Mountain Water Source

[SpurChaser]

I have a pretty good chunk of permission property that is 95% mountain. There are some big bucks running around and a very healthy deer population in general on and around the property. The one key element that is missing is a water source. Short of a river that's about a mile away as the crow flies, I can't tell from boots on the ground scouting or e-scouting where another water source would be. We all know deer need food, water, and cover. Food and cover are everywhere, but water is the last piece of the puzzle I can't seem to get a hold of.

Does anybody have some insight on something I might be overlooking for water sources in the mountains?

 

[jc0313]

Is there any exposed rock on the property? Your best bet if there aren't any water sources that are visible from an areal or topo map will be to hike up a drainage or just below the bluff line and look for a spring. If there's a clearcut on the property with green vegetation they can source their water from the vegetation.

I've found beds literally right next to the smallest trickle of a spring, it doesn't need to be much in the mountains.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

Usually some springs scattered around.

 

[Ski]

They don't actually need water in a liquid sense. They get most of their water needs from the food they eat. However, that doesn't mean they don't love drinking water. They do. They'll most certainly drink if liquid water is available to them. If it's a place you'll have permission on indefinitely and know the owner well, you'd could bury a plastic water trough ground level. If put in the right spot they are dynamite.

 

[Hduke86]

I say the deer know where a spring is or a area that holds just a little puddle or so. Like others have said they get a good bit from greens they eat. Look for shallow rocky areas that may pool water

 

[SpurChaser]

I appreciate the tips and advice. Never really considered water from vegetation, that might be the majority of how they get the water they need.

 

[Chiflyguy]

I have a pretty good chunk of permission property that is 95% mountain. There are some big bucks running around and a very healthy deer population in general on and around the property. The one key element that is missing is a water source. Short of a river that's about a mile away as the crow flies, I can't tell from boots on the ground scouting or e-scouting where another water source would be. We all know deer need food, water, and cover. Food and cover are everywhere, but water is the last piece of the puzzle I can't seem to get a hold of.

Does anybody have some insight on something I might be overlooking for water sources in the mountains?

My friend who lets me hunt his land and I were just talking about this.
He mentioned where some springs were and told me when I put my stands up, bring a shovel and create a small watering hole.

 

[Rackseeker]

Sounds like a good property to make your on water source.

 

[ttf909]

I use the dollar general kid pools when I can't use an actual 110 gallon water tank that we dig in.

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

I have cut 5 gallon buckets in half and buried 6 of them level with the ground on my property. Works really well. If you wonder why the buckets, it was just a lot easier to get to the places with Atv and keep filled. If much rain at all I never even have to refill

 

[Smo]

Dig a hole, they will come.

 

[DeerMan66]

I bury plastic flower pots or old coolers that hold about 5 gallons near mineral sites. You can fill them up once and usually rain keeps water in them. I clean the leaves out once a year and they're good to go.

 

[yellalinehunter]

They don't actually need water in a liquid sense. They get most of their water needs from the food they eat. However, that doesn't mean they don't love drinking water. They do. They'll most certainly drink if liquid water is available to them. If it's a place you'll have permission on indefinitely and know the owner well, you'd could bury a plastic water trough ground level. If put in the right spot they are dynamite.

Sounds like a cwd/ ehd outbreak in the making. Standing water, and/ or the residual mud is asking for a potential problem this day and age

 

[Ski]

Sounds like a cwd/ ehd outbreak in the making. Standing water, and/ or the residual mud is asking for a potential problem this day and age

CWD has nothing to do with water. And EHD is caused by the larvae of gnats that survive in the cracks of drying mud. With a plastic trough the water never has contact with the surrounding earth, no no mud. No mud means nowhere for the gnats to nest.

Now if you're talking about a pond or puddle or wet season stream then yeah I'd agree there's a chance of EHD. But not plastic.

 

[Apostolic Outdoors]

The water works. These were on a 5 acre piece of land we hunted 2 years ago. The property was sold and we lost access. We took a split G-2 buck off of this piece that year. And no, it's not in a neighborhood. Out in the country. Also, the pile in the back is Redmond #10, just in case anyone was interested.

 

[Ski]

The water works. These were on a 5 acre piece of land we hunted 2 years ago. The property was sold and we lost access. We took a split G-2 buck off of this piece that year. And no, it's not in a neighborhood. Out in the country. Also, the pile in the back is Redmond #10, just in case anyone was interested.

Yep that's pretty much how it works. Notice no mud for EHD midges to reside. I catch every critter in the forest hitting my water holes, not just deer. They're hubs of activity.