Packing heat, on ice

Anyone have issues with wildlife on the ice?

Packing up past dark last year with the 9yr old a group of coyotes did their yelping not far away on shore and first time I grew a little concerned with getting back to the truck safely. My ninja skills might not handle a pack of yotes all that well, how possible is an attack?

Then on Winnie hopping around in the truck late season there was a fresh deer carcass picked clean, and was thinking man what if a guy found a hotspot and stuck to it all night, or went out the hub to take a leak pretty isolated from anyone?

Should there be a concern on safety in these type situations or being a bit paranoid? Gonna start taking the kids with me more and more as they grow older and see them being easy targets and perhaps more vulnerable?

I often wounder the same thing. I just pretend I’m hunting coyotes, then I know I won’t see a single one of them.

I always carry, protecting my kids is my #1 job

I never hit the ice without multiple types of heat. You just never know when the bad guys or animals will come.

If I hear something approaching I normally fire off a few warning shots, that normally scares away most unwanted visitors. If anything sticks around past the warning shots, well then there’s the claymores.

Just LOL at you if you aren’t packing multiple types of heat on the ice, most dangerous place on earth. People underestimate the amount of man-eating wildlife that travel miles onto a frozen lake to feast on all the tulipee outside someone’s shack.

I carry for the muskrats. Talk about a fearsome creature.

I would be more worried about the ice failing you before any yote does anything to you.

Came across a freshly dead coon on the ice last year on one of my go to spots , ruined the spot all year i was looking over my shoulder

I thought I was reading a different lingo.

slipperybob wrote:

I thought I was reading a different lingo.

My wife doesn’t go ice fishing often…..
Bada bing…….

Seriously though. I’ve often thought about it on overnight trips. Always kind of worry about some meth head F’ing with me.

I guess now, not only do I have to worry about being run over by a snowmobile at night, I also have to worry about the guy taking pot shots at coyotes. Geeeze, get a big flashlight with strobe or canned air horn and the coyotes will leave you alone.

Of course I’m not talking about any local fisheries, or the shanty towns that form on the larger lakes, talking remote locations. I hate fishing around people.

Guess this city kid who doesn’t hunt and know yote/wolfs, and who really hadn’t ice fished his whole life, started to last year, had a couple concerns from that and was asking.

Judging by the smart a$$ comments I shouldn’t be concerned.

Most of the lakes I fish are within some sort of city limits so firing rounds isn’t quite ideal or legal.

I live in methhead capital USA. They don’t come out after dark or in the cold let alone wonder across a frozen lake. I wouldn’t worry too much about them. Hooligans don’t like winter, they tend to stay where it’s warm.

I don’t know… carrying a firearm while ice fishing has never crossed my mind. Maybe if I went deep woods but even at that I’m the scariest thing on the ice. I’d be more afraid of forgetting my cleats.

Ryan Wilson wrote:

Most of the lakes I fish are within some sort of city limits so firing rounds isn’t quite ideal or legal.

I live in methhead capital USA. They don’t come out after dark or in the cold let alone wonder across a frozen lake. I wouldn’t worry too much about them. Hooligans don’t like winter, they tend to stay where it’s warm.

I don’t know… carrying a firearm while <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>ice fishing has never crossed my mind. Maybe if I went deep woods but even at that I’m the scariest thing on the ice. I’d be more afraid of forgetting my cleats.

Where do you live Ryan?

I always carry when fishing. Not because I’m worried about yotes, they’re more afraid of you than you are of them. It’s because I always carry, so why take it off when the bibs go on? I don’t care if I’m in the heart of the metro on a lake or on a puddle in SWMN, I’ll be carrying.

Ryan Wilson wrote:

I live in methhead capital USA.

Sounds like Pine City.

Methheads are everywhere unfortunately.

I’ll only be carrying if it’s necessary, and quite frankly would rather not be.

When your 8yr old lil girl looks at ya walking in the dark back to the truck on a very small lake and says “daddy I’m scared”, it made me ask the question.

Critters and pizzas on the ice is about as bad as I’ve seen. 1am go out and wonder, where did I put that? Did I really have that many sodas

Fun aside there’s two good schools of thoughts in the comments to chose from. Don’t bother, it’s not needed. Second, If you carry regularly, just keep doing it.

There is next to zero chance of being attacked by coyotes. Take this from someone who has spent a considerable amount of time sitting in the woods sounding like a mortally wounded animal while actually trying to lure them close.

As soon as coyotes see, hear, smell, or suspect there is any animal even slightly bigger than them nearby, they run. Also, keep in mind that a coyote is not a German Shepherd. If you took the average weight of a pack of 10 coyotes, I’d be the average yote is less than 25 pounds. A standing coyote’s head comes to just above knee level.

Grouse

as a side thought, most of us like to toss a few back and while carrying the legal limit BAC is half, so 0.04, I hope everyone knows this.

Had a Coyote come up within ten feet of me last year. Even after yelling, it was slow to walk away. Thought it may have had rabies or something like that. Happened in the dark of night. The one that really got me was a Raccoon that climbed up in the bed of my truck and almost opened a door by the wheel well in my camper. Scared me good! He ended up getting hit with a spud bar and getting run over by my truck. He refused to leave! My fears were compounded by watching The Walking Dead while this all went down. I have packed ever since.

mnfishhunt wrote:

as a side thought, most of us like to toss a few back and while carrying the legal limit BAC is half, so 0.04, I hope everyone knows this.

I have to wonder how many abide by that law? .04 is like 2 beers for an 180 pound human. All you guys who carry everywhere, every day, stopping at 2? Seems far-fetched. Would love to see the numbers on how many citations written for that offense.

pool2fool wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mnfishhunt wrote:</div>
as a side thought, most of us like to toss a few back and while carrying the legal limit BAC is half, so 0.04, I hope everyone knows this.

I have to wonder how many abide by that law? .04 is like 2 beers for an 180 pound human. All you guys who carry everywhere, every day, stopping at 2? Seems far-fetched. Would love to see the numbers on how many citations written for that offense.

all things aside if you were to use a CCW for self defense and over the .04, I don’t think it would still be called self defense. thats where the issue arises i believe.

pool2fool wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mnfishhunt wrote:</div>
as a side thought, most of us like to toss a few back and while carrying the legal limit BAC is half, so 0.04, I hope everyone knows this.

I have to wonder how many abide by that law? .04 is like 2 beers for an 180 pound human. All you guys who carry everywhere, every day, stopping at 2? Seems far-fetched. Would love to see the numbers on how many citations written for that offense.

Wow, that is painting with a pretty broad brush….

I also doubt that the OP is knocking them back while fishing with his 9 year old daughter.

There is absolutely no shame in carrying on the ice. I wouldn’t hesitate for a minute. Doesn’t mean I am going to empty a clip at every noise I hear.

mnfishhunt wrote:

all things aside if you were to use a CCW for self defense and over the .04, I don’t think it would still be called self defense. thats where the issue arises i believe.

Which makes sense I guess — but that would be the extreme end of enforcing that particular law. I’m just guessing that there are a good number of people carrying out to the bar and they’re having more than 2 while there.

Didn’t mean to hi-jack the thread either!

sticker wrote:

Wow, that is painting with a pretty broad brush….

I also doubt that the OP is knocking them back while fishing with his 9 year old daughter.

There is absolutely no shame in carrying on the ice. I wouldn’t hesitate for a minute. Doesn’t mean I am going to empty a clip at every noise I hear.

I’m more scribbling with crayons than painting here — I didn’t say, or mean to imply, that everyone or even a majority who carry are breaking the law. Not by any stretch. I’m just saying .04 isn’t even buzz-worthy for most folks, and it seems reasonable to wonder how closely that law is being followed.

pool2fool wrote:

I have to wonder how many abide by that law? .04 is like 2 beers for an 180 pound human. All you guys who carry everywhere, every day, stopping at 2? Seems far-fetched. Would love to see the numbers on how many citations written for that offense.

I can count on one hand the amount of beers I’ve drank the past 3 months. After making that statement here, please don’t exile me to a desert island. I like beer, I just don’t like the price! Water is much cheaper. Unless you’re buying Hamms, that line gets a little muddy on price…

The original ? seemed to be answered, wherever it goes from there have at it. Conversations are good.

pool2fool wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mnfishhunt wrote:</div>
as a side thought, most of us like to toss a few back and while carrying the legal limit BAC is half, so 0.04, I hope everyone knows this.

I have to wonder how many abide by that law? .04 is like 2 beers for an 180 pound human. All you guys who carry everywhere, every day, stopping at 2? Seems far-fetched. Would love to see the numbers on how many citations written for that offense.

It doesn’t happen often.
DT

sticker wrote:

clip

I too sometimes slip the ole garand in the belt whilst fishing.

Seriously though, with the booze stuff check your state laws. I assume people are talking MN, but other states nearby have laws against going in bars, drinking anything while carrying, etc.

Almost forgot

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Someone mention Hamm’s?

I went for 50 years without needing a gun at my side.

Then had a close call (nope still didn’t need it thank God) with a fella that shot an officer and a home owner.

Changed my thoughts completely that day.
I can’t predict my future, much less yours.
The boy scouts have a great motto:
Always be prepared.