Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
New Trophy's
New trophy room comments
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Members
Current visitors
New profile posts
Search profile posts
Classifieds
Trophy Room
New items
New comments
Latest content
Latest updates
Latest reviews
Author list
Series list
Search showcase
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles and first posts only
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Forums
Tennessee Hunting Forums
Deer Hunting Forum
Crazy question
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Ski" data-source="post: 5419854" data-attributes="member: 20583"><p>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? </p><p></p><p>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?</p><p></p><p>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.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ski, post: 5419854, member: 20583"] 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. [/QUOTE]
Verification
Post reply
Forums
Tennessee Hunting Forums
Deer Hunting Forum
Crazy question
Top