Looking for advice - camper into spearhouse

[cherokee]

I am just about to buy a camper trailer to convert into a camper/deer blind and spear house. How feasible would it be to cut a hole in the bottom and spear out of this thing without being able to drop it down to the ice? Could a guy make some sleeves to insert in the hole to block light. wind and snow?

You guys are creative, what do you think?

Dale

[merkman]

I wouldn't recommend it.

It is already harder to spear in late ice since the thickness of the ice blocks your view, without dropping it to the ice you are adding to that problem.

The other issue that I can see is the weight of a speared fish is much heavier in air than in the water since you loose the buoyancy of the water once the fish is out of the water. You may loose a fish lifting them up and out of the hole.

I am not sure how tall of sleeves you are thinking but I am imagining a foot or so.

[cherokee]

That's kinda what I was worried about, the distance from floor to water. Unless I had an area of 4' x 4' cutout and mounted a shorty bench right next to it. Could set the feet on the new floor which would be on the ice. A retractable floor in this area? No? Maybe?

[merkman]

Unless I had an area of 4' x 4' cutout

[Laska]

Maybe if you would bell the heck out of the hole it would be possible, it might make up for the distance between you and the hole and the visability would improve drastically

[bassNspear]

im not sure this will work. You are going to want to have all access covered so you dont have any light at all showing through. You have to remember, they are going to be able to see it if its not covered and all black!

[GoneFish'n71]

There is a guy in SD that has a couple of them he rents out. They have wooden boxes going down onto the ice. The holes tend to keep freezing when it is cold out though.

You could make it into a drop down house, but it might be a little wide (leagaly) with the wheel on the outside of the house.

I have seen this done many times for fish houses. you will also think about how you are going to get your house over the hole once you cut it, unless you plan on pushing the block under the ice. I have a zack shack and cut the hole and back the house over it. I have been thinking about using some ramps and just drive the atv over the hole t make it easier.

[merkman]

I have been thinking about using some ramps and just drive the atv over the hole t make it easier.

That is scarry ... Be careful!!!

[merkman]

im not sure this will work. You are going to want to have all access covered so you dont have any light at all showing through. You have to remember, they are going to be able to see it if its not covered and all black!

I would think you can put some moving blankets (or the equivalent over the drop down portion to keep all the light out and provide a little bit of insulation. It might be good to make a place for your heater down there or have a fan that would push the heat down to keep it warm near the hole.

[cherokee]

Thanks for the feedback. I thought about the drop down axel. It is 6' 6" wide so legally I think it would work.

My other thought I mentioned was to make the cutout larger than the hole and drop in a floor onto the ice (it would have four sides and a floor). Within the floor that drops to the ice would be a spearing hole 30" long x 26" or so wide. It would be kinda like a sunken living room but on a much smaller scale. All this would be connected to the main camper floor. ???

I really want to use it as a deer blind as well. I have some land and will keep it setup on a foodplot. Come spearing I will pull it and put it on the ice. Maybe this way I can get my girls and wife to come along for the adventure.

[cherokee]

Merkman, good point about having the heater close to this area. In thinking more about it, the hardsided house I have now is a four x four and it works well. Only thing I don't know at this point is what kinda frame this camper has and how much space inbetween cross members I have.

My brother has a welder so I wouldn't be afraid of cutting and rewelding if I had to.

[merkman]

I am still waiting for a "you guys are out of control" comment

[cherokee]

Merkman, maybe if I added a disco ball and strobe lights would the out of control comment come. Everytime I spear a northern I could hit a button and have the inside light up .

I made the decision to buy it and go for it. Just emailed him so hopefully he hasn't sold it from out under me. What the heck. I have a good picture in my mind of how this thing is going to work. Worse case it will make one heck of a deer blind.

[Gordie]

I like the sunken living room I mean spearing room Idea you could insulated the out sides of the plywood or sandwitch it. and the if you spear a fish crank up some JAMES BROWN "I FEEL GOOD" now we outta control