Duck Hunters Drown on Devils Lake

[Guest]

Two duck hunters drowned last week here on Devils Lake. Their boat capsized on Pelican Lake.

Neither of the hunters had on PFD's as they (PFD's) where found in a bag on the shoreline along with their decoys.

One hunter has not been found yet. It is feared he will not be.

My condolences to their families.

OK...It was only a matter of time before someone be it a hunter or a fisherman lost thier lives on Devils Lake. Devils Lake can be an extremly dangerous body of water. Winds pick up and can change direction very fast. The day those men lost their lives, 25-35 MPH winds were predicted. You have no business on the lake when this is forecasted especially in an under-sized and under-powered duck boat..

I have stood at the dock here in Minnewaukan and told people that the winds are going to pick-up and they should not put in here today since winds from the North and East make it very dangerous to take your boat off the water. Since this is a shallow lake, waves are close together and have high peaks making it hard to negotiate the swells. I tell them that I am guide and will not be taking my party out today. Everyone just rolls their eyes at you and do not believe you. I no longer go to the ramp and wade out and help winch boats off the bottom of the ramp putting myself in harms way.

I drive a 19 foot Warrior boat with a 220 HP engine and do not go out when the winds are predicted to exceed 25 MPH. Why do people with a 14 foot aluminum boat with a 25 horse insist on going out in those same conditions?

Life is supposed to be fun. Stay in the cabin at the resort, take a drive in the country, go bird watching. Go fishing another day but today enjoy each others company on shore.

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Kevin Neve's Devils Lake Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/kevin-neve-guiding/
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 701-473-5411 or 701-351-4989
Minnewaukan ND

[Guest]

Good solid info on safety.

Unfortunately, it's my guess that those who need most to read it will not.

[Steve Foss]

You're both right. I've written news stories about just such unfortunate incidents. It's a pitiful thing, talking with the stricken families of the loved ones. I, too, have done things as foolish. I imagine most of us have at one time or another. How would my children, my wife and parents and siblings feel if they lost me? That's what I think about when I'm about to do something questionable. Sometimes, I do it anyway. That's a human for you.

[Guest]

I meet the fellows who drowned two years ago when they were here then. Good bunch of guys.

The game and fish are saying that we may never find him. He had waders on. The water is brown and dark and he is wearing camo therebye making it even harder to find him. Not to be morbid but the shrimp and assorted scavengers might clean his bones over the winter.

One thinks that it would be OK to die doing something they love be it hunting, fishing or whatever but really now.

I had a friend who died while fishing a few years ago. He was alone and keeled over into his live well and died of a heartattack/drowning. He was fishing alone. I do most of my outdoor stuff alone and think it would be a horrible way to go.

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Kevin Neve's Devils Lake Guide Service
fishingminnesota.com/kevin-neve-guiding/
e-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 701-473-5411 or 701-351-4989
Minnewaukan ND