ORIGINAL: dukemichaels
A few years ago I was hunting in mid December in Illinois on a private farm. I was stalking an area where does usually bedded on one side of heavily wooded pond that stretched about 150 yards in length and about 50 yards in width.
It took about an hour for me, on a slow stalk,to get to a good vantage point where I saw that their were no deer in the usual beds. I decided to try and creep up to another bedding areaabout another 1/2 a mile away. But I knew If I could cross the pondI could save myself a good half hour at least.
So here I am (being stupid) lying face down on about 2 inches of ice crossing a 50 yard distance trying to reach the other side.I was lying face down to spread my weight (FYI). Half way across I slid my bow to the other side when suddenly the ice made a loud crack and actually felt the entire pond shift! Now I am fully dressedin overalls, boots, winter jacket etc.!! If I go under I don't know that I could lift myself up...(yeah, this was a dumb idea!)
Eventually I made it to the other side.. took a huge sigh of relief.. and never told my girlfriend about the incident.
I got in the same typedeal while setting traps for muskrats quite a few years back in a large slough. It was 2 in the morning and I just had a couple houses and a little breather push up moundto set. I punch a hole into the little push up mound.Shined my flash light in to see if there was a place to set a trap. I noticed little bits ofdebris moving downin the water... at a fast pace!! [&:]It then dawn on me,I was over the old coulee bed and it would be deep and the ice pretty thin.
I had been doing an ice check with my hatchetevery so often as it was early in the winterand figured maybe it was time for another check. Hatchet went though on the first chop. [:@] I assumed the position, slid my5 gal bucket with traps/gear behind me as far as I could, and snow angeled my way out of there!!
The next day I went back to check traps. There was open water about15 feet from where Istopped.The batteries on the flash light were getting weak so I only used it while checking inside the huts and feeder pushup... not while walking.There was just enough moon light that the houses andpush up showed up. The open water didn't.
I was stupid for not quitting when the batteries started going.
Tim