Game animal escape impedance device

Abstract

A projectile-based system for impeding the escape of a game animal, whereby said projectile is an arrow or a crossbow bolt, said system comprising an environmental engagement device, a retention device, and a tether, with the environmental engagement device suitably adapted to pass through the game animal and thereafter to engage with the environment, the retention device suitably adapted to engage with the game animal and become secured thereto, and the tether suitably adapted to attach the environmental engagement device to the retention device, said tether being suitably adapted to withstand without breaking the forces applied by the game animal to the tether in the course of attempting an escape, thereby retaining the game animal to the environmental engagement device, whereby the engagement of the environmental engagement device with the environment substantially impedes the escape of the game animal.

1 . A projectile-based system for impeding the escape of a game animal, comprising an environmental engagement device, a retention device, and a tether,
 wherein the projectile has a front end and a back end, said projectile being one of the group of an arrow and a cross bow bolt;   the environmental engagement device is suitably adapted to pass through the game animal and thereafter to engage with the environment;   the retention device is suitably adapted to engage with the game animal and become secured thereto; and   the tether is suitably adapted to attach the environmental engagement device to the retention device, said tether being suitably adapted to withstand without breaking forces applied by the game animal to said tether in the course of attempting an escape, thereby retaining the game animal to the environmental engagement device;   whereby the engagement of the environmental engagement device with the environment substantially impedes the escape of the game animal.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the projectile has a hollow shaft and the tether is stored within the hollow shaft prior to deployment. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising an arrowhead,
 wherein said arrowhead is removably attached to the front end of the projectile, said removal accomplished by inertial forces acting on said arrowhead as the forward motion of the projectile becomes slowed or stopped relative to the forward motion of the arrowhead;   the environmental engagement device is comprised of the arrowhead and portions of the tether; and   the retention device is located at the back end of the projectile;   whereby upon impact of the projectile with the game animal the arrowhead passes through the game animal, the retention device halts the passage of the projectile through the game animal, and inertial forces cause the arrowhead to detach from the projectile, deploying the tether.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the arrowhead is frictionally attached to the front end of the projectile. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the arrowhead is magnetically attached to the front end of the projectile. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the arrowhead is mechanically attached to the front end of the projectile. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the arrowhead comprises one or more retractable grappling arms, each of said grappling arms having an undeployed state and a deployed state,
 wherein in the undeployed state each grappling arm exhibits a relatively low profile to the arrowhead, and   in the deployed state each grappling arm extends laterally from the arrowhead relative to the undeployed state,   with said one or more grappling arms suitably adapted to remain undeployed during flight of the projectile and to deploy after the arrowhead has passed through the game animal.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the arrowhead comprises one or more non-retractable grappling arms,
 wherein each said grappling arm is suitably adapted to increase the likelihood of the arrowhead engaging with the environment after the arrowhead has passed through the game animal and separated from the front end of the projectile.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 3  wherein the arrowhead is a broad head. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a detachable nock,
 wherein the environmental engagement device comprises portions of the tether and the projectile; and   the retention device comprises the detachable nock, said detachable nock being located at the back end of the projectile, wherein said detachable nock is removably attached to the back end of the projectile, said removal accomplished by inertial forces acting on said projectile as the forward motion of the detachable nock becomes slowed or stopped relative to the forward motion of the projectile;   whereby upon impact of the projectile with the game animal the projectile passes completely through the game animal, the detachable nock impacts the game animal and is secured thereto, and inertial forces cause the projectile to detach from the detachable nock, deploying the tether.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein the detachable nock comprises
 a nock body;   a vertical notch to receive a bow string;   an attachment component situated opposite the vertical notch for removably attaching the detachable nock to the back end of the projectile; and   a retention component for securing the detachable nock to the game animal.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the detachable nock is frictionally attached to the back end of the projectile. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the detachable nock is mechanically attached to the back end of the projectile. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising
 an arrowhead and a detachable nock,   wherein said arrowhead is removably attached to the front end of the projectile, said removal accomplished by inertial forces acting on said arrowhead as the forward motion of the projectile becomes slowed or stopped relative to the forward motion of the arrowhead;   said detachable nock is removably attached to the back end of the projectile, wherein said removal is accomplished by inertial forces acting on said projectile as the forward motion of the detachable nock becomes slowed or stopped relative to the forward motion of the projectile;   the environmental engagement device is comprised of the arrowhead, the projectile, and portions of the tether; and   the retention device comprises the detachable nock, said detachable nock being located at the back end of the projectile.   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  wherein the arrowhead is a broad head. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a presert and an arrowhead,
 said presert having a front end and a back end, said presert suitably adapted to removably attach the arrowhead to the projectile,   wherein the back end of the presert is fixedly attached to the front end of the projectile and the arrowhead is removably attached to the front end of the presert, said removal accomplished by inertial forces acting on said arrowhead as the forward motion of the projectile becomes slowed or stopped relative to the forward motion of the arrowhead;   the environmental engagement device is comprised of the arrowhead and portions of the tether; and   the retention device is located at the back end of the projectile.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the arrowhead is frictionally attached to the presert. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the arrowhead is magnetically attached to the presert. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the arrowhead is mechanically attached to the presert. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the arrowhead comprises one or more retractable grappling arms, each of said grappling arms having an undeployed state and a deployed state,
 wherein in the undeployed state each grappling arm exhibits a relatively low profile to the arrowhead, and   in the deployed state each grappling arm extends laterally from the arrowhead relative to the undeployed state,   with said one or more grappling arms suitably adapted to remain undeployed during flight of the projectile and to deploy after the arrowhead has passed through the game animal.   
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the arrowhead comprises one or more non-retractable grappling arms,
 wherein each said grappling arm is suitably adapted to increase the likelihood of the arrowhead engaging with the environment after the arrowhead has passed through the game animal and separated from the front end of the projectile.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 16  wherein the arrowhead is a broad head. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a presert and an arrowhead,
 said presert having a front end and a back end, said presert suitably adapted to removably attach the arrowhead to the projectile,   wherein the back end of the presert is removably attached to the front end of the projectile and the arrowhead is fixedly attached to the front end of the presert, said removal accomplished by inertial forces acting on said arrowhead as the forward motion of the projectile becomes slowed or stopped relative to the forward motion of the arrowhead;   the environmental engagement device is comprised of the arrowhead, the presert, and portions of the tether; and   the retention device is located at the back end of the projectile.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the presert comprises one or more retractable grappling arms, each of said grappling arms having an undeployed state and a deployed state,
 wherein in the undeployed state each grappling arm exhibits a relatively low profile to the presert, and   in the deployed state each grappling arm extends laterally from the presert relative to the undeployed state,   with said one or more grappling arms suitably adapted to remain undeployed during flight of the projectile and to deploy after the presert has passed through the game animal.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the presert comprises one or more non-retractable grappling arms,
 wherein each said grappling arm is suitably adapted to increase the likelihood of the presert engaging with the environment after the presert has passed through the game animal and separated from the front end of the projectile.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 23  wherein the arrowhead is a broad head. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the presert is frictionally attached to the front end of the projectile. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the presert is magnetically attached to the front end of the projectile. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the presert is mechanically attached to the front end of the projectile. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the retention device is comprised of a penetration limiter and the back end of the projectile, with the penetration limiter located at the back end of the projectile. 
     
     
         31 . A projectile-based system for impeding the escape of a game animal, comprising a deployable environmental engagement device and a retention device,
 wherein the projectile has a front end and a back end, said projectile being one of the group of an arrow and a cross bow bolt;   the environmental engagement device is suitably adapted to pass through the game animal and thereafter to deploy and engage with the environment; and   the retention device is suitably adapted to engage with the game animal and become secured thereto;   whereby the engagement of the environmental engagement device with the environment substantially impedes the escape of the game animal.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31  further comprising an arrowhead,
 wherein the environmental engagement device comprises the arrowhead and portions of the projectile; and   the arrowhead comprises one or more retractable grappling arms, each of said grappling arms having an undeployed state and a deployed state,   wherein in the undeployed state each grappling arm exhibits a relatively low profile to the arrowhead, and   in the deployed state each grappling arm extends laterally from the arrowhead relative to the undeployed state,   with said one or more grappling arms suitably adapted to remain undeployed during flight of the projectile and to deploy after the arrowhead has passed through the game animal.