Hub Shelters: To Shovel or NOT to Shovel Before Setting UP??

[TroutYammer]

I just bought a hub shelter and have not used it yet. Should I shovel the snow down to the ice before setting it up? Or do ya just set it up on top of the snow?

[gardn184]

In my experience its best to shovel it down to the ice before setting it up, that way you already have a lot of snow to pile on the edges of the house once it's set up. Also, make sure you have a way to tie down guidelines to the ice or something heavy nearby, we used the auger and snowmobile in a pinch last year. We also used tree stand pegs, they worked well once they bit into the ice. The extra room you gain in the hub is awesome, you won't be disapointed

[Maverick]

It really depends on how much snow there is. I wouldn't bother shoveling with 6 inches or less of snow. More than that and you will want to clear it out. One reason to leave the snow is the melting that goes on. If you are out for a long time the ice can get pretty slippery unless you have something on the ice. With a few inches of snow in the house it only seems to get slippery near the heater.

[Trytti]

I have one and only used it a couple times last year as I have a permanent and a Clam flipover. The only thing about shoveling the snow all away first is that you end up with water on the ice after you run the auger which makes it extremely slippery. What I would recommend is figure out where you want it, drill your holes and then shovel, and don't shovel it all away. Leave a little to absorb the water from drilling first, then maybe shovel the most of it away after that. But I like to leave a little for traction after that.

[Fishjet]

I found that if we shoveled out all the snow, we wound up with water on top of ice. Crazy slippery!!!

[Northlander]

I would not! It will be warmer on your feet, less water building up and less light penetration.

[fivebucks]

I used to shovel but I don't anymore for the reasons stated above. Mainly slippery and too much water. I will shave off some of the snow to level it out a bit though.

[servocam]

I shovel to level, but if you go all the way to the ice, it gets a bit wet in the hub. I remove the powder, but keep the crud. I lay 3x4' mats on the snow/ice then.

[thatoneguy]

Don't shovel if you're going to have a heater running inside the shelter. It gets dangerously slippery if you shovel off all the snow and then run a heater. Or alternatively, get a carpet square to lay down so you have some traction.

The only time I ever shovel is if it's really windy - then I'll shovel down a ways so I can really bank the sides good.

[eurolarva]

Not sure where you are fishing but in the metro area there is about 4 inches of slush on top of the ice. Best to keep the snow on top of this

[TCon17]

I have a clam pop-up. I dont shovel much snow off unless its loose powder. If its packed down pretty good I leave it and just shovel around the around the outside to dump on the flaps to keep them down and the wind out. That loose snow on the "floor" makes it easy to lose little things you drop, jigs, hooks, etc.

And a decent piece of carpet under your feet keeps you from loosing stuff in the snow too!

[shizzy]

I never shovel and really only bank the sides when its really windy/cold. I prefer the extra leakage to insure Im getting plenty of fresh air.

[NELS-BELLS]

I have whats called a hura tent. It is a series of 7' diameter wire rings attached at one point. It looks like the top of a hot air balloon sticking out of the snow when its set up.

Anyways, I drill the holes inside and then shovel the slush and snow from around the holes onto the flap of material on the bottom of the house, to hold it down. The slush and wet snow is much heavier than just snow. I put the flap on the inside of the house, rather then the outside. That way it doesn't freeze down, which sucks when you are trying to take your house down. I'm not sure if putting the flap on the inside will work with a hub styly house.

I don't remove the rest of the snow from the inside for the same reasons that are listed earlier(insulation, less slippery), just pack it down. After its set up, I will go around and kick or shovel a little snow around the outside to eliminate the drafts that might get underneath.

Nels

[mrpike1973]

i have a quick fish 2 i only shovel around the base where the skirt is works good so far.