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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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yuck, that doesn't sound like fun, but it's a damn good thing you guys did that! I've come out to my house and found it with ice over half the floor and the door barely to open. swearing doesn't begin to describe the language I used. it sucks.
Beware of any old man in a profession where one usually dies young.
Calm seas don't make sailors.
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 16,662
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 16,662 |
Nice work Fluffy! That PO box really takes me back too. I think my parents still use one like that in my hometown.
Dave that would have sucked if those new ice castles would have froze over the floor. Yikes!!!
I went out to check on my 6 x 8 angling house one time and for some reason the ice had opened up all the way around the house. I could see right to the bottom of the lake. The only thing that kept it from sitting on a frozen island was a section of ice by the door that was still attached to the main ice. The rest of the lake had 18" of ice but it opened right up around most of my house. I still can't explain that one. A spring maybe??
The deer hunter does not notice the mountains
"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve" - Isoroku Yamamoto
There sure are a lot of America haters that want to live here...
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 46,745
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 46,745 |
My step dad drive out last night to the cabin to check his too. Same issue as you gentlemen. He pulled his completely until next weekend.
Camp is where you make it.
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,787
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2006
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GREAT work Fluffy. Reminds me of the mail boxes we had in the service.
Son went over to the coast this morning to duck hunt. Limited out. Season is open till the end of the month.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Except for bears. Bears kill you.
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Joined: Jul 2006
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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My step dad drive out last night to the cabin to check his too. Same issue as you gentlemen. He pulled his completely until next weekend. we would always put wood blocks under the house to help keep them from freezing in. certain smaller lakes were always real bad for that
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[the member formerly known as fluffy}
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 52,680
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 52,680 |
Wow great stuff fluff!  the post office box door really tkes me back, wow. Well, me and Nate spent all night fighting mother nature on a frozen lake in a blizzard, with a 43 yr old pickup truck and a snow plow blade. We are so lucky we decided to brave the weather because both ours and Dusty's fish houses would have been frozen in bad by tomorrow. They were both sitting in ice depressions with water up nearly high enough to come up inside the houses above the floor.
They would have been frozen down solid. They actually were freezing in as we worked to free them. We cranked them up and pullled them out with the plow truck. We are on fresh spots with both houses high and dry only 50 yds from the old spots. What a damn night. It's terrible out here. Full blown blizzard. for us that know nothing of ice house fishing...what is the cause? you guys warm up and then get cold again?
Liberalism is a mental disorder that leads to social disease.
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 35,293
Campfire 'Bwana
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OP
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 35,293 |
Hi keith. The ice will actually bend into the shape of a bowl if it doesn't stay cold enough. But water always finds a way of leveling itself. So, that bowl will fill with water and refreeze, locking the house into the ice sheet. (They don't call her MOTHER nature for the heck of it, she's all female..) 
Something clever here.
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 11,738
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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So if our outfit freezes down, what do you do? Put pontoons on it and wait for the spring thaw? 
Save an elk, shoot a cow.
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Joined: Feb 2008
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 13,606 |
lol, well you can, but that can be bad news too.
usually a chisel, some jacks and some rebuilding of the floor is in order unless you're lucky.
I've seen it even when the house is blocked up.
Beware of any old man in a profession where one usually dies young.
Calm seas don't make sailors.
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 46,745
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 46,745 |
So if our outfit freezes down, what do you do? Put pontoons on it and wait for the spring thaw? You burn the sucker! Actually, that's probably easier than getting it out. When I was a kid in HS, ours did that on a local lake north of Duluth. We chipped, and chipped, and chipped at it. Fun it was NOT.
Camp is where you make it.
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Joined: Sep 2007
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 16,662 |
Back in the day they used to just burn the houses where they sit frozen in. Now the DNR maps them with GPS and you get fined big time. Not that you would wnat to burn an ice castle!
The deer hunter does not notice the mountains
"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve" - Isoroku Yamamoto
There sure are a lot of America haters that want to live here...
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Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 46,745
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Feb 2004
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I actually looked at an ice castle today. Not that I was going to buy one, but if a guy camps and ice fishes...that's a smart way to do it. It was nice and open inside. Unlike a lot of the campers that are "camping only." They're stuffed with amenities. I don't need a camper like that. I'd be out fishing or around the campfire anyway.
You might as well have a dual purpose rig.
Camp is where you make it.
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Joined: Oct 2006
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,787 |
Back in the day they used to just burn the houses where they sit frozen in. Now the DNR maps them with GPS and you get fined big time. Not that you would wnat to burn an ice castle! Same thing in WI. Shanties have to be off the ice by early March.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Except for bears. Bears kill you.
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,580
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,580 |
Guys, I know this isn't the kids or rifle forum, but it is a bunch of people who hunt the same type of terrain that I do, so here it goes:
My little guy is going to be getting a .223 for his first "real" rifle. I was really considering a Savage and chopping the stock and barrel. Easy to change calibers/barrels later as he grows.
So, I'm at the range and this guy has a single-shot handi-rifle, some ultraligh/youth model in .223. It shot well, was light, comes with iron sights, and has a LOP less than 12" already.
Thinking about it, I kind of like the idea of a single-shot, especially if it is what he will use for deer at first.
Any of you guys go the single-shot route with your kids? I know I am missing something, so help me out......
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Joined: Sep 2002
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 11,738 |
I went the singleshot route when I was a kid. I think it's a great way to go. Less chance for mistakes in some ways.
Youngsters have awesome eyes that I would love to have back. So, I think they can forego the scope easily and that makes the rifle much easier to handle and carry. At least, you can begin that way.
There are many, older singleshot cartridges and rifles out there that may be very suitable for hunting as well. Some come with switch barrels, which may be advantageous. They are more expensive than the handi-rifle but they also hold their value extremely well and can become heirlooms. One of the better options is the Stevens 44.5 model. Made new as well as easily available used. You can even get a new one in the raw and put some sweat equity into it.
Is the .223 to be used for deer as well, or just as a training cartridge?
Save an elk, shoot a cow.
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,657
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,657 |
goalie,The Handi rifle is a great rifle for anyone,especially a young person.I personally have had them in .243,30/30,.270,45/70 and .223.At present I hunt regularly with a Handi in 45/70.My grandson got a 30/30 Handi for his first deer rifle.You can not go wrong with these.The .223 or 30/30 would be a good choice for your little guy.
Stan in SC
The more I listen,the more I hear....and vice versa.
45/70,it's almost a religion.
If you have to take a second shot then you probably shouldn't have taken the first shot.
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2009
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Get him a Ruger Compact in .223. They are a great gun easy to shoot and when they out grow them the are easy to get your money back. The Handi rifles that I have been around have been less than desirable. Its easy to make the Ruger a single shot just load one cartridge.
I've always been different with one foot over the line.....
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 35,293
Campfire 'Bwana
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OP
Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 35,293 |
couple'a shots from the weekend. Snowstorm fish house moving... House was cranked up in this shot. (already out of the water.) ![[Linked Image]](http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e364/northerndave/fishing%20stuff/101_0711.jpg) Standing in this stuff: ![[Linked Image]](http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e364/northerndave/fishing%20stuff/101_0712.jpg) But that didn't last long and we were set up and fishing. 37" pike (slot fish, had to be released) ![[Linked Image]](http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e364/northerndave/fishing%20stuff/101_0714.jpg) We caught a strange little pike with a split tail too. ![[Linked Image]](http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e364/northerndave/Mobile%20Uploads/Resampled_2013-01-13_08-55-41_88.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e364/northerndave/Mobile%20Uploads/Resampled_2013-01-13_09-27-05_757.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e364/northerndave/Mobile%20Uploads/Resampled_2013-01-13_09-30-38_578.jpg)
Something clever here.
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,514
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,514 |
I been busy.... ![[Linked Image]](http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j247/joelbrown_01/WP_000478_zps91598bbd.jpg) ![[Linked Image]](http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j247/joelbrown_01/WP_000479_zps73a49078.jpg)
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[the member formerly known as fluffy}
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Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,580
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,580 |
I went the singleshot route when I was a kid. I think it's a great way to go. Less chance for mistakes in some ways.
Youngsters have awesome eyes that I would love to have back. So, I think they can forego the scope easily and that makes the rifle much easier to handle and carry. At least, you can begin that way.
There are many, older singleshot cartridges and rifles out there that may be very suitable for hunting as well. Some come with switch barrels, which may be advantageous. They are more expensive than the handi-rifle but they also hold their value extremely well and can become heirlooms. One of the better options is the Stevens 44.5 model. Made new as well as easily available used. You can even get a new one in the raw and put some sweat equity into it.
Is the .223 to be used for deer as well, or just as a training cartridge? I am going to have him use it for deer. I had some good results with TSX bullets on deer this year. Well, actually, a friend that I loaded them up for did, but the results were impressive, and the recoil almost non-existent. The thing is, I had always thought of the Handi's as cheap, but the one I shot was put together reasonably nice, and it shot MOA at 100 with a trigger that could use some work. The overall length of the rifle is great, and I can put a normal LOP stock on it as he grows up. We'll see. I just sold some PMags and BX-25 magazines on Gunbroker, so it isn't really an issue of the money. The Ruger would be nice as well, but the 20 inch barrel of the Handi would give a little more velocity to push the TSX's for deer. Decisions.....
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