Keep permanent locked or unlocked??

[BLACKJACK]

When you leave your permanent fish house out on the ice, do you keep it locked or unlocked? Pros and cons to each, even if you have no valuables left in it, some low lifes could still vandalize the inside, if you leave it locked, it will keep honest people out, but you could come back to a tore up door. And if you leave it unlocked, how about your stove that is attached to the wall, don't you worry about it?

How do you leave your house, locked or unlocked, and why?

[pushbutton]

unlocked.....take most of the valuables out, leave about 5 bucks in change in a jar in plain sight on the counter along with some pop tarts. hopefully the thought of a meal and pack of smokes will prevent them from wrecking anything. as far as the furnace, a locked door would not stop them either.

[bassmann77]

I would say keep it locked with your window coverings open. People have used unlocked shacks as bathrooms way too often

[Fowlmouth]

I like to keep the door knob on my shack hooked up to a battery so when i'm gone if anyone touches it... zaaaaaaaaaaap!

[Stringerless!]

I always left mine open.Took everything out except rattle reels. One day they were gone. Snapped of the wall. Not too bad for 5 years of leaving it open.

[Fowlmouth]

Man stringerless that is sad! The only thing left to steal and they rip the rattle reels off the wall. What's with people? People work hard for things then have some some punk steal it without even thinking twice. We need to start doing what some 3rd world countries do, if you get caught stealing you're getting your hand cut off.... But most thiefs are so dumb loosing a hand still wouldn't stop them from doing it again. Just sad.

[motley man]

I lock mine with a very small hasp with the screws exposed. I also have the combo written above the door so I don't forget it. Windows uncovered. Can't make it any easier for the thieves can I.

[Pooh]

locked but if they want in they would pick up and tip over my litte 4x6 then take my bucket n 2 rattle reels, cause thats all thats there.

[herefish101]

Unlocked, there is nothing worse than showing up and having to cobble your door back together. Don't leave anything of any value and leave it unlocked.

[cavalierowner]

I got tired of people breaking in all the time when I had a permanent. I put a single small screw in the padlock hasp so that a theif could give the lock a good pull and the screw would fall out. Kept the honest people honest and prevented the criminals from destroying the door. At the end of the day everything (and I mean everything) came out of the house. I only fish in portables now; no more surprises when I get out to the lake.

[Whopper Stopper]

I have locked my permanent house and had someone break in and take a dump on the floor.

I have left it open and had someone enter my permanent house and take a dump on the floor.

For me, it's why I now own a wheel house.

WS

[fishersofmen]

Yea mine was used for a toilet once too. Always a nice surprise.

[Jameson]

locked. The screws that hold the latch in place are very exposed and only one would need to be removed to get inside. Or even easier would be if someone use a screwdriver or key to push open the latch (like they do with credit cards on normal doors) to gain entrance. It is a light weight spear shack so they could always just flip it on it's side and crawl in through the big hole in the floor.

I keep it locked for liability reasons. I'm not sure if I truly have to worry about such things. I could just see being sued, because some kid entered my unlocked shack and drowned in the hole.

[MJBaldwin]

In my opinion this is just sad. Like stated above people work very hard for the things they have. I know from experience that when you get broken into its not so much that they stole my stuff it’s more like people really are that worthless that they have to steal something that someone else worked for. If I buy a per. fish house I would buy a wheelhouse as stated so I can take it off the lake after the trip I know it would be a little more work but nothing is worse than coming to your shack and having a surprise when you are just looking for a fun weekend.

[mnbuckhunter]

For me, it's why I now own a wheel house.

+1 And the wheel house sits locked in my driveway

[magnum mike]

Locks will keep an honest person honest. If a crook wants to get in, they will.

[1968]

Don't forget to leave behind a urine spiked half bottle of booze.

Not my idea, read it here last year. I like it though. Just watch out for already drunk buddies/self getting in to it!

[DeeJ]

+1 to magnum mike

And unlocked...sad but reality.

[tunrevir]

I have always taken everything of value out excluding the rattle reels and locked the door behind me. I tend to get off the beaten path away from the travel areas and haven't been bothered since doing that. I used to bring out my cordless drill and screw 4, 4" drywall screws into the door but then the buttheads would break the windows. When it was left unlocked they came in and used it as an outhouse. My permy is blocked up quite high and the windows are set up high and so far the scumbuckets have left me alone but I think alot of it has to do with getting away from the larger groups and the main travel areas.

Tunrevir~

[deerminator]

Blackjack, I'm in New London so let me know when you're not there and I can come fish from your house while you're not there and keep the i d i o t s away. : ) In all seriousness, I still think I'd lock mine despite the chance someone would wreck the door.

[Surface Tension]

I keep my unlocked and nothing to steal but a couple of old kitchen chairs. If someone needs them that bad to sit around their kitchen table they can have them.

[snowfighter]

I alway keep mine locked with no real values left.Figure that if its insured and you don't lock it and it gets trashed would insurance cover it.

[Northlander]

LOCKED with nothing in it. You dont need to come back to a house full of c r a p or garbage or worse yet a bunch of meth baking remnents laying inside. The house is toast then. Locking keeps honest people honest and makes crooks work harder and maybe be heard.

I saw a guy with a alarm on his door. When he was gone he turned it on and if someone opened trhe door a VERY LOUD horn went off. Enough to scare the baby ruth out of ya.

[highlife4me]

I lock mine but leave the window coverings open and remove anything with any value. It is also a good idea to keep your friends close and enemies even closer. I bet most people that have their houses vandalized know or have met the people that did it. I couldn't imagine why anybody would leave a statue of themselves in someone's house unless doing it for a reason.

[BLACKJACK]

I didn't do the exact count but looks like its pretty evenly divided between locked and unlocked. I had left it locked, went back last night, it was ok.

Even if you have a wheel house, its kind of nice to just be able to come out, turn on the heat, chisel out the holes and fish. Especially if you're on a spot where you're been catching fish.

[PoorWordUsage] shame that we even have to have this discussion.