Abstract: A protective and release coating is applied to the front portion of an artificial eyepiece before it is placed in a mold to form a taxidermy animal head mannikin. The protective and release coating is preferably a latex material that protects the front surface of the glass or plastic artificial eyepiece from scratching or other damage while being placed in a mannikin mold. The mannikin mold defines a cavity surface contoured for correct anatomical features of the animal head mannikin, including the features immediately surrounding the eye. Eye socket recesses in the cavity surface are shaped to snugly receive the front portions of the eyepieces. Indicia ridges or locator sockets may be located around or in the eye socket recesses, to facilitate the proper orientation of artificial eyepieces within the eye sockets.

Abstract: A portable seat-container for outdoor use is mountable to a conventional five or six gallon bucket and provides a comfortable seat while allowing access to the interior of the bucket. The seat-container is comprised of a half cylindrical receptacle having a receptacle rim, a bottom, a curved sidewall and a flat sidewall. The receptacle rim includes a flange extending from the curved sidewall which is capable of supporting the receptacle on the rim of a bucket so that the curved sidewall abuts the sidewall of the bucket. A lid seat is hingably attached to a straight portion of the receptacle rim. The lid preferably includes a cushion which serves as a comfortable seat, and may also include a latch for releasably holding the lid seat closed on the receptacle.

Abstract: An ice fishing rig has a rigid elongated central housing to span a hole in the ice and lateral side edges to which fold-up panels are attached. The panels, which are preferably flexible, can be folded from a position in which they extend laterally outwardly from the central housing to a position where they are folded up underneath the central housing to form a compact unit for transportation and storage. When the rig is to be used, the side panels are folded out to their laterally extending position, and a spool assembly is rotated from a position in which it is aligned with and covered by the central housing to a position in which is perpendicular to the central housing. The rigid central housing spans the hole in the ice to support the rig while the laterally extending panels cover the hole to help inhibit freezing of the hole and to block sunlight from entering the hole.

Abstract: A fold-up, compact storage ice fishing tip-up rig is provided which is easily changed from fishing mode to storage mode, with the reel spool-shaft-crank trip arm assembly covered up safe from damage and entanglement when in storage mode. The ice spanning structure of the rig is a housing having a center portion with two side lids hinged thereto, with the assembly pivotally mounted in the center portion, and with a flagpole mounted thereto having a rigid flag. The assembly may be swung on its pivot from fishing position to a storage position in the center portion. The lids may be swung across one side of the center portion and locked to cover part of the assembly, and the flagpole may be swung and locked in position with the flag on the other side of the center portion covering the rest of the assembly.

Abstract: A floating tip-up fishing rig is provided having a float body, a flagpole, a spring means mounted atop said body at the rear end thereof and connected to the bottom portion of the flagpole urging it to an upright position. An opening vertically through the float body is disposed near the forward end thereof, and has a flared out widened bottom end. A fishline bobbin is swivel-mounted to the bottom of the body centrally thereof within a conically flared out cavity therein. A fishline is coiled about the bobbin. Extending down from near the free end of the flagpole is a cotter pin connected to the flagpole at the eye end of the pin. The cotter pin extends through the opening when the flagpole is in a horizontal or slightly raised position, and the fishline may be pulled from its coiled up portion on the bobbin and set in the closed portion of the cotter pin between its eye end and flared open end.

Abstract: A combination summer-and-winter tip-up fishing rig is provided which may be used on the ice in winter weather and on open water in summer weather. The rig has an inverted dish-like body of light weight insulating and floating material, a flagpole, a spring means on said body at one edge thereof urging the flagpole to an upright position. The body has a top deck and a perimeter side wall extending down from the top deck, to form a hollow interior, divided by walls into a large cavity and a small cavity. A fishline reel spool is rotatably mounted in the large cavity with its vertical shaft extending through the top deck. The shaft has a horizontal arm above the deck which extends over the flagpole to hold the flagpole nearly horizontal in the fishing mode, and which turns to release the flagpole to the upright tipped-up mode when a fish strikes. A cotter pin may be swivel-mounted to the underside of the top deck centrally thereof extending down therefrom.

Abstract: A floating tip-up fishing rig is provided having a float body, a flagpole, and spring means mounted atop said body at one end thereof and connected to the bottom portion of the flagpole urging it to an upright position. A tube is disposed vertically through the float body substantially centrally thereof, and extends below and above the body. The tube has a reduced wall or groove portion immediately below the body and above the bottom of the tube, and a fishline is coiled about the tube in that groove portion. Extending down from the central portion of the flagpole is a string, the bottom end of which is connected to the eye end of a cotter pin. The cotter pin has a flared open end opposite the eye end and an elongated closed portion in between those ends. The string and cotter pin extend down into the tube when the flagpole is in a horizontal or slightly raised position. The tube has a J-slot in its top end into which the flagpole is placed for holding it in horizontal position.

Abstract: Disclosed is a horned animal mannikin having a recessed flat skull surface between upstanding front and rear walls, with a domed ridge upstanding from the flat surface and extending from the front wall to the rear wall, being centered longitudinally on the mannikin and the flat surface. The convex top surface of the ridge has a curvature approximately matching the curvature of the underside concavity of the skull plate of a horned animal. The domed ridge is widest and highest at about its midportion curving to lesser widths and lesser heights at its ends at the upstanding walls. A fastening plate is disposed under the ridge.

Abstract: A cured animal foot for mounting to a plaque includes an animal foot comprised of skin, bone, and flesh, having a lower portion with digits and an upper portion which at an upper end thereof has been cut from a leg of an animal, the upper and lower portions being joined at about a 90.degree. angle at the wrist joint. The cured animal foot further includes a semi-stiff wire inserted longitudinally into the animal foot and extending into both the upper and lower portions of the animal foot. While the animal foot is still fresh, it is bent at the wrist to the desired angle and held thereat by the bent wire while the foot is cured in the bent configuration in a curing bath. The invention is carried out by providing a fresh animal foot and a semi-stiff wire, inserting the semi-stiff wire longitudinally into the foot so that the wire extends into both the upper and lower portions of the foot. The foot is then bent at the wrist to the selected angle.

Abstract: A mold and molding method for forming a taxidermy animal head mannikin with artificial eyepieces molded therein in proper position includes a pair of mold cavity half parts each of the half parts having a cavity surface contoured for correct anatomical formation of the features of half of the mannikin, an eye socket recess in the cavity surface shaped for snugly receiving the front portion of the artificial eyepiece and leaving the rear portion projecting into the mold cavity, and a small keyway selectively located in the eye socket recess to receive a matcing key which is affixed to the front portion of the artificial eyepiece and is positioned thereon so that placement of the key in the keyway locates the eyepiece in proper anatomical position prior to the introduction on liquid foamable hardening material into the cavity between the mold half parts.