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Tools to break ice?

6K views 23 replies 15 participants last post by  razorback 
#1 ·
Just wondering what y'all may use to make a hole? And I'm NOT refering to spots where you can drive the truck or ATV up to and put out an ice eater or UDM's good burn barrel methodl. I'm thinking about spots where one has to walk in from a distance where you can't carry heavy stuff to do so, and/or where you walk in and have to break a hole right now to hunt.

Normally, on hunts where I don't take the canoe but walk in somewhere, I take a canoe paddle. It works to both break ice as well as push the sheets under other ice. This is IF the ice isn't too thick...1/2 or 3/4 inch stuff. What tools do you use on thicker stuff? Specifically, how well would some type of hand saw work (pretty light, chainsaw too heavy)? Thinking of testing this type(s) of hand saw out tomorrow on my very iced over Koi pond.
 
#3 ·
I will use shins and knees. My brute strength. Also I use a sled alot to carry my decoys and other gear in and I will walk behind it leaning on it to break the ice and it seems to work well. Slow going when you have to walk a ways to get to your spot....
 
#4 ·
okduckdude said:
I will use shins and knees. My brute strength. Also I use a sled alot to carry my decoys and other gear in and I will walk behind it leaning on it to break the ice and it seems to work well. Slow going when you have to walk a ways to get to your spot....
Same here. Use my decoy gloves to toss the large sheets away. As for the smaller pieces I stand in the hole and thrust back and forth creating wakes that push them on to the surrounding ice.
 
#8 ·
LiquidA45 said:
okduckdude said:
I will use shins and knees. My brute strength. Also I use a sled alot to carry my decoys and other gear in and I will walk behind it leaning on it to break the ice and it seems to work well. Slow going when you have to walk a ways to get to your spot....
Same here. Use my decoy gloves to toss the large sheets away. As for the smaller pieces I stand in the hole and thrust back and forth creating wakes that push them on to the surrounding ice.
My canoe does wonders doing as described above, IF....big IF I use the canoe to get to a spot and then break ice. I'm talking walk to spots where I don't have "Ole faithful".
 
#11 ·
I take a long handled square shovel that I keep in the back the truck incase I get stuck or need to bury a dead hooker.

It works out perfectly for me, I tie up around a dozen decoys texas Rogers and just put then on the end of the shovel like a hobo. They are easier to swing around and when I get to the hole I can bust ice and it gives me length so I don't have to reach to out to far and it's great for feeling bottom and keeping balance.

Also makes a great push pole or paddle in the kayak/layout boat.

And they weigh about 3-4 lbs which is manageable.
 
#12 ·
micneador said:
Or this if thick and can do ahead of time
Do you know how heavy a quickie saw really is? I hate carrying it across the job site much less pack it into the marsh.
I do. I've used them for years. We have several of them. I've hauled them around plenty of times on job sites and such. Most spots I hunt I can drive up to so it doesn't matter on weight. Or if I were to use a boat, a sled, or a canoe like has been said, it's not really an issue.
 
#14 ·
okbucksnducks said:
micneador said:
Or this if thick and can do ahead of time
Do you know how heavy a quickie saw really is? I hate carrying it across the job site much less pack it into the marsh.
I do. I've used them for years. We have several of them. I've hauled them around plenty of times on job sites and such. Most spots I hunt I can drive up to so it doesn't matter on weight. Or if I were to use a boat, a sled, or a canoe like has been said, it's not really an issue.
You guys need to hire an apprentice
 
#15 ·
sooner737 said:
okbucksnducks said:
micneador said:
Or this if thick and can do ahead of time
Do you know how heavy a quickie saw really is? I hate carrying it across the job site much less pack it into the marsh.
I do. I've used them for years. We have several of them. I've hauled them around plenty of times on job sites and such. Most spots I hunt I can drive up to so it doesn't matter on weight. Or if I were to use a boat, a sled, or a canoe like has been said, it's not really an issue.
You guys need to hire an apprentice
I was the grunt when I did that work.
 
#16 ·
sooner737 said:
okbucksnducks said:
micneador said:
Or this if thick and can do ahead of time
Do you know how heavy a quickie saw really is? I hate carrying it across the job site much less pack it into the marsh.
I do. I've used them for years. We have several of them. I've hauled them around plenty of times on job sites and such. Most spots I hunt I can drive up to so it doesn't matter on weight. Or if I were to use a boat, a sled, or a canoe like has been said, it's not really an issue.
You guys need to hire an apprentice
I was thinking this the other day lol
 
#17 ·
I use a stout oar in the manner described above: break and push under the ice. Some mornings it seems like it refreezes in a matter of 30 minutes though. Breaking it is easy, but keeping it open gets in the way of hunting. I suppose motorized decoys might move the water enough to delay freezing, but I have never tried that.
 
#18 ·
jeff_osu said:
I use a stout oar in the manner described above: break and push under the ice. Some mornings it seems like it refreezes in a matter of 30 minutes though. Breaking it is easy, but keeping it open gets in the way of hunting. I suppose motorized decoys might move the water enough to delay freezing, but I have never tried that.
A couple decoys on a jerk rig will keep it open. I swear when birds are flying by I just tug that jerk rig and they see the ripples in the open water and suicide dive my spread.
 
#20 ·
Ely said:
After I break it and use a dip net to scoop all the ice out I put a trolling motor in the hole and turned it on low to keep the hole open. works every time

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I do the same thing (sort of). Mojo outdoors has a product called the "thrasher" that is basically a trolling motor clamped to a stake and runs off of a deep cycle boat battery. Keeps the ice hole open and adds some movement to your spread.
 
#21 ·
Worth the effort, ducks cruise around looking for open water? Good pair of neoprene waders, decoy gloves is all you need for ice up to inch thick. Depending on depth, push down with your weight to break. Suggest squares of 20feet, slide pieces under ice NOT in your hole. I bought a bait net at Academy (4x10) that two people can skim all the little pieces with, works good.
If ice thick I use a wood splitting maul (8lbs) to chop and break it.
Good luck and think positive and turn lemons into lemonade.
Good hunting!

Red Duck
 
#22 ·
It absolutely won't work if you can't get relatively close, but I have started using a trash pump. Set it up, start it and walk away. Fill the tank every 8 hours. I have kept a hole open all year.

As far as walk in spots, usually start with a hatchet and use a jet sled and body weight to do the majority of it.
 
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