Just saw this again in a post this morning and three times yesterday at Frontenac. Those holes you drill so you can stand your auger up don’t freeze up. They just fill with snow and become a foot traffic hazard. Saw a guy severely sprain an ankle last year. If you want to do it, fine, but before you leave please take the time to finish the hole.
I have never understood why guys do this instead of just setting them down.
Thanks guys, I am one of those people who do that. But now knowing the implications I promise from now on to either finish the hole or just lay the auger on the ice. 
Saw a guy do it once where he either drilled slightly to far and allowed a little water in from below, or simply put wet slushy auger in the partial drilled hole and let it stand there for quite some time.
It was cold, and when they were ready to leave, guess what, it was frozen it.
They actaully, after some time of trying to figure out how to get it out, hooked down low on shaft and to car and tried to break it loose with tow strap. Nothing more than a bent shaft then.
They ended up removing head and leaving it hole.
I laughed my you-know-what off, but at same time was horrified someone would drive into that forzen in aguer shaft.
Ain’t no lie boys and girls, I witnessed it 
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I have never understood why guys do this instead of just setting them down.
Keeps the auger out of the snow.
I always finish mine off before I move or leave. Same with anchor holes, the half drilled holes for shanty anchors… finish them off!!!
Just plain old bad for the auger and blades! Think how many of these guys you see laying on their auger to make holes. The pitch of the blades and shaft can easily be bent while wrestling the thing out of the whole! I snicker to myself every time I see it! 
I drill lots of them around my perimeter in case others want to fish too close.
These half holes are also used for those butterfly anchors to hold down the new tent houses…
Only in Iowa. No consideration or just plain Iowan lol 
Survival of the fittest down here. We don’t cater to anyone. 
Funny you bring it up because on Sunday I thought about standing my auger up. Both thoughts went through my mind – Dangerous and not good for the auger.
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I have never understood why guys do this instead of just setting them down.
I’m with you. I’ve never really considered it. Besides the fact that its no good for the blades, its more work than its worth. Why drill a hole you can’t fish out of?
I just figure why waste the fuel and blades any more than necessary. And it is a safety factor. As an old sledder I instinctively oppose any permanent objects on the ice. Like this, spear hole ice blocks, etc.
Plowed road ridges…. Hurts even thinking about that one.
I USED to do this also, but YEP after a few times and I think it bent my blades I stopped. I never even thought about the safety issue -sorry. I have not done it for years except for one time to make a “live well” but that had water in it so it froze up again.
If a person checks with any of the manufactures, none of them recommend doing this.
I didn’t know the reason when I was reading up on augers, but figured if they don’t recommend it, that was good enough for me.
I’m assuming this was in my post 
And I always make sure I finish my hole after because I have been in those holes before! And my auger goes down on the ice now after reading about how hard it is on the shaft and blades
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