Crazy question

[Duck dogn]

I know it's probably been ask before but it about a half mile to water in any direction. With that being said do any if yall put out water for deer? Well all game? I figured that was one reason they leave my property and my neighbors shoot everything they see

 

[Duck dogn]

By the way if seek one kills giants in town on 2 ac lots all my 20 ac is missing is water

 

[Ski]

Yes. I bury 100gal or 150gal water tanks, one for about every 20-40 acres depending on terrain. They become a huge attraction for all wildlife, not just deer. I learned the hard way to locate them where they should be and not somewhere just because it's convenient. Do not put them at food. Do not put them at bedding. And do not put them out of the way & expect deer to divert their travel just for it. The best results I've gotten is by putting them on a travel corridor between bedding and food, far enough from either to not spook out either place, but as close to the main trail as possible so they can't not see it as they pass by. If you get it right, they'll begin using it right away and it'll become a regular stop.

Below are two different holes I had in place for last season. Both were in less than ideal spots but still managed to snag the attention of some good bucks. The reason I say these are not ideal spots is because both required the deer to detour their normal travel, and both were in wide open forest so most activity from big bucks was at the cusp of daylight, usually before or after legal shooting light. I think if they were positioned closer to a main trail and had some thickness to provide cover, I'd have gotten much better daylight activity. Also, neither tank was high up where bucks typically bed. One was half way down the hill and the other was in a bottom. I rarely get bright daylight pics of bucks in hill/holler type country except for up high. Does, however, love these water tanks and are in them day & night.

Long story short, yes water is an incredible tool to have so long as it's placed where you can take advantage of it. Deer will use it if it's there. How it's positioned will dictate when. That's my experience, at least. I've been tinkering with water holes for several years now on a couple different properties. One is 100 acres and the other is 40. I've still got a lot to learn with them but have seen enough by now that I'm convinced they work.

 

[BSK]

I do not, simply because deer get 80+% of their water needs from the foods they eat. Deer exist just fine in areas with no standing water for many miles.

 

[rickyk280]

I do not, simply because deer get 80+% of their water needs from the foods they eat. Deer exist just fine in areas with no standing water for many miles.

I agree.

 

[Ski]

I do not, simply because deer get 80+% of their water needs from the foods they eat. Deer exist just fine in areas with no standing water for many miles.

They also get 80+% of their food needs from browse, and exist just fine in areas with no standing ag or food plots for many miles. But how much money, time, and effort do you expend annually to provide them with plots anyway?

Same logic could be applied toward bedding cover, regeneration cuts, planting fruit & nut trees, mineral sites, etc. Why is water so easy to dismiss? I won't argue that deer get the vast majority of their water needs from food. But they still seek out water to drink. Otherwise EHD wouldn't be a thing. And considering how EHD kills entire herds, it can be assumed that every single deer drinks water. Furthermore, EHD hits during a season when everything is lush, green, and full of moisture. No other time of year do deer get more moisture from their diet than summer, yet that's when they contract a disease directly linked to drinking water. If they crave water in summer, then how much do they crave it in fall when their diet consists of tannen rich acorns?

So what's the reservation about burying a plastic water trough? It provides a water source that keeps deer from having to find it elsewhere, and unlike the neighbor's pond it has no mud edges to crack & invite the EHD midge. It's a one time low cost expense with almost zero maintenance. I've never had to refill one. The most I ever do is rake out leaf debris every other spring or so. If I didn't have first hand experience with water holes, I'd not make an argument for them. But I do. And it's something I'd urge any landowner/habitat nerd try before judging. Even if it doesn't work, you've lost more money on one season's failed plot crop than you'd spend on burying a plastic tub that would provide water indefinitely. But I challenge anyone to try it for a season & then with a straight face say it's not a legit habitat improvement.

 

[BSK]

So what's the reservation about burying a plastic water trough?

I have no reservations about it what-so-ever. In fact, if you're going to provide water sources for wildlife, a plastic water-trough is definitely the best/safest way to do so.

I just don't because I don't need to. I have free-flowing streams on my property. For those who do not, and they want to go to the trouble, deer will definitely use water sources if created. The deer just don't need them. But if you want to do so, do so.

 

[Ski]

I have free-flowing streams on my property.

That makes a difference. My places have no natural water sources aside from seasonal drainage in ravines.

 

[BSK]

I would much prefer managers use water troughs for providing water versus creating ponds. The muddy edges of ponds are bad news for spreading EHD.

 

[Ski]

I would much prefer managers use water troughs for providing water versus creating ponds. The muddy edges of ponds are bad news for spreading EHD.

Agreed 100%

 

[Trnr]

Idk Ski….by the looks of your pics, it only "attracts" them little guys.

Lol just kidding. Had to add some humor

 

[DoubleRidge]

I've read or heard it said that a land manager should break his property into 50 acre sections and in each section evaluate bedding, feeding, water, fawning ground, etc....and try to give deer everything they need on each 50 acre section (obviously not always possible or practical...but it's a target or goal to work towards).....so out of curiosity I did this "on paper" with our property....and following the timber stand improvement project and the addition of new food plots... we actually looked pretty good in each category..... except for water sources......two of the 50 acre sections each have their own spring...another 50 acre section has the neighbors pond just over the property line....but the remaining sections of the farm dont have water...nearest year around running creek is 1/4 to 1/2 mile away....so do the deer on our property "need" more access to water... probably not...or no...but the idea of giving them everything they may use or benefit from does sound appealing.

My hesitation in the past with water troughs has always been the labor of filling them....but Ski, your comment about never having to fill them is interesting.... obviously cleaning out leaves annually....but them being plastic and naturally holding water makes sense....and even occasionally having to add a little water doesn't sound so bad.

In the past I've hauled water for newly planted Chestnut trees and sometimes there's water left over in the tank....I guess that water could be used for freshening up a trough.

I do like the idea of a plastic trough better that trying to make a small holding pond which could end up being a mud hole.

My wife will be so excited when I share with her the potential for a new habitat project to add to my list.

 

[Ski]

Idk Ski….by the looks of your pics, it only "attracts" them little guys.

Lol just kidding. Had to add some humor

there are bigguns too but I don't wana be a showoff

 

[Ski]

I've read or heard it said that a land manager should break his property into 50 acre sections and in each section evaluate bedding, feeding, water, fawning ground, etc....and try to give deer everything they need on each 50 acre section (obviously not always possible or practical...but it's a target or goal to work towards).....so out of curiosity I did this "on paper" with our property....and following the timber stand improvement project and the addition of new food plots... we actually looked pretty good in each category..... except for water sources......two of the 50 acre sections each have their own spring...another 50 acre section has the neighbors pond just over the property line....but the remaining sections of the farm dont have water...nearest year around running creek is 1/4 to 1/2 mile away....so do the deer on our property "need" more access to water... probably not...or no...but the idea of giving them everything they may use or benefit from does sound appealing.

My hesitation in the past with water troughs has always been the labor of filling them....but Ski, your comment about never having to fill them is interesting.... obviously cleaning out leaves annually....but them being plastic and naturally holding water makes sense....and even occasionally having to add a little water doesn't sound so bad.

In the past I've hauled water for newly planted Chestnut trees and sometimes there's water left over in the tank....I guess that water could be used for freshening up a trough.

I do like the idea of a plastic trough better that trying to make a small holding pond which could end up being a mud hole.

My wife will be so excited when I share with her the potential for a new habitat project to add to my list.

I've heard that somewhere before too. I like the idea, although I'd guess the scale probably is relative to property size and terrain.

Yeah I have not yet had to refill a hole. Even the leaf debris doesn't build up all that fast, so every year would likely be too often to clean one out. I do it every other year and just use a rake. I think maybe if they were out in the open sun or somewhere that gets a steady breeze they might evaporate enough to need filling, but so far I've not experienced anything like that.