Animated decoys

Abstract

Animated decoys each having a flexible decoy body which is supported on a self-contained decoy movement device that imparts life-like movement to the decoy body. In a first preferred embodiment, the decoy body is formed of a flexible sheet material such as rubber or foam rubber, typically in the two-dimensional shape of a fowl, and includes an opening which inserts on a cylindrical collar provided on the decoy movement device. The decoy movement device is supported on the upper end of a tapered spring which is provided on the upper end of an elongated, flexible support rod, the lower end of which support rod is typically inserted in the ground. The tapered spring permits life-like feeding or swimming movements of the decoy body imparted by the decoy movement device to attract predators or other fowl for photography, observation or hunting purposes. In a second embodiment, the decoy body is constructed in the three-dimensional size and shape of a turkey, hen, deer or other fowl or mammal and includes an interior pocket or pockets for receiving respective decoy movement devices which impart life-like motions to the decoy body.

Having described my invention with the particularity set forth above, what is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An animated decoy comprising: 
 a support;    a spring provided on said support;    a decoy movement device provided on said spring for movement on said spring; and    a decoy body provided on said decoy movement device, whereby said decoy body moves and simulates a live animal responsive to operation of said decoy movement device.    
     
     
         2 . The animated decoy of  claim 1  wherein said support comprises an elongated support rod having a lower end for insertion in the ground and an upper end for supporting said spring.  
     
     
         3 . The animated decoy of  claim 1  wherein said decoy movement device comprises a housing provided on said spring, a motor provided in said housing and an eccentric weight engaged by said motor, and wherein said motor rotates said weight in said housing to impart movement to said housing and said decoy body.  
     
     
         4 . The animated decoy of  claim 3  wherein said support comprises an elongated support rod having a lower end for insertion in the ground and an upper end for supporting said spring.  
     
     
         5 . The animated decoy of  claim 1  wherein said decoy body is constructed of foam rubber.  
     
     
         6 . The animated decoy of  claim 5  wherein said support comprises an elongated support rod having a lower end for insertion in the ground and an upper end for supporting said spring.  
     
     
         7 . The animated decoy of  claim 5  wherein said decoy movement device comprises a housing provided on said spring, a motor provided in said housing and an eccentric weight engaged by said motor, and wherein said motor rotates said weight in said housing to impart movement to said housing and said decoy body.  
     
     
         8 . The animated decoy of  claim 7  wherein said support comprises an elongated support rod having a lower end for insertion in the ground and an upper end for supporting said spring.  
     
     
         9 . The animated decoy of  claim 1  wherein said decoy body is shaped in the configuration of a crow, a turkey, a hen, a duck, a goose, a small mammal or a deer, and wherein said support, said spring and said decoy movement device comprises a plurality of supports, a plurality of springs provided on said plurality of supports, respectively, and a plurality of decoy movement devices provided on said plurality of springs, respectively, and said decoy body is provided on said plurality of decoy movement devices when said decoy body is shaped in the configuration of said deer.  
     
     
         10 . The animated decoy of  claim 9  wherein said support comprises an elongated support rod having a lower end for insertion in the ground and an upper end for supporting said spring.  
     
     
         11 . The animated decoy of  claim 9  wherein said decoy movement device comprises a housing provided on said spring, a motor provided in said housing and an eccentric weight engaged by said motor, and wherein said motor rotates said weight in said housing to impart movement to said housing and said decoy body.  
     
     
         12 . The animated decoy of  claim 11  wherein said support comprises an elongated support rod having a lower end for insertion in the ground and an upper end for supporting said spring.  
     
     
         13 . An animated decoy comprising: 
 a support;    a spring provided on said support;    a decoy movement device provided on said spring for movement on said spring;    a collar provided on said decoy movement device; and    a decoy body provided on said collar, whereby said decoy body moves and simulates a live animal responsive to operation of said decoy movement device.    
     
     
         14 . The animated decoy of  claim 13  wherein said support comprises an elongated support rod having a lower end for insertion in the ground and an upper end for supporting said spring.  
     
     
         15 . The animated decoy of  claim 13  wherein said decoy movement device comprises a housing provided on said spring, a motor provided in said housing and an eccentric weight engaged by said motor, and wherein said collar is provided on said housing and said motor rotates said weight in said housing to impart movement to said housing and said decoy body.  
     
     
         16 . The animated decoy ofclain  15  wherein said support comprises an elongated support rod having a lower end for insertion in the ground and an upper end for supporting said spring.  
     
     
         17 . The animated decoy of  claim 13  wherein said decoy body is shaped in the configuration of a crow, a duck or a goose.  
     
     
         18 . The animated decoy of  claim 17  wherein said support comprises an elongated support rod having a lower end for insertion in the ground and an upper end for supporting said spring.  
     
     
         19 . The animated decoy of  claim 17  wherein said decoy movement device comprises a housing provided on said spring, a motor provided in said housing and an eccentric weight engaged by said motor, wherein said collar is provided on said housing and said motor rotates said weight in said housing to impart movement to said housing and said decoy body.  
     
     
         20 . An animated decoy comprising: 
 an elongated support rod having a lower end for insertion in the ground and an upper end spaced from said lower end;    a spring provided on said upper end of said support rod;    a decoy movement device provided on said spring for movement on said spring, said decoy movement device comprising a housing provided on said spring, a motor provided in said housing and an eccentric weight engaged by said motor, wherein said motor rotates said weight in said housing to impart movement to said housing;    a collar provided on said housing of said decoy movement device;    a decoy body provided on said collar, whereby said decoy body moves and simulates a live animal responsive to operation of said decoy movement device; and 
 wherein said decoy body is shaped in the configuration of a crow, a duck or a goose.