I decided to go out duck hunting a couple weeks back by myself in a canoe. Had to break ice with the canoe and paddled to my spot about 75 yards from shore. I uncased my gun (browning gold) because there was hole in front of the island mallards were pouring into. Well all the mallards flew before I got close enough so I was paddling into the island, stuck the paddle in to test the depth and what i thought was bottom ended up being a branch and I was flipped into the water. I tried to get back into the canoe, but more water just poured in so i had to swim and pull the canoe while breaking ice about 15 feet to the island. It was at this time I realized my gun is sitting on the bottom of the wisconsin river in about 10 feet of water. It was about 15 degrees, my waders are filled with icy water, and I am soaked from head to toe, so there was nothing I could do but get back to shore as fast as possible. I have gone out 2 times with magnets trying to get my gun, but the the only thing the magnets will stick to is the barrel, everything else is aluminum or wood, so the magnets (2-one hundred fifty pound magnets) just keep slipping off the barrel and will only left it about 1 foot off the bottom. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEAS HOW TO LIFT THIS SUCKER OFF THE BOTTOM, I AM A POOR COLLEGE STUDENT WITH $550 SITTING ON THE BOTTOM OF A RIVER. PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!

Find a friend that has a dry suit and go scuba steve style.

jump in and get it -

That sucks man. You might try getting ahold of someone on your county rescue team, if your county has one, and ask one of them if they would be willing to go dive for it. even if you had to pay them, it might be worth it.

good luck

Fishing pole, treble hook and split shot. Try snagging it. Or rig something up with a pool pole (usually used to clean the pool) w/ a hook, or constructa grabber with a rope and other items attached to the pole,something like the tree trimming pole/snipper. Use yourimagination

I would find it with the magnet again and dive down following the rope connected to the magnet down to the gun. I had the same thing happen to me one time. We found it with the magnet first and then dove down to get it. Man it was cold. I was lucky though, the water was only about 5 or 6 feet deep. Good luck. I hope you get your gun back. Let us know how it turns out.

I've got an ice auger if that helps. Seriously now you'll most likely have to break a good bit of ice, I'd try the pole idea, some sort of line or hook on the end of a pole might get it, tough with the clarity or lack thereof in the WI. Not the best thing to have on the mind the week before finals. I go to UWSP, PM if you need some help, I dont have a dry suit but maybe we could collaborate and get that gun high and dry.

You're crying because you lost a shotgun........
You should be happy to be alive. People have died in similar situations.
Maybe you should count your blessings and call the season over. WORK EXTRA next summer and buy another shotgun for next year.
Makes me think of the line in the old Dirty Harry (Clint Eastwood) movies. "Feelin' lucky, Punk?"
Not that you are a punk, but, "Feelin lucky?" Jim

Id go the water resue route. Theres got to be one in that county somewhere.Might cost youa "donation" to the Fire or Rescue team but $100 spent to get your gun back is worth it. Or if you want to rambo it, wear some clothes and carry a change of clothes. (youll be warmer in a full set of wet clothes until you can change than you will be in a bathing suit) Find it again with the magnet and jump in. If you change into dry clothes ASAP you'll be fine.

Even if you get it back, aren't you gonna like completely have to rebuild the gun because of rust and mud/muck?
I'd just save up and buy a new one.