Business is picking up for people who raise sunken vehicles

A four-wheeler on Lake Ida, an ATV on Lake Osakis on Monday and a Polaris Ranger on Tuesday on Smith Lake.

There’s your Minnesota vehicles-through-the-ice count just for this week, courtesy of the Alexandria Echo Press‘ profile of Jeff Bosek, who fishes them out for a living.

The ice is still pretty thick on portions of many lakes, which makes it easier to get the vehicles out. This time of the year is pretty easy for vehicle fisher-outers.

But his work doesn’t end when the ice melts. He’s often hired to find rings that are lost in the lakes, the paper says.

Over the years, Bosek has found some unique items including an old wagon with the horses still attached, several prosthetic legs and once, he even found a body bag, although he didn’t open it to see if there was a body inside.

He has also searched for another body.

“I know there is the body of someone’s great-grandpa who fell through the ice more than 100 years ago on Lake Ida,” said Bosek. He has spent some time searching for the man, but has yet to find him.

He also has “some pretty good information” about another Runestone that is believed to be in an area lake and he has spent time searching for it and has plans to continue searching.

“That would be a real big discovery if I found it and would give even more credibility to the Kensington Runestone,” said Bosek. “It really is amazing what’s in the water. It’s a treasure trove down there.”

Bosek averages about 10 vehicle recoveries a year.