Camping in your ice fishing pop up shelter

I have an Otter XTH Pro Resort Thermal Hub Ice Shelter that I want to set up for Moose hunting this year. It's plenty big, insulated and sets up plenty fast and easy for 1 person. I will be sleeping on a cot and keep most of my stuff in bins, plus, have a few moving blankets I'll put over a tarp for a floor. My only concern is how do I keep critters out? 2 years ago I brought a different ice shelter strictly for storing gear in, when I went into one of the bins for a pair of boots, a damn mouse jumped out of the boot and scurried off, scared the hell out of me. Any clever ideas?

Good luck trying to keep mice out of anything up hunting. We make a mouse trap from a pail of water, piece of wire through a plastic water bottle, and some peanut butter on the bottle. Put a piece of wood up to the top of the pail to help the little buggers climb up and go for a swim !! Cleans them out in a day or two..

Moth balls

Pellet pistol. Good fun.

Great idea for the tent-do not know about mouse,but what will happen with condensation?

Get some dry lye (sodium hydroxide) crystals and pour a perimeter barrier. Will even keep the coons out. Either always step over it or create an overlapping section with a clear walk path. Will eventually get harmlessly neutralized by rain. Not sure what happen if a bear steps on it but he would likely be mighty pissed.

Get a tent with a floor, probably the best way to limit access for rodents.

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Originally Posted by Fox

Get a tent with a floor, probably the best way to limit access for rodents.

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If you can find an insulated tent with a floor for under $1,000, let me know....

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Originally Posted by Species8472

Get some dry lye (sodium hydroxide) crystals and pour a perimeter barrier. Will even keep the coons out. Either always step over it or create an overlapping section with a clear walk path. Will eventually get harmlessly neutralized by rain. Not sure what happen if a bear steps on it but he would likely be mighty pissed.

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I like this plan the best, thank you :-)

have a buddy come with you and let him set up close by. When he isn't looking, crumble a bunch of crackers and nuts, then scatter them under his cot. You won't have any problem with mice.

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Originally Posted by 300Sniper

If you can find an insulated tent with a floor for under $1,000, let me know....

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I don't think you can but anything without a floor is going to be almost impossible to keep the rodents out. I had a pop up blind setup and had a skunk nose in looking for a place to get out of the rain.

You could put the tent up on a floor, would be cheaper than $1000 and may be possible if you are driving to the site, just a few pre-made floor sections. That would keep you up off the ground a bit and have something to lay the tent down on, may reduce the mouse issues.

Depending on what you’re driving....a couple of skids covered in some cheap 1/2” chipboard...use a 2x3 nailed down each side over the bottom flap of your shelter

Good thinking using the ice fishing shelter. Are you bringing another shelter to cook under in the rain ?

did I read that ad correctly ? 72” square and Cabelas advertises it for 6-8 ppl ?

Thing is I remember more times sitting around camp in shorts looking for shade than burning firewood in the stove. Do you really need the heat in the tent? I guess if you hunt later in the season?

Go for it. It can't be worse then a floor less dining/ sun shelter with tarps on three sides. By the way it works fine...not if there are bugs though.

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Originally Posted by Fox

I don't think you can but anything without a floor is going to be almost impossible to keep the rodents out. I had a pop up blind setup and had a skunk nose in looking for a place to get out of the rain.

You could put the tent up on a floor, would be cheaper than $1000 and may be possible if you are driving to the site, just a few pre-made floor sections. That would keep you up off the ground a bit and have something to lay the tent down on, may reduce the mouse issues.

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I pack to much as is, don't want to haul a floor up really...

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Originally Posted by 73hunter

Depending on what you’re driving....a couple of skids covered in some cheap 1/2” chipboard...use a 2x3 nailed down each side over the bottom flap of your shelter

Good thinking using the ice fishing shelter. Are you bringing another shelter to cook under in the rain ?

did I read that ad correctly ? 72” square and Cabelas advertises it for 6-8 ppl ?

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It's about 100 sq ft. Good for 3-4 guys ice fishing and a mansion for 1 guy camping.

We also bring a Winnebago into the bush but have 1-2 extra guys coming this year so it will get a bit cramped and I like my space....

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Originally Posted by terrym

Thing is I remember more times sitting around camp in shorts looking for shade than burning firewood in the stove. Do you really need the heat in the tent? I guess if you hunt later in the season?

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Every year we go it has already snowed before we get there and most nights are below 0

The idea I came up with was buying 2-3" corrugated drain pvc hose, like the hose on your shop vac and wrap the perimeter of the tent. There are sand / gravel pits near by so I'd just fill the hose with sand and lay it on the bottom of the tent, taking the place of what you would do with snow in the winter. Should provide descent weight and deter most animals....

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Originally Posted by 300Sniper

The idea I came up with was buying 2-3" corrugated drain pvc hose, like the hose on your shop vac and wrap the perimeter of the tent. There are sand / gravel pits near by so I'd just fill the hose with sand and lay it on the bottom of the tent, taking the place of what you would do with snow in the winter. Should provide descent weight and deter most animals....

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That's what we did when we camp hunted for moose. Lots of sand where we set up. We would just pile loose sand on top of the extra foot or so of walls on the bottom like your shelter has. Never had a problem with critters entering.

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Originally Posted by canadaman30

That's what we did when we camp hunted for moose. Lots of sand where we set up. We would just pile loose sand on top of the extra foot or so of walls on the bottom like your shelter has. Never had a problem with critters entering.

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Great, thanks CM30, that confirms what I was thinking.

A box of Downy dryer sheets spread inside of the shelter along the outside walls will also help with mice.
Cheap, easy to pack and will keep down some smells.

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Originally Posted by Woodsman

A box of Downy dryer sheets spread inside of the shelter along the outside walls will also help with mice.
Cheap, easy to pack and will keep down some smells.

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Thanks, ill add that trick to my plan ��