State turkey tail plaque

Abstract

A reduced cost, space saving display for visually displaying a harvested turkey. The turkey display can be use to visually display a tail fan, beard and/or spurs of the harvested turkey. The turkey trophy plaque can include a display portion and a support portion. The display portion can include a perimeter surface formed to identify a geographic location such as, for example, a state or county, where the displayed turkey was harvested while the support portion is generally L-shaped and extends from a rear surface of the display portion. The tail fan is displayed by inserting the tail fan into a retaining space defined between the display portion and the rear portion. The beard and/or spurs can be displayed by attaching the beard to one or more apertures in the support portion. The display portion can also include visual features to display information regarding the harvested turkey.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/693,474, filed Jun. 23, 2005, and entitled “TURKEY TROPHY PLAQUE”, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a display for hunting trophies. More particularly, the present invention relates to a turkey trophy plaque for use by a hunter to display a decorative trophy of a wild turkey.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Part of the thrill or reward of hunting game animals resides in obtaining a decorative trophy that can be displayed in the home or office. In wild turkey hunting, a highly prized decorative trophy is the turkey's beard, a growth of modified feathers approximately eight to ten inches long that hangs from the center breast portion of the bird. Also highly prized are the turkey's fan of tail feathers and the turkey's spurs. Much like the antler size of a deer or other homed animal, the spread of a turkey's tail fan, the length of its spurs, and its beard length are thought to be related to the turkey's strength, virility, age, and survival skills in an often hostile environment.

When a hunter is able to harvest a trophy-class wild turkey and wishes to preserve and display it, his choices are either to have a taxidermist do a full body mount of the bird, or for the hunter himself to remove and cure the beard, tail, and spurs and display them in some manner. Preservation of such trophies in the form of full body mounts, however, is very costly and can take up a substantial amount of space, especially for the avid hunter who may pursue trophy turkeys in a variety of locations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a reduced cost, space saving display for visually displaying a turkey. The turkey display can comprise a turkey trophy plaque displaying the beard, tail fan, and/or spurs of the turkey which, is an attractive alternative to a full body mount in that it is both less expensive and requires less space while still providing an eye-catching display of the hunter's catch. The turkey trophy plaque can comprise a front portion and a rear portion. The front portion is generally formed to identify a geographic location such as, for example, a state or county, where the displayed turkey was harvested while the rear portion is generally L-shaped and extends from the rear surface of the front portion. The harvested turkey is displayed by inserting the tail fan into a retaining space defined between the front portion and the rear portion, inserting the beard through a bore running through the rear portion, and either gluing spurs to the rear portion, inserting spurs through additional bores running through the rear portion or draping spurs over the sides of the rear portion. The trophy plaque can be further customized by embossing words or figures onto a front visible display surface of the front portion, such as, for example, the year the turkey was caught, the name of the hunter, a sketch of a turkey, or by placing a photograph, for example of the hunter with the displayed turkey, onto the front visible display surface.

In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a turkey display plaque. The turkey display plaque can comprise a plaque portion, and a support portion extending from the rear of the plaque portion. The support portion generally can comprise an L-shaped structure having a substantially horizontal member and a substantially vertical member. A retaining space is defined between the rear surface of the plaque portion and the support portion. The retaining space is adapted to receive a tail fan of a turkey. The horizontal member can also comprise at least one aperture, such as a bore, for insertion of a turkey's beard and/or spurs.

In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a method for displaying a turkey. The method can comprise mounting a harvested turkey by placing a tail fan within a retaining space of a turkey trophy plaque adapted to slidingly receive a tail fan of a turkey. The retaining space is defined between the rear surface of a plaque portion and a support portion of a turkey trophy plaque.

In yet another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a system for displaying a turkey. The system can comprise a harvested turkey having a tail fan, beard and spurs, and a turkey trophy plaque comprising a plaque portion and a support portion. A retaining space is defined between the rear surface of the plaque portion and the support portion. The retaining space is adapted to receive the tail fan. The support portion can further comprise at least one aperture adapted to receive the beard and/or spurs. The plaque portion can define a recognizable perimeter shape.

The above summary of the various representative embodiments of the invention is not intended to describe each illustrated embodiment or every implementation of the invention. The figures in the detailed description that follow more particularly exemplify these embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention can be more completely understood and appreciated by referring to the following more detailed description of the presently preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a turkey trophy plaque according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the turkey trophy plaque of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of a turkey trophy plaque according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the turkey trophy plaque of FIG. 1 displaying a turkey tail fan and beard mounted therein.

FIG. 5 is a front view of an embodiment of a turkey trophy plaque displaying a turkey tail fan, beard, and spurs mounted therein.

FIG. 6 is a front view of an embodiment of a turkey trophy plaque displaying a turkey tail fan, beard, and spurs mounted therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following detailed description of the present invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that the present invention can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as to not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there can be seen a turkey trophy plaque 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Turkey trophy plaque 100 can comprise a front portion 102 and a rear portion 110. Rear portion 110 generally extends from a rear surface 106 of front portion 102 and is generally L-shaped with a horizontal member 101 and a vertical member 103. Horizontal member 101 includes a top horizontal surface 112 and a bottom horizontal surface 114 while vertical member 103 includes an inner vertical surface 116 and an outer vertical surface 118. A retaining space 105 is defined between rear surface 106, inner vertical surface 116, and top horizontal surface 112. Retaining space 105 is adapted to receive a turkey's tail fan 124. Horizontal member 101 can further comprise at least one aperture 122, such as a bore extending from top surface 112 to bottom surface 114.

Front portion 102 generally comprises a visible display surface 104, rear surface 106, and a perimeter surface 108. Perimeter surface 108 can be formed into a recognizable shape, such as, for example, an outline of a turkey or a more preferably, a geographic boundary relating to the location that the displayed turkey was harvested. As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 4, 5 and 6, perimeter surface 108 is formed to depict the shape of the state where the displayed turkey was harvested in the United States for example, Minnesota in FIGS. 1 and 4, South Dakota in FIG. 5 and Wisconsin in FIG. 6. Alternatively, perimeter surface 108 can be formed in the shape of a province, a country, a county, a hunting preserve, a game farm, a hunt club, a state park, a federal park, or other relevant geographic boundary.

In one representative embodiment, turkey trophy plaque 100 can be crafted from a solid piece of material. Alternatively, front portion 102 and rear portion 104 of plaque 100 can be crafted separately and then affixed to one another with an adhesive, dowel or other suitable connecting means, used individually or in combination. Turkey trophy plaque 100 can be fabricated from suitable materials including, for example, plastics, metals, foam and most preferably wood, such as, for example, oak, maple, cherry, black ash, or wood based products such as plywood and the like. Turkey trophy plaque 100 can also be finished with one or more coats of polyurethane to increase their durability, and/or a stain, varnish or paint to further enhance the appearance of plaque 100.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there can be seen a turkey trophy plaque 100 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention displaying a turkey tail fan 124 and beard 126. Tail fan 124 is slidably positioned between rear surface 106 of front portion 102 and inner surface 116 of rear portion 110 such that tail fan 124 resides within retaining space 105. Beard 126 can be displayed by extending it through aperture 122 in rear portion 110. Plaque 100 can be displayed by affixing it to a wall using outer vertical surface 118 and a suitable hanging means or on a shelf or mantle using bottom horizontal surface 114, either before or after the turkey trophy is mounted therein.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there can be seen an embodiment of turkey trophy plaque 100 displaying the turkey tail fan 124, beard 126 and spurs 128. Spurs 128 can be positioned alongside beard 126 in aperture 122, or alternatively, horizontal member 101 can include additional apertures placed adjacent aperture 122 through which spurs 128 are inserted for display. Alternatively, spurs 128 can be draped across top horizontal surface 112 for display or spurs 128 can be glued to the horizontal member 101.

As illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, additional embodiments of turkey trophy plaque 100 can comprise descriptive or identifying features on the visible display surface 104 of front portion 102. These descriptive and/or identifying features can be creating using suitable techniques such as, for example, embossing, engraving, additive printing, etching, labeling, and combinations thereof. For instance, a date 130 can be embossed onto visible display surface 104 to commemorate the date the turkey was harvested. In another embodiment, a photograph 132, for example of the hunter with the turkey displayed, can be affixed to visible display surface 104. In further embodiments, the hunter's name, name of the city where the turkey was hunted, a sketch or etching of a turkey 134, the turkey's statistics, and/or other figures and/or information can be embossed, etched or engraved onto visible display surface 104.

It is to be understood that the embodiments described herein are only illustrative and modifications of the various dimensions and materials can be made still within the spirit and scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A turkey trophy plaque comprising:

a plaque portion comprising a body member having a front display surface and a rear surface wherein said body member defines a recognizable perimeter shape; and

a support portion extending from said rear second surface;

wherein a retaining space is defined between said rear surface and said support portion, said retaining space adapted to receive a tail fan of a turkey.

2. The turkey trophy plaque of claim 1, wherein said support portion comprises an L-shaped structure having a substantially horizontal member and a substantially vertical member.

3. The turkey trophy plaque of claim 2, wherein said substantially horizontal member comprises at least one aperture adapted to receive said turkey's beard and/or spurs.

4. The turkey trophy plaque of claim 2 wherein said vertical section is adapted to be affixed to a surface.

5. The turkey trophy plaque of claim 1 wherein said recognizable perimeter shape is selected so as to provide visual information related to the harvesting of said tail fan.

6. The turkey trophy plaque of claim 5 wherein said recognizable perimeter shape resembles a geographic boundary indicating a geographical origin of said tail fan.

7. The turkey trophy plaque of claim 6 wherein said geographic boundary is selected from the group consisting of: a state, a province, a country, a county, a hunting preserve, a game farm, a hunt club, a state park and a federal park.

8. The turkey trophy plaque of claim 1 wherein said plaque portion comprises at least one visible feature selected from the group consisting of: a hunter's name, a date associated with harvesting said tail fan, a geographical origin of said tail fan, said turkey's statistics, a drawing, a graphic of a turkey, a photograph, and combinations thereof.

9. The turkey trophy plaque of claim 8 wherein said feature is memorialized on said plaque portion by a method selected from the group consisting of embossing, engraving, additive printing, etching, labeling, and combinations thereof.

10. The turkey trophy plaque of claim 1 wherein said plaque portion is constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of: wood, wood-based materials, metal, foam, plastic and combinations thereof.

11. A method of displaying a turkey comprising:

a) mounting a harvested turkey by placing a tail fan within a retaining space of a turkey trophy plaque, said turkey trophy plaque having a plaque portion and a support portion, said plaque portion including a front display surface and a rear surface wherein said plaque portion defines a recognizable perimeter shape and said support portion extends from said rear surface of said plaque portion such that said retaining space is defined between said rear surface and said support portion and is adapted to slidingly receive a tail fan of a turkey; and

b) affixing said support portion to a surface.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said support portion comprises an L-shaped member having a substantially horizontal section and a substantially vertical section wherein said horizontal section includes at least one aperture adapted to receive a turkey beard.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

mounting a beard of said harvested turkey through said at least one aperture in said substantially horizontal section.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

mounting spurs of said harvested turkey through said at least one aperture in said substantially horizontal section.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

draping spurs of said harvested turkey across said substantially horizontal section or said substantially vertical section.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

indicating a geographical origin of said harvested turkey by forming said recognizable perimeter shape into a geographic boundary.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said geographic boundary is selected from the group consisting of: a state, a province, a country, a county, a hunting preserve, a game farm, a hunt club, a state park and a federal park.

18. A system for displaying a turkey comprising:

a harvested turkey having a tail fan, a beard, and spurs; and

a turkey trophy plaque comprising a plaque portion and a support portion, said plaque portion having a first display surface and a rear surface wherein said plaque portion defines a recognizable perimeter shape, said support portion extending from said rear surface of said plaque portion, wherein a retaining space is defined between said rear surface and said support portion, said retaining space adapted to receive said tail fan of said harvested turkey.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said support portion comprises a substantially horizontal section and a substantially vertical section, the substantially horizontal section including at least one aperture adapted to receive said beard and spurs, and said substantially vertical section adapted to be affixed to a display surface.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said recognizable perimeter shape depicts a geographic boundary indicating a geographical origin of said harvested turkey, said geographic boundary selected from the group consisting of: a state, a province, a country, a county, a hunting preserve, a game farm, a hunt club, a state park and a federal park.