Fishhouse Alarm System

[andylee]

Hey Guys,
I've been reading alot of posts in the forums about break ins. I had an idea for a cheep fishhouse alarm that I think might be helpful. It may draw alot of attention and help catch someone. I am giong to try it on my house. Here is what I am going to do.

Get a horn or siren from the junkyard, a small 12 volt battery and a keyed switch. I will put the keyed switch on the outside wall by the door and a switch on the door that turns on when the door opens. The keyed switch will provide power to the horn so that when it is active and the door is opened or kicked in, the horn will sound and likly attract attention at 2am when everyone is sleeping. When I want to fish, just turn the key and the alarm will be disabled so I can open the door.

This is just my first attempt at an alarm system for the house, I think I can do it for under $40. Anybody else have ideas that might work? Hope this post helps a few that have been victims.

Andy

[RogersResort]

Sounds like it may help, don't use too good of a battery they may just take it...

[EBass]

Yup hide that battery under the house so it takes them sometime to find it, and if it takes too long they'll start to run. Make sure it's really loud please!

Maybe those 123 people that were arrested for having pitbull's fight are looking for a new gig and ice house security could possibly be the answer. Just a thought.

[Riptide]

I don't know if anyone has tried the motion cameras used in the woods for deer pics. Someone could mount this unit inside their house pretty good so when the theives open the door it takes there picture. It will either scare them off or they will try hard to get the camera. If you could bolt the bracket for the camera and have it locked up good so it would take too much time to get it. I take every thing out of my house when i leave since mine was broke into on Green Lake a few years back. The only thing they did was rip the door off and take a dump on my floor probally because i had nothing in there for them.

[Farley]

My Uncles house got broken into a few weeks back and they left all the rods/reels, booze/beer, and everyting else in the house except for his torch for lighting the stove and a cd player. His buddy that has a house right next to him got his 100lb. propane tank and his vexilar stolen. Sounds like someone is cookin up some meth on that lake.

[Dave]

I wouldn't waste the cost of a camera on trying to catch them. With nobody around, a flash from a camera isn't going to scare them enough and you couldn't bolt it in good enough. One whack on the lens and the camera's busted and film exposed anyways, I would guess.

The loud horn alarm is cheap enough and might scare 'em enough to head out though, especially if some homes are nearby.

[dougger222]

I had a wireless motion detector in my shanty. When you left you would set it with a number code. You would have 30 seconds to get out of the house. When you opened the door you had 30 seconds to put in the number code for it not to alarm. The unit was bought at an RV store for $45.00 and worked great unless it got really cold then it wouldn't work right. They were manufactured to be used in RV's when being stored. The best ticket is to take all valuable stuff with you and leave the house open.
Another option would be a close circut door alarm. This is actually the stystem I use on my rattle reels. When the magnet comes in contact with the sensor the alarm goes off. My buddy has the opposit in his house which could work on a door or window. They run off 9 volt and last a long time. All material can be bought at Radio Shack for cheap. You need the contact, magnets, lights, alarm, and on and off switches and wireing.

[joep0674]

well if you make one , ill definitly buy one .... sounds like a good idea .... better hurry up and get a patent

[woodyjdh]

How about a car alarm system? Not a real expensive one, but a run of the mill type found at Wal-Mart for instance. You shut the door, after having loaded everything up, you click the button...BEEP BEEP. And walk away. To make it more interesting, contact "Q" from the James Bond movies, and get the antitheft system he installed in 007's White Lotus! Fish on!!!

[PRO-V]

A few fine wire hooks hanging from the ceiling with flourocarbon line would likely give them a surprise. Then you would also have DNA samples!!

[parttimer]

PRO-V,
That's a good idea, but the way the legal system works now days you can probably get sued by the thieves for hanging the hooks from the ceiling.

[LocalGuide]

Not if you hang your rattle reels from the ceiling!

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AKA PikeEye 300

[mpotter21]

I am so angry at these thieves, and I havent been ripped off yet! I someone gets caught in the act. My guess its only a few people since they never get caught.

I got an idea. With all the money we pay for fish house liscense's the DNR should hire "security guards" to patrol troubled lakes. What do you think?

Mike--

[woodyjdh]

I think that the idea of DNR doing security isn't completely out of the question. If they work in conjunction with a local sheriffs dept, they could set up a sting to catch these guys. Even the likelyhood of that happening might be wishful thinking. For the most part it is up to "us" the guys out there to keep a watchful eye on our neighbors out there on the ice.

[dougger222]

joep0674
The system is very simple to make. My buddy even has a couple portable systems that work the same way. He took a 1.5 foot 2x6 ground it down to look like a cross. Drove a spike up the bottom for it to stick into the ice next to the hole. He put the light, reel with sensor (imbedded into the wood) and magnets glued onto the plastic reel. He added an on off switch and placed the battery and and buzzer on the board. Very nice system. I've always used Strike Sensor brand sensors on my tip-ups with good luck. Only thing I dislike about them is that they whent from white to green units a couple years back and there not compatible with each other. There must be 8 units purchased over the years with only 1 that broke.

[the big dipper]

How about a claymore mine with a trip wire. Sure you'd lose the house, but it would sure surprise the scumbags.

[chucker34]

You can buy magentic seal (window) alarms run by d cell batteries at home depot or a similar store for about $5 a piece. When they open the door, the seal is broken, and the alarm goes off and sounds like a shrill, piercing siren. You'd have to place this in a less than obvious place, such as a bottom corner of the door/door frame - and maybe paint it the same color as your fish house door/frame to make it blend it. Then, simply turn it off when you want to enter. The bottom line is that I'd doubt they'd be looking for it - especially if its dark - and the unexpected commotion it causes would be enough to make many people get out of there quick. Then, your compadres in the house next to yours, etc. could simply shut the door and it would turn off. Not a totally fail-safe method but it's cheap and would take awhile for them to turn it off if they don't know it's there.

[fishingdad]

This question has bugged the you know what out of me for years. I tell what I think would really work on this dumb b******* is to take a 12 volt electric fencer like we used to have on the farm and hook it up to your door-knob as long as you had a wooden door with wooden frame and a toggle switch hidden somewhere on the outside of your house that you could shut-off the battery power so you didn't zap yourself opening the door it wouldn't hurt the punks but anybody thats ever touched an electric fence would know they wouldn't hang on to that door-knob very long.Man I just feel better talking about this. If I get broke into I promise you my first trip is to the farm store for prices on 12 volt electric fencers

[LocalGuide]

Good idea! I got steel siding on the house and even if they touched that they would get it! It would be really funny watching them and seeing them trying to get past it. ZAP!

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AKA PikeEye 300

[S.D. Ice Angular]

Fishingdad I like your idea but:
OK, I admit I’m not an expert on “Electric Fencers” but isn’t the theory of the way they work is as follows. You have to be standing on the “GROUND” to make them work. I can remember when I was young and stupid we would jump in the air and touch the wire to see how long we could hold it before landing on the ground. I am just curious do you think the ice would work the same as a “GROUND” and also what if they are wearing heavy rubber boots does this affect it??
Also Fishingdad Don’t wait until it happens to you to make it work IF you have something that works like you are talking about I would implement it NOW not after you have lost your goodies… Just A Thought

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Hook Em Good!!!!!!!

S.D. Ice Angular;
NRA, DU, NWTF,
Varmint Hunter
& NAHC Life Member

[lhk53]

We got broken in to and lost all our equipment including a brand new 10" power auger. Luckey for us a deputy here in Becker county was real persistent and is bringing the young punks to trial. One is already in jail for thieft so i would guese he will get to be someones B**ch in the big house.
We have been thinking about an alarm but we think you also need some strobe lites at the same time to let everyone know the house is being broken to.

[woodyjdh]

OK, I have read most of the posts, and am suprised no one has mentioned this... a car alarm! You can get them from low end to high end. And they too run off of 12volts! They must not draw much power to run, and a 12 volt strobe light should be easy enough to hook up to it. Since I don't have a fish house of my own until next year to try it on, it is only a thought. But I have already added it to "the list" of things to do. Any thoughts on this?

[cwmn]

Why don't you see how much security "you" can buy for $11. It is not the DNR's responsibility to protect private property, it is the property owner's.
Don't get me wrong, I hate the fact that you can't leave things in a locked shack on a lake without someone breaking in and taking you're things but think about it, if you left youre boat on a lake in the summer would you leave a $400 fish finder or anything else of value? Don't leave stuff in youre shack when youre not there.
As far as setting up "booby traps", it is against the law in Minnesota so it's not a law suit you worry about it's the cops and the DA.
Maybe the thing to do is buddy up with youre nieghbors on the ice and do a Guardian Angles kinda thing.

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Have a good one!
CWMN

[Fish On]

if you buy a shelter tag for your fish house it could be called a home then all you need is to spend the week on the ice with a 45 and get them for breaking and entering

[LocalGuide]

Is it legal to put a fence up around your house? Cant another come no closer than 10' to your house? So put up a fence with in the 10'.
Put up a 10' fence with barb wire on the top. See if they get past ya.
It would sure give me a laugh if i did see one out on the ice though.

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AKA PikeEye 300