoy, and camouflage creates a more convincing scenario, significantly improving the reliability of successfully luring the gobbler compared to calling alone.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges multiple hunting techniques into a unified system: camouflage, turkey calling, and visual decoy are combined into a single integrated approach. Rather than relying on any single method, the system combines these elements to create a multi-sensory attraction system that addresses the gobbler's senses of sight and sound simultaneously, thereby increasing the overall success rate while maintaining the hunter's concealed position.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS9661842B2Turkey hunting systems and methods

Publication Date: 2017.05.30 BIG PINE INNOVATIONS

AI summary

Rather than trying to call a gobbler and waiting for the gobbler to approach, the hunter instead attempts to seek a gobbler while holding a decoy. As the hunter comes within sight of the gobbler, he can slowly move (e.g., tilt and/or rotate) the decoy so that its fan moves in a manner that mimics movement of a real turkey. It has been found that the gobbler will often fixate on the decoy failing to notice the hunter even when he is not well camouflaged. In fact, the gobbler will often approach the decoy in an aggressive manner making it much less wary than in a typical hunt where a hunter is attempting to make calls that imitate a hen. When the hunter feels that the gobbler is fixated on the decoy, he can couple the decoy to his weapon thereby freeing both of his hands for operating his weapon.