surprise visitor

[GrandpaTom]

In the decade that Penny and Greg Mercer have had their ice fishing shack on Red Lake, they've never received a visitor quite like Sneaky Pete.

That's the name they've given to the mink that began appearing at the shack at the end of December.

Greg Mercer said he and a friend were out at the ice shack on Dec. 29, when he spotted something brown out of the corner of his eye.

"I wasn't sure what the heck it was," he said. "Then, all of a sudden, this thing keeps popping its head in and out of this hole looking at us."

Since then, Sneaky Pete has become a regular at the ice shack, when Greg and Penny are there.

"He'd hang out underneath the shack, Greg said. "If we were reeling our fish up and we didn't pull it right out of the water into the shack right away, he would grab a hold of it and try to take it from us."
"A lot of times, we catch a little sauger, walleye, or that kind of fish, and we actually give it to him, and he'd take it and he'd go underneath the shack with it."

And the mink doesn't always stay underneath the shack. He's come right inside on occasion, warming up near the stove.

"He does get pretty close to us," Penny said. "He tries, but we shuffle our feet on the floor. So he goes back into the hole."

"We don't know what he's going to do if you get too close."

None of the other anglers who have set up ice shacks on that part of Red Lake have mentioned any encounters with Sneaky Pete. And their social media feeds are the worse for it.
Greg Mercer said he has to be quick bringing in any hooked fish, because Sneaky Pete waits by the fishing hole and will try to steal the catch if it's brought in too slowly. (Penny Mercer/Facebook)
Penny Mercer has posted several videos of Sneaky Pete online, and he's become quite the sensation; a video posted to TikTok has been viewed about 3.6 million times, she said.

Due to work schedules, the Mercers haven't been out to the shack in several days, although Greg said there are plans to make a trip on Friday.

And hopefully, they'll be joined by Sneaky Pete.

"I hope he comes out," Greg said. "I've got this feeling maybe he won't be back."

Added Penny: "We had a friend fish in our shack about a week ago. He just took his son with him, and they never saw Sneaky Pete the whole time they were there."

But Greg notes there are some islands near to the shack, and the shore isn't too far away either.

"Maybe he's got a home on the shore," he said.

[mike89]

had muskrats try to visit but nothing else!!   

[glenn57]

  cute little feller. Looks like a youngin.

[Leech~~]

Was laying down sight fishing once looking down the hole and a muskrat came up and hit me in the face! That will wake you up fast! 

[mike89]

Was laying down sight fishing once looking down the hole and a muskrat came up and hit me in the face! That will wake you up fast! 

most likely had to clean yer shorts too!!!      good story fer sure!!!

[LPS]

I had a friend that had to top 300 lbs.  Super great guy.  Back then using the cheap buffalo board was the way to build a quick fish house. He was finding weeds from muskrats in his house.  One day he was fishing and a muskrat swam up and jumped right out of the hole and he jumped up and backed up and blew a wall right out of his fish house.  They just used 2x2's and shingle nails to hold them together..

[GrandpaTom]

Was laying down sight fishing once looking down the hole and a muskrat came up and hit me in the face! That will wake you up fast! 

most likely had to clean yer shorts too!!!      good story fer sure!!!