Click the image on the right to view more photos of the damage
UPDATE: 1/24
A fisherman who had his shanty damaged over the weekend on Pike Lake in Hatley, tells NewsChannel 7 two teenage boys have confessed to causing the damage and say they'll help make the necessary repairs.
On Wednesday, we introduced you to Joe Steinke who said vandals caused about $400 worth of damage to his shanty. Three other shanties were also damaged.
Joe said he was devastated to see the damage. He said sometime on Sunday someone drove into his shanty with a car knocking it off its blocks.
"When I came out here this wall was pushed in two feet. You could see just where they went in with the car tire tracks and everything. They just lined her up and knocked it off the blocks.. off of my holes....everything," he said during our initial interview.
Joe said he found pieces from the suspect's vehicle after discovering the damage.
He says the kids made a mistake and he does not intend to press charges.
1/23
The winter months are a time outdoor enthusiasts look forward to all year long.
That’s no different for ice fisherman and fisherwomen, who take advantage of the cold to catch some fish.
But, for a few anglers in Hatley the past few days haven’t brought on the good feelings fishing usually would. Over the past few days several shanties were smashed into by a vehicle, leaving the ice shacks in need of repair.
Joe Steinke has one of the neatest ice shacks on Pike Lake. He takes great pride in it.
On Sunday night someone smashed a car into the side of his building, leaving it badly damaged. The vehicle caused around $400 dollars worth of damage to Joe’s prize shanty.
Joe is back out on the ice fishing today, but says it's a sight he'll never forget. "When I came out here the wall was pushed in two feet. You could see just where they went in with the car tire tracks and everything. They just lined her up and knocked it off the blocks, off of my holes, everything."
That left Joe having to repair an entire side of his shack. Joe was not the only shack to get hit. There were two other camper style shanties that had also been smashed into.
Joe says he found pieces of the vehicle that is responsible for the damage. He didn’t want to give NewsChannel 7 details, but he did say he has a whole crew of anglers looking for the culprit.
Joe says he is positive the incident was not an accident since so many other shanties were also hit.
If you have any information you are asked to call the Marathon County Sheriff's Department. That number is 715-261-1200.
