Adjustable striker for turkey friction call

Abstract

A turkey call striker is provided for producing sounds suitable to a hunter in hunting turkeys. The turkey call striker includes a striker shaft, a compression fitting, a first body, and a second body. The compression fitting is moveable along the shaft and the first and second bodies secure the compression fitting to the shaft. The location of the compression fitting and corresponding members determines the sound produced from the turkey call striker when struck across a striker plate.

1 . A game call striker for use with a friction game call having the advantage of being easily adjustable in effective length to produce different sounds, the striker comprising:
 an elongated striker shaft having a first end and an opposite second end;   a compression fitting disposed around at least a portion of the striker shaft between the first and second ends of the striker shaft;   a first body portion positioned on the striker shaft adjacent the compression fitting; and   a second body portion positioned on the striker shaft adjacent the compression fitting and opposing the first body portion;   wherein the first and second body portions are secured to one another with the compression fitting therebetween to bias the compression fitting against the striker shaft to secure the first and second body portions to a fixed position on the striker shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The game call striker of  claim 1  wherein the compression fitting has a discontinuous cross section that does not completely surround the striker shaft. 
     
     
         3 . The game call striker of  claim 2  wherein the compression fitting has a tapered end adapted to contact the first and second body members. 
     
     
         4 . The game call striker of  claim 2  wherein the compression fitting has first and second tapered ends respectfully adapted to contact the first and second body members. 
     
     
         5 . The game call striker of  claim 1  wherein the first and second body members are adjustably engaged to each other. 
     
     
         6 . The game call striker of  claim 5  wherein the first and second body members are threadably engaged to each other. 
     
     
         7 . The game call striker of  claim 1  wherein the first body member has a bell shape with a hollow interior. 
     
     
         8 . The game call striker of  claim 1  wherein the first and second body members are removably secured to each other. 
     
     
         9 . The game call striker of  claim 1  wherein the first and second body members are adjustably secured to each other. 
     
     
         10 . The game call striker of  claim 1  further comprising a limiting ring positioned on the striker shaft between the first and second ends of the shaft, wherein the limiting ring prohibits travel of the compression fitting past the position of the limiting ring on the shaft. 
     
     
         11 . The game call striker of  claim 10  further comprising a cap positioned at the second end of the striker shaft. 
     
     
         12 . The game call striker of  claim 11  wherein the limiting ring and cap define a portion of the striker shaft in which the compression fitting, first body member, and second body member can be moved along to provide various tonal outputs. 
     
     
         13 . The game call of  claim 11  wherein the cap is a plastic cap. 
     
     
         14 . A method of modifying a game call striker to produce different sounds with a friction game call comprising:
 providing an elongated striker shaft having a first end and an opposite second end, a compression fitting disposed around at least a portion of the striker shaft between the first and second ends of the striker shaft, a first body portion positioned on the striker shaft adjacent the compression fitting, and a second body portion positioned on the striker shaft adjacent the compression fitting and opposing the first body portion;   positioning the compression fitting at a desired location along the striker shaft; and   securing the first and second body portions to one another with the compression fitting therebetween to bias the compression fitting against the striker shaft to secure the compression fitting and the first and second body portions about the desired location along the striker shaft.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the first body portion includes an external threaded portion and the second body portion includes an internal threaded portion. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the step of securing the first and second body portions to another comprises mating the external and internal threaded portions of the bodies to one another. 
     
     
         17 . A method of producing an animal game call having a desired tonal output, the method comprising:
 taking a plate;   taking an elongated striker shaft including a first end and an opposite second end, a compression fitting disposed around at least a portion of the striker shaft between the first and second ends of the striker shaft, a first body portion positioned on the striker shaft adjacent the compression fitting, and a second body portion positioned on the striker shaft adjacent the compression fitting and opposing the first body portion;   positioning the compression fitting at a desired location along the striker shaft;   securing the first and second body portions to one another with the compression fitting therebetween to bias the compression fitting against the striker shaft to secure the compression fitting and the first and second body portions about the desired location along the striker shaft; and   striking the plate with the first end of the striker shaft.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the striker shaft includes a limiting ring positioned on the shaft between the first and second ends, and a cap positioned at the second end of the shaft. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the compression fitting is positioned between the limiting ring and the cap on the striker shaft. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising moving the compression fitting, first body portion, and second body portion along the striker shaft to change the tonal output produced by the striker when striking the plate.