# US 12,213,477 B2 · Turtle decoy for game fishing or research

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- Number: US 12,213,477 B2
- Document ID: US12213477B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/360,329
- Filed: 2023-07-27
- Published: 2024-10-24
- Granted: 2025-02-04
- Earliest claimed: 2023-04-20
- Applicants: Don Bitler Hessler
- Inventors: Don Bitler Hessler
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12213477B2

## CPC

- A01M 31/06: Decoys
- A01K 97/02: Devices for laying ground-bait, e.g. chum dispensers {, e.g. also for throwing ground-bait}
- A01M 31/008: {Lure dispensing devices}
- A01M: CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS (appliances for catching swarms or drone-catching A01K57/00; fishing A01K69/00 - {A01K99/00}; biocides, pest repellants or attractants A01N); APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS
- A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS

## Abstract

An aquatic turtle decoy floated out to a chum slick is disclosed. The decoy has a chum ball on its back and includes apertures for dispensing chum, to replenish the chum slick. A silhouette of a turtle floating on an open water surface is visible and attracts game fish below. Sea birds, attracted to the chum ball on the decoy back, often cause a commotion at the open water surface, serving to further attract game fish to the aquatic turtle decoy.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A turtle decoy (10) adapted and configured for game fishing on a chum slick (21), wherein the chum slick (21) is located on a surface (11) of open water, comprising:
an aquatic turtle body (12) having an upper surface (12A) defining a plurality of apertures (30) therethrough;
a pair of spaced-apart front appendages (14A) movably secured to a first region (15) of the body (12) for simulating movement caused by wave motion on the surface (11);
a head (14) disposed between the front appendages (14A);
a pair of spaced-apart hind appendages (14B) movably secured to a second region (17) of the body (12) for simulating movement caused by wave motion on the surface (11); and
a sheet of netting (24) dimensioned and configured for securing a plurality of chum particles (26) secured to the upper surface (12A), and for attracting nearby birds (32) to the chum particles (26), adjacent to at least a portion of the plurality of apertures (30), wherein the plural apertures (30) are each sized for enabling at least a portion of the chum particles (26) to pass to the surface (11) of open water, for replenishing the chum slick (21).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The turtle decoy (10) of claim 1, wherein the aquatic turtle body (12) has an underside surface (12B), wherein the decoy (10) further includes: a stinger rig (20); and an eyehook (28B) fixed to the underside surface (12B), for extending the stinger rig (20) therefrom.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The turtle decoy (10) of claim 2, wherein the stinger rig (20) includes a carabiner (36) to which a predetermined length of extendable and retractable fishing line (18B) is secured.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The turtle decoy (10) of claim 1, wherein the sheet of netting (24) defines a plurality of integral ties (34), and wherein the body (12) includes a plurality of eyehooks (28) fixed to the upper surface (12A) at preselected locations for enabling each one of the plural ties (34) to be secured to an associated one of the plural eyehooks (28).

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The turtle decoy (10) of claim 1, including an eyehook (28A) fixed to the body (12), for securing a predetermined length of extendable and retractable fishing line (18A) thereto.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The turtle decoy (10) of claim 1, wherein the head (14) has at least one piece of buoyant material (16) secured thereto.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The turtle decoy (10) of claim 1, wherein each front appendage (14A) has at least one piece of buoyant material (16) secured thereto.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The turtle decoy (10) of claim 1, wherein each hind appendage (14B) has at least one piece of buoyant material (16) secured thereto.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The turtle decoy (10) of claim 1, further including at least one loop of cord (38) joining one of the pair of front appendages (14A) to the body (12) for enabling the one of the pair of front appendages (14A) to move relative to the body (12).

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The turtle decoy (10) of claim 1, further including at least one loop of cord (38) joining one of the pair of hind appendages (14B) to the body (12) for enabling the one of the pair of hind appendages (14B) to move relative to the body (12).

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The turtle decoy (10) of claim 1, further including a piece of buoyant material (40) adapted and configured for joining the head (14) and the body (12) together.