The present invention relates to a floating water fowl decoy used for hunting.
Hunters often use decoys to attract prey into an area which the prey would consider safe. Water fowl decoys are well known which mimic the shape and coloration of a water fowl. Various types of decoys are used on land while other types of decoys are used to float in water. The floating decoys are placed by the hunter in water to which the ducks are attracted. The decoys typically have a fowl shaped body made of a buoyant material using a variety of methods. Early decoys were carved from wood which often became water logged and did not last long. Later, decoys were carved from cork. While the cork decoys were more buoyant and lighter to carry, the cork decoys also degraded over time. Recently, most decoys are produced from blow-molded plastic. The decoys are inexpensive and very light weight. However, these decoys are easily damaged and must be replaced often.
Decoys have also been made from styrofoam with cloth covers. However, these decoys are easily torn and destroyed. Also, decoys have been made from urethane foam which produces a solid foam decoy. The solid foam decoy is, however brittle and therefore subject to breakage. This type of foam decoy does not allow the decoy to have detailed features to more accurately mimic a live water fowl.
In addition, the previous decoys have keels which are fixed and have molded fixed heads. Since water fowl typically have their heads in several different positions while swimming, floating, eating or cleaning themselves, many versions of each species of duck decoys must be made. Various duck decoys have been made with moveable heads to eliminate the need for different versions of each species of decoy.
Further, decoys are used in various depths of water, such as in swamps with minimal water depth or more open waters with high waves. The decoys are subject to further abuse since they sometimes are put on the shore as ground decoys. Further, the decoys are hauled to and from the sites where the hunters are hunting and the decoys are handled roughly. The decoys are thrown in and out of the storage trucks or boats. Further, they may be chewed on by the hunting dogs or accidentally shot. Therefore, the hunters must often replace the worn or broken decoys with new decoys.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved water fowl decoy which does not have the many drawbacks discussed above.
The present invention relates to a water fowl decoy having excellent detail. The decoy has an outer body shell which is molded in a mold such that fine detailing and feathering and structural wing curvature and tail design can be imparted to the outer body shell. The decoy has a head component which can also be molded in a hard mold with few parting lines or in a flexible mold. In a preferred embodiment, a flexible mold is used to minimize parting lines between the head and/or the body such that the decoy has a more desirable appearance.
The outer body shell of the decoy has a realistic exterior which resembles a particular water fowl being hunted. The outer shell is molded and/or painted in any desired shape or color to lure the desired game. The molded shell has a surface that readily accepts paint or other coatings to mimic the feathering the desired water fowl. A buoyant core material is contained within the outer shell. The buoyant core material is less dense than the outer body shell. A removable keel is positioned at the bottom of the outer shell.
In a preferred embodiment, the outer shell is made of a urethane microcellular elastomer material, preferably having a density of between about 15 to 45 lbs/cu ft. while the buoyant core material is made of an encapsulated light weight material such as urethane foam or a styrene material, such as Styrofoam(copyright) and typically has a density of between about 1.0 to 8.0 lbs/cu ft. The differences in the density between the buoyant core material and the outer shell allow the decoy to float at a preferred depth in a body of water.
In preferred embodiments, the core material comprises a urethane foam material. According to a novel aspect of the present invention, the densities of the outer shell material and the buoyant core material are within ranges that permit the decoy to have a waterline (i.e., sit in the water at a desired depth) that substantially mimics the relative water level position of where a live fowl sits in the water. That is, a duck decoy will generally be different from a goose decoy.
Further, the buoyant core material provides the water fowl with a sufficient buoyancy such that the decoy remains in an uprighted position. The decoy typically floats in the water like a real bird because the outer shell provides sufficient weight to the decoy while the keel aids in keeping the decoy upright in the water.
In a preferred embodiment, the keel can be removed from the decoy such that the decoy can either be used in the water with the keel inserted into the outer shell or the keel can be removed for placement of the decoy on the ground.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a water fowl decoy system which is both realistic and durable. The decoy of the present invention floats well and is realistic in its markings. The decoy of the present invention does not easily ding, dent, crack or break. The decoy is generally unaffected by environmental conditions such as exposure to oil and gasoline, extreme temperatures, a stray shot, or damage by animals.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a decoy which accepts a variety of different types of heads which are available in different poses for attaching to the body of the decoy.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a decoy which accepts paint or other coating finishes which remain coatings flexible and do not chip or flake off. The coatings withstand seasons of harsh environments with little maintenance.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a decoy with a fixed or removable keel that provides the decoy with stability and buoyancy.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent in the course of the following description.