estimated # of shacks

[TyGuy02]

I am working on a business opportunity and need to find the total demand for the product I am developing. Are there any total estimates of permanent ice fishing shelters for Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Canada? The only estimate I was able to find was that there can be 5,500 shelters on Mille Lacs at one time. Also, if possible, the average number of holes per shelter is important. I would guess somewhere near 6. Many with 4, most with 6 and many with 8 or more. Thanks!

[pushbutton]

Call the "dnr's" ......would think the number of shelter licenses that are sold would be public record.

[JSK76]

I drill 5 in mine every time, 2 for me 2 for who ever is fishing with me or may stop in an want to fish and one for the camera. Too bad you get figure out how many shelter tags the state sold last year.

[Wanderer]

What's your definition of permanent? Just a skid house or do wheel houses count in your plan?

The number of licenses sold won't differentiate the two if it matters.

[TyGuy02]

both skid house and wheelhouses count for my market research. My product will be targeted to them, but not the portable shacks...yet! I am working on my application for the IDEA competition, which gives prizes to individuals in NW Minnesota to assist in the development of their invention/idea/innovation. Many great products have came through this competition, and most having to do with the outdoors. Those ATV track systems, Wood burning furnace, new innovative bobber stops, IceHogger, are just a few products that have came through the IDEA competition

[Redlineracer12]

Wheelhouses aren't required to be licensed as fish houses if you don't leave them overnight unattended on the ice. So that license count might not help you if you're trying to include them.

[hugonian1]

Correct- I have a wheelhouse but don't typically purchase a shelter license.

[Hawg]

Invent an insert that won't allow holes to freeze in when gone, that would sell.

[20lbSloughShark]

The number of licenese sold might be the best way. I have a "permy" now, but I plan on using it like a portable. For average number of holes, just check out a company who makes them, like ice castle, and find the average number of holes in their shacks. My guess is 6 is the most common.

[nofishfisherman]

Best you're going to be able to do is find license data from each state. I assume you need to have firm numbers to show with an explanation of where the numbers came from so thats probably the best way to go about it.

Another important number you might want to consider is how many new wheel houses are sold each year. Lets say 10,000 new wheel houses are sold each year. Thats 10,000 possible new customers each year. There are also the people who build their own perms and wheel houses but it would be tough number to estimate and track.

If you don't need firm numbers you could always go with a rough estimate. In that case I'd say there are somewhere between a boat load and a carp ton of houses out there.

[Hawg]

Are you trying to sell this idea to a banker or investor? Why do you need to be that accurate? The questions you ask are pure guesswork no matter what your source.

[WalleyeVision]

If you come up with a good guesstimate please post it out here, would be a good stat to know.

[merkman]

Invent an insert that won't allow holes to freeze in when gone, that would sell.

+1

Make one big enough for a spear hole too.

.

[merkman]

This link has the data you need from Minnesota.

MnDNR Historical Licence Sales

Not perfect since not all shelters buy tags and some shelters have spear holes instead of fish holes.

But it gets you close... from a somewhat reputable source

.