Thin Ice and Dogs

R

ranchodeluxe

New member
http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/au...cle_32db8dca-1ec0-11e1-8bdb-001871e3ce6c.html

My condolences to this man's family. This is my greatest fear when hunting with a dog. Don't let your dog tread on thin ice. I don't care if a bird is down and the warden is standing there tapping his foot. It isn't worth it. I would do the same thing this guy did if it was my dog,and the outcome would be the same. Just don't let him do it.
Getting a set of those ice fishing spikes for my gear bag in the morning,too.
 
Man that is an eye opener! How sad, and might well have been me too. Not sure what I would do but I draw up in a know whenever I'm around icey ponds with a dog. I will stay off and try to keep my dog off. What are the ice fishing spikes like? I live in GA and every year there are some kids who drown because they don't know about the danger. Frozen ponds do happen but are rare, and they seem to draw kids out on them. Very sad for this man and his family, but I'd have been very tempted to go get my girl too.
 
Not to take away from this tragic event but this story haunts me to this day. I never get this tragic event out of my mind. It has made me more aware of staying off this ice. I just plain refuse to allow myself, family or our dogs to get into this situation. This happened during a duck hunt and family gathering for Christmas. Maybe that's why it bothers me even more then it otherwise would.

http://www.katu.com/outdoors/news/80003057.html

If your dog falls through the ice where you can't safely get to him or her. As hard as it may be. Don't go out after them. Let them drown or wait until qualified people and gear arrive on the seen. You dying will not make things right. Way too many friends and family would be devastated with the loss of you or others trying to save you.
 
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Be very careful this time of the year, as the soughs and lakes freeze up to the south. Whats critical timing in South Dakota, will be critical timing in Nebraska next week and so on. Every state has its window to death when it comes to new ice.[/QUOTE]

The other thing to watch out for is skim ice. Just because they can break it doesn't mean they can break it there and back. I watched helplessly from the shore one Christmas as a dog struggled to get back with a cripple. The dog broke heavy skim ice to the bird which took her out in an L shaped line, because the bird kept flopping farther out on the ice. The struggle to get back on a different line is something I never want to witness again. By the time she got back her rear legs were so cramped up she could no longer use them. Three guys stood helplessly on the shore coaxing her in the last 30 yards as she broke her way there, front legs only. Another 1/4 inch of ice or 20 yds longer and I don't think she would have made it. Lesson learned and not forgotten. Don't Send Them! It saddens me the loss this mans family has had to endure. It could of happened to any of us.
 
The ice fishing spikes hang around your shoulders on a cord. They have a handle on each end and a covered ice pick affixed. When you fall through you use them to claw your way back onto the ice. Might be worth having when hunting in marshy areas where a guy could in a bind. Probably wouldn't hurt to have your check cord with you for a makeshift lasso for the dog,or lifeline for your buddy.
 
I had not thought about what they were, but that is good to know about. I think I'll make something to put in my vest. No bird or possible bird is worth my dog's life and certainly not mine or anybody's life. Thanks for the info. I have seen frozen ponds even down to north Florida in severe cold spells and we in the south just don't think of the potential danger. Kids will think Oboy I think that would be fun to slide on and then they die! It is common sense but if it is common, why does there seem to be so little of it?
 
Very sad story. A man who died for his dog.
 
Couldn't imagine... I as well keep my dog away from the ice. But If somehow this situation came up, I'd probably be in the same boat. I'm pretty sure my thought process would skip everything rational.

Definitely going to be saying a few prayers for his family.
 
Hope that they are buried together. My thoughts and prayers to his family. Thankfully, where we hunt has only frozen over completely twice in the last 30 years, and is only 2.5 feet deep anyway. We don't bring the dogs at all if it freezes...
 
This haunts me too. It happened 10 miles west of my home, a couple miles south of where my son took the pheasant in my face photo. I did not know the man, and thankfully so.
I went in after a dog once, but I knew the water was less than two feet deep. The dog had a pheasant in her mouth and would not let go. i barely got wet as the ice did not go until I got my hand on the dogs collor.
Three years ago we were hunting the Jim River and the ice was squeeking as Axel brought a bird back so we put the dogs and guns up and chased the birds across the river andhad a great shoot on the hill on the other side. While doing so we saw a small buck go thru the ice where we had just left. We watched him struggle just a few feet from the shore and were contemplating going back to the other side to help when he got out after about 20 minutes.
be very careful when hunting by yourself and fifty feet of rope is something to have in the car along with the ice spikes in your pocket. If you do not know the ground, use extra caution. Don't want to lose anyone here.
 
Up here in this part of the country it's amazing more isn't written about this issue. I too worry about this happening when I'm out hunting. I've had dogs go through the ice but like Uncle Buck I was fortunate the water wasn't very deep. 30 years ago I was hunting the Sand Lake Refuge NE of Aberdeen late in December. That morning the temp was a -30 and it had been very cold for some time so you would think everything was froze solid. As I attempted to walk through some cattails between land and open ice I fell through up to my waist. I was alone and a mile from my vehicle. Once I got out my pants froze instantly and the walk back to the vehicle really wasn't all that bad. But I've been extremely careful around ice ever since.

There has been some good advice given here. Everyone take care around ice.
 
Not to many things scare me. I am deathly afraid of thin ice. I have to see others out fishing a few days before I try.
I took a big chance and pulled my chessy out of the middle of a frozen creek, we made it. A very close call.
 
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