Schreiber tests gear-hauling machine on Shawano Lake Ice

SHAWANO — You can ride it with a friend or run it by remote control, use it to pull a buck out of the woods or haul a log for a neighbor but it was built “because I’m lazy,” said Tyler Schreiber, the inventor of a tracked hauler.

The Shawano man gave his creation its first outdoors test hauling ice fishing gear on Nov. 15 with friends Paul Giese and Kyle Buettner off Weber’s Point on Shawano Lake.

“I built it because I’m lazy,” Schreiber teased, adding he created the machine because he was tired of dragging two sleds with all of his gear out to fishing spots on the ice, especially when there’s over three inches of snow.

A metal mesh deck with lights is supported between the two treads in the black machine. The treads come from a motorized wheelbarrow, the “boogie wheels” from shopping carts and two go-karts contributed the motors from go-karts. Schreiber fabricated his own battery that powers the treads and LED headlights. The machine has occupied a lot of Schreiber’s free time over the past six months.

Schreiber said his new machine has too much power for its present uses and his next innovation is to get more speed and gear down the power. He said it’s generated a lot of interest from fellow ice fishers but he doesn’t think he’ll be building any for sale any time soon.

“I don’t think any of them want to pay what it’s worth to me and my time building it. Probably not likely that it becomes a business as I am also an airlines pilot,” Schreiber added.

Schreiber hasn’t even given his ice gear hauler a name beyond “track machine” or “personal track vehicle.”

Another addition in production is a snow plow with some of the fabrication done by friends at Braatz Welding in Shawano.

Schreiber was happy to demonstrate his machine because, frankly, with one small pike and one perch on the ice, the fish weren’t really biting.

“You want a ride back into shore? I can get you there and just use the remote control to get it back,” Schreiber said.