This invention relates to a lightly constructed, portable shooting support for a hunter, which is meant to be used as aid in, for example, elk hunting. A hunter often has to wait several hours at his station before the quarry appears at shooting range. This means that the hunter has to hold the rifle ready and almost immobile for long periods, as the quarry's keen sense of hearing and sight will warn it of any danger.

This support aids the hunter's work, as he can lean on it. The hunter's legs will not get so tired, nor will he tremble from a racing pulse, nor will his body or his hand shake, and, consequently, his accuracy of shooting will not suffer.

Portable and lightly constructed seats are common aids for hunters. One can also use a stake, which leans on the ground, to support the gun. However, these are seldom easy to use, and are not much benefit to the hunter. The idea behind this invention is to establish a new, far better support than ever before, which does not have the disadvantages mentioned above.

The shooting support according to the invention is characterized in that the shooting support comprises a standing-support leaning on the ground, a seat support which is to be put between the shooter's legs, and an armrest for the hand holding the gun.

The shooting support according to the invention is a portable, ligthly constructed support where the hunter can, at his station, lean on in order to rest his feet. By using this invention, one can almost sit in a standing position, and yet continually maintain a readiness to shoot.

According to an embodiment of the invention the folded

shooting support can be used to carry the gun replacing the carrying strap for the gun.

The invention is described in the following with an example by referring to the attached drawings.

Figure 1 shows schematically the shooting support according to the invention and the shooter using it. Figure 2 shows the shooting support of Figure 1 seen from the other side. Figure 3 shows the shooting support of Figure 1 as folded and attached to a gun.

In Figure 1 is presented the shooting support 10 according to the invention. In the figure there is also schematically presented the shooter 25 using the support. The framework of the shooting support 10 is made from a tubular frame 13 and a holding tube 22. Attached to the tubular frame 13 is a side seat support 12, which can be used either as a narrow seat or as a support between the shooter's 25 legs. The seat support 12 can either be narrow, or its outer head can be made broader in order to keep the shooting support 10 steady when placed between the legs. In this application, the seat support 12 is placed perpendicularly to the standing support 11, but the seat support can also be at an inclined angle.

The standing support 11 has been placed inside the tubular frame 13. The standing support 11 is an adjustable tube, which can be moved inside the tubular frame 13 and locked by a thumb screw or other similar method in order to adjust the seat support 12 to a desired level. At the end of the standing support 11 is a spike 16, which sinks into the earth 23. A plate 15, which functions like a ring on a ski stick, prevents the spike sinking too deep into the ground.

An arm tube 14 is placed inside the holding tube 22. An

armrest 17 has been built at the end of the arm tube. The arm tube is adjustable, so one can lengthen or shorten it. It can be locked in place by a thumb screw 18 or similar method. At the upper end of the arm tube 14 is the armrest 17, which is a transverse enlargement with a hole or notch 9 into which the shooter's 25 elbow fits while holding the gun 24.

The arm tube 14 is at a proper angle β to the tubular frame 13. In the application described in figure 1, the holding tube 22 for the arm tube 14 has been attached to the tubular frame 13 with a joint so that one can change the angle of the arm tube 14. The arm tube 14 can also be used in reverse so that the support becomes left-handed. However, the attachment between the holding tube 22 and the tubular frame 13 can also be solid.

When the shooter 25 uses the shooting support 10, he puts the seat support 12 between his legs and leans on it. At the same time, he leans with his elbow on the armrest 17, while holding his gun 24. He also can shoot from this position, which means that shooting accuracy will be improved a lot. He can shoot towards a moving target, too, as the shooting support 10 swivels thanks to the spike 16 in the ground. The shooting support 10 swivels with the shooter 25, and so he is able to easily follow through at a moving target. At his station, the shooter 25 can also lay his gun 24 down on his arm, which is on the armrest 17. And yet, readiness to shoot still remains.

As an accessory, a back support 19 can be attched to the standing support 11 of the shooting support 10, in which case the shooter 25 can also lean backwards, slightly.

In figure 2 the shooting support 10 is seen from the other side. The spike 16 in the standing support 11 is placed in the ground and the seat support 12 is put between the legs. The shooter's elbow is placed on the armrest 17. The

shooter can also lean backwards on the back support 19.

In figure 3 the shooting support 10 is in a carrying position, folded and attached to the gun 24. This means that the shooting support 10 can be used as a carrying ring for the gun 24 thus replacing carrying straps. For this purpose, couplers 21a and 21b, which fit into the sling rings in the gun 24 for the carrying straps, are included in the shooting support 10. A shoulder support 20, which functions as a pad against the shooter's shoulder when the gun is carried on the shoulder, is attached to the underside of the seat support 12.

For a person skilled in the art it is clear that the different embodiments of the invention may vary within the scope of the claims presented hereafter.