Food Plots DIY Watering Hole

[tonybart55]

So i put a DIY water hole in on the farm that I hunt since there wasn't much of any water on this farm.

I put it in a low area so it'll refill as it rains.

I've come back about 2 months after the initial "install" date and there are tadpoles and mosquito larva in it which doesn't surprise me, but it raises a question:

I don't think the tadpoles will be a big deal, but should I put mosquito tablets in the water? If I did, would the tablets ruin the water for deer drinking it? If I don't, Will the mosquitos repel the deer away from the water?

Thanks for any info. The video is from when I went to check trail cameras today during my lunch break. You can see the tadpoles and mosquito larva in the water.

 

[Split Brow]

IMO just the same as drinking from a normal creek, farm pond, and mud puddle.

 

[TNTreeman]

Wouldn't mess with it at all. You just made something that occurs naturally in some places.

 

[BSK]

No different than any other standing water.

My biggest concern about creating this type of water hole is you are also creating the perfect conditions for the midges that spread EHD.

 

[tonybart55]

No different than any other standing water.

My biggest concern about creating this type of water hole is you are also creating the perfect conditions for the midges that spread EHD.

How would I combat that?

 

[TheLBLman]

No different than any other standing water.

My biggest concern about creating this type of water hole is you are also creating the perfect conditions for the midges that spread EHD.

I always want my water sources to be FLOWING, for this very reason.
Might be better off having zero water on your property, as the deer can find some elsewhere, hopefully from a spring-fed, flowing creek.

With exception to some dry summer periods, deer really don't need daily water, and they do not daily go to water sources. They seem to meet their needs mainly from dew and the water content of what they eat.

 

[Ski]

How would I combat that?

Fill that one in and replace it with a plastic water trough buried to flush with the ground. The EHD midges exist in the cracked mud of a receding water line. That environment cannot exist in a plastic tank so no threat of EHD.

I use 100 or 150gal tanks. In my experience they've been among the best habitat enhancements I've done.

 

[tonybart55]

That's basically what that is, I used a 275 gallon IBC tote that was cleaned out and I cut it in half, so after what I cut off of it, it's about 100 gallons. When I dug it in though, the ground had just been rained on and it turned into a mud pit.

I was doing a little research since reading y'all's comments and it looks like if I can get some vegetation around it, it looks like it should reduce the environment for midges? If that's the case I am going to try to seed it, for what it's worth I suppose.

It's already starting to get some natural vegetation growth around it about 2-4 foot away from it, hopefully some sort of cover seed will keep it from turning into dry cracked mud.

 

[Ski]

Yeah vegetation will help. I use rye grass. It grows well to start until it eventually fills in naturally with whatever other weeds are in the soil. Mine are all in the deep woods so nothing really grows except for rye grass, and it only lasts long enough for leaf litter to cover everything.

You're going to love it. Put a trail cam up. You'll see every critter in the woods using it. Oh and if you've not done it yet, put a small log in there with the end sticking out about a foot so any critters that fall in can easy get out. Don't want a rotting squirrel in it.

 

[BSK]

How would I combat that?

Not create water holes. Deer do just fine without them. They meet the vast majority of their water needs through the plants they eat. I've seen fairly large properties hold exception deer populations with zero standing/flowing water.

 

[Ski]

Not create water holes. Deer do just fine without them. They meet the vast majority of their water needs through the plants they eat. I've seen fairly large properties hold exception deer populations with zero standing/flowing water.

Have you ever buried a big plastic water trough at ground level for deer? There's zero wet, cracking mud for EHD.

I've heard forever that deer don't need a water source, that they get plenty from their food. Well they also don't need food plots, mineral sites, TSI, fruit trees, etc. but we do it for them. Why? Because it makes the property more attractive to them, which enhances our hunt. And in my experience water holes get more mature buck action than any of that, many times over, being trumped only by a well placed scrape. Given my experience with water holes I can't imagine setting up a hunting property without one.

 

[BSK]

Have you ever buried a big plastic water trough at ground level for deer? There's zero wet, cracking mud for EHD.

I've heard forever that deer don't need a water source, that they get plenty from their food. Well they also don't need food plots, mineral sites, TSI, fruit trees, etc. but we do it for them. Why? Because it makes the property more attractive to them, which enhances our hunt. And in my experience water holes get more mature buck action than any of that, many times over, being trumped only by a well placed scrape. Given my experience with water holes I can't imagine setting up a hunting property without one.

For me personally, I would place water holes down at the bottom of the list of "draws" for a property. Again, because I've seen properties do exceptionally well without them.

Will deer use water holes? Oh heck yes. Do water holes draw deer to a property? Perhaps, but I place them very low on the priority list.

 

[Ski]

For me personally, I would place water holes down at the bottom of the list of "draws" for a property. Again, because I've seen properties do exceptionally well without them.

Will deer use water holes? Oh heck yes. Do water holes draw deer to a property? Perhaps, but I place them very low on the priority list.

Different strokes for different folks so they say. I'd put them above TSI and fruit trees, maybe even plots.

I also see "draw" a little differently. I'm not convinced anything draws deer in, but rather deer discover things as they meander through a property. And if there are things they like, they come back or in best case scenario stay awhile. With older class bucks being my focus rather than overall population, I suppose my experience on "what works" probably varies a little from others. Case in point is TSI. It for sure creates good cover and fawning areas and that's exactly what I've found utilize those areas most. But it hasn't proven to make any difference in how many or which mature bucks visit the property. It enhances carry capacity of deer in general but not particularly the deer I want. In fact it seems the less cover and food I have, the better the older buck hunting is. But ask any land manager what their first order of business is and often the answer is TSI, getting sun to the ground.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying I have no place for TSI or food plots. I most certainly do. I'm only saying they aren't the priority for me that they are for many others. On the same coin I place very high importance on water holes.

 

[megalomaniac]

Personally, I don't think they make much of a difference 9/10 years....

But if you get a crazy drought during season like 2017, there is NOTHING better than water in areas without live flowing creeks. But that will require multiple trips with tanks to fill up the hole and keep it full during the drought.

2017 was our best year ever for numbers of mature bucks killed. In our area, creeks were dry, most ponds were dry (farmers hauling water to their cattle), wells dried up, etc. I had 2 cattle ponds that the cows were excluded from so they still had water. And ALL deer in the area were hitting them twice a day in daylight. Easy pickings.

 

[tellico4x4]

So thankful for all our spring fed flowing streams. Have three major creeks that bubble out of ground on our place, one flows south, one north & the other east. The north & east ones has never gone dry in 22 years. The south one will disappear for long stretches before it reappears (runs underground) in periods of extreme drought. Only seen it do that twice before. We have very few stagnant pools of water & they'll go dry in drought.

Guess there a reason we have several old whiskey still sites

 

[BSK]

Different strokes for different folks so they say. I'd put them above TSI and fruit trees, maybe even plots.

I also see "draw" a little differently. I'm not convinced anything draws deer in, but rather deer discover things as they meander through a property. And if there are things they like, they come back or in best case scenario stay awhile. With older class bucks being my focus rather than overall population, I suppose my experience on "what works" probably varies a little from others. Case in point is TSI. It for sure creates good cover and fawning areas and that's exactly what I've found utilize those areas most. But it hasn't proven to make any difference in how many or which mature bucks visit the property. It enhances carry capacity of deer in general but not particularly the deer I want. In fact it seems the less cover and food I have, the better the older buck hunting is. But ask any land manager what their first order of business is and often the answer is TSI, getting sun to the ground.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying I have no place for TSI or food plots. I most certainly do. I'm only saying they aren't the priority for me that they are for many others. On the same coin I place very high importance on water holes.

I guess just a good example of different experiences in different environments.

I've worked from Maine to the Florida Everglades to South Texas, and outside of the Brush Country of TX (where cover is EVERYWHERE), the #1 factor in drawing/keeping/holding mature bucks on a property has always been good quality cover. Cover is KING! No other factor is even close in its power to draw mature bucks, especially during the hunting season.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Have you ever buried a big plastic water trough at ground level for deer? There's zero wet, cracking mud for EHD.

I've heard forever that deer don't need a water source, that they get plenty from their food. Well they also don't need food plots, mineral sites, TSI, fruit trees, etc. but we do it for them. Why? Because it makes the property more attractive to them, which enhances our hunt. And in my experience water holes get more mature buck action than any of that, many times over, being trumped only by a well placed scrape. Given my experience with water holes I can't imagine setting up a hunting property without one.

Yep. I haven't used water holes on my property, but there are natural sources here. Old channel of a river usually keeps water even though it's not flowing year round anymore. And also have to add that while it's often true that they do get some from the vegetation that they eat, they more often than not do need more especially in areas that are dry. Water consumption of cows or horses on dry hay is considerably higher than it is when they are on spring pasture. Water consumption during the summer on pasture is typically significantly higher than the spring. Likewise deer will have a higher need for water in areas that are dry. How much water they get from their food sources will vary depending on the climate specific to that location.

 

[BSK]

Yep. I haven't used water holes on my property, but there are natural sources here. Old channel of a river usually keeps water even though it's not flowing year round anymore. And also have to add that while it's often true that they do get some from the vegetation that they eat, they more often than not do need more especially in areas that are dry. Water consumption of cows or horses on dry hay is considerably higher than it is when they are on spring pasture. Water consumption during the summer on pasture is typically significantly higher than the spring. Likewise deer will have a higher need for water in areas that are dry. How much water they get from their food sources will vary depending on the climate specific to that location.

So how do deer exist in the desert, where there is no standing water? And I mean zero for many, many miles?

 

[backyardtndeer]

So how do deer exist in the desert, where there is no standing water? And I mean zero for many, many miles?

Like I said, they can and do get some water from what they eat. Read what I wrote, I never said they didn't get any, but rather that they do often need more. From everything that I have read on "desert" deer, they typically live within 3 to 5 miles from a water source. I know that antelope and mule deer will hit water troughs and water holes on ranches in Wyoming.

The discussion in this thread was about deer in TN though, and a whether water hole could be beneficial or could even be a draw.

 

[BSK]

Like I said, they can and do get some water from what they eat. Read what I wrote, I never said they didn't get any, but rather that they do often need more. From everything that I have read on "desert" deer, they typically live within 3 to 5 miles from a water source. I know that antelope and mule deer will hit water troughs and water holes on ranches in Wyoming.

The discussion in this thread was about deer in TN though, and a whether water hole could be beneficial or could even be a draw.

This is not correct. Many deer, both cous and mule deer, live 30-40 miles from any water source. Deer live just fine without ANY standing water.

Will standing water attract them in those environments? Oh heck yes. But it is not essential.

 

[Ski]

Cover is KING! No other factor is even close in its power to draw mature bucks, especially during the hunting season.

I've heard that sentiment more than anything else related to hunting property, but my own personal experiences have not always aligned with it. What I've seen is that older bucks crave solitude. Sometimes that means being in cover so thick that nothing else will venture through it. But other times, probably more than hunters realize, it means foregoing cover in lieu of being alone. Many of my biggest, oldest bucks were killed in places one wouldn't expect to see any deer, but that's why he's there. He doesn't want to be around other deer. And for the most part when I'm closing in on an older buck I might go days without seeing a deer and the first/only deer I see will be when I kill him.

 

[Ski]

deer will have a higher need for water in areas that are dry. How much water they get from their food sources will vary depending on the climate specific to that location.

I suspect it's seasonal as much as anything. Autumn is often pretty dry following the end of summer. Vegetation is going dormant with green turning brown, and acorns are quickly becoming the food of choice. Not much moisture in an acorn but lots of bitter tannins. On top of all that the bucks are covering more ground and constantly on the move. It all adds up to higher than normal thirst.

I often get pics of bucks at water holes that I don't get at my plots or anywhere else, not even scrapes. That tells me at least some bucks are purposely coming through my property for a drink. Whether they need it or not can be debated but it's hard to argue they don't enjoy it enough to make it a point to visit.

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

I don't fool with water at all, if they have green leaves to chew on they are just fine