Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Birth of a deer camp

ok, after more research I don't think I can generate enough power to keep it running unfortunately.

anyone have any other ideas for a way to generate a low about of constant heat?

otherwise I think I'll just have to drill holes new everytime, no biggie

Ryan, if you figure that out you can quit school & fish every day for the rest of your life if you like.

hahahaha I know right?

I'm surprised no one has come up with a way to combine solar power with like a mini pellet stove or something for a fish house.

heck even tie in a thermostat with an electric element to ignite the stove. the pellets could be stored in the ceiling/roof and provide insulation as well..... I digress

who knows, perhaps it is impossible.

I believe there are about 500,000 fellow Minnesotan's waiting for your answer on that one.

Pretty tough to keep those holes open for more than a day.... oh boy, I'm going to be hearing about that one.

sometimes its hard enough getting them open the first time!



my auger is broken



there, now they have lots of ammo Tom, I can take the flak if you can! lol

Best I know of is gas heat (LP) with a thermostat that goes really low, "milivolt" type thermostat that generates enough current from the pilot light.

Turn the heat down nice & low when you leave & hope to only have to chip a bit of ice when you come back.

Anything that's going to keep the holes clear while you are gone for days at a time is also going to play hell on the ice below the house which will start sinking into the ice with time & pretty soon you need to move the house & drill new holes anyways.

It's a damned if you do damned if you don't kind of situation.

It's easier to work on your drilling & cleanup plan than it is to work on ice prevention plan.

Get a big damn plastic tote from walmart or someplace & cut about a 12" round hole in the bottom & use the tote as a catch pan for your ice chips/shavings. You can really cut down on your drilling & cleanup time with something like that.

Just be careful emptying the tote when it's -zero because plastic breaks really easy when it's cold. A heavy rubber feed bucket/tote like feed stores would sell for horses would be better in the cold. It can be -30 & you can't break them.

If you make yourself a catch pan like that just be sure you keep in mind your fishing holes along the walls. You'll likely need to cut the auger hole off center in the bottom of the tote so it will fit along walls & other house obstacles.


Or you can just buy one.

http://store.catchcover.com/Product/886/Slush-Bucket/

Now, I've seen it all. Dang if that don't look like it will work.

They help a lot, but like I said you can make your own too.

It don't need that sleeve. With just a hole in the bottom of a tote you catch most of the ice chips/shavings & the water can drain back into the lake before you lift or drag the tote & if you are careful you lose very little out the hole in the bottom of the tote.

Anyone ever try those boat bumper looking things that they used to sell to keep the hole open?

Still talkin' ice fishin' right?

TOM!!

Just kidding. Well I only have one more coat of paint to go in the fish house. I'm not going to get the ceiling done though. That can wait till summer. It is going on the lake tomorrow.

Dave, you guys need a permit up there for those Chickenbuck turkey's ya got.... you know the humpers. We got a pile of carrots and potatoes, and I need sumpthin to go with 'em.

we only drill 6" holes for crappies, so I'll probably just use my skimmer and have a pail for slushing into.

I did read a tid bit in field and stream once where a guy use inner tubes that were cut and tied off tight to keep holes open, you slide the sleeve in, then inflate it. then you come back you deflate and the hole is open like it was just cut. I don't want to mess with all that though.

I've seen several variations of these. The most recent looks like a piece of stove pipe with a handle at the top that operates a door. Called the "Slush Inhaler". Website is www.paiff.org

I've seen a commercial version of that somewhere. Gander Mountain, I think.

http://nuwaystove.com/products/model2000.htm

Dave and company, I can recommend these units. We use these in our deer blinds and I have one in my ice shanty. All of mine are older ones without some of the safety equipment and they workgreat. The newer ones can be only better. Many a nite i've left it on in the deer blind in late season with no issues. They are made a short ways from my deer camp. Looks like they would work great in your ice houses....vent with a 3" dryer pipe and you can cook on them. In the blinds they are silent which works better than the infra reds....

Scott

those do look handy, how are they on propane?
a mini pellet stove would be awesome

I think I saw that too.

There has to be something you can stick in there too keep it from freezing.

Colorado, I've found a 20# tank will last about 30 days of hunting in one of our box blinds....based on our average use. I can't really put that in hours but I don't think its excessive. I fill the tanks once a year and there is always some left in them. Our blinds are 5-1/2'X6' and not insulated. Plexiglass windows. Some of my oldest stoves are nearing 20 yrs old now. They have a burner in them similar to a coleman stove and burn very quietly.