Adding Water Plots To Your Land

[Buck_Story]

A couple years ago we made a pond near the middle of our property in order to keep our deer on our land. It was extremely effective being there was no other water source for over a mile.

Has anyone else tried this? If so, did it work for you as well? Also, did you dig a pond in or did you just put a large plastic tub in a central location?

My feelings are if there is not a good water source near your land, this may be even more effective than a food plot...

[Archerysniper]

You should do some research on this before puting in water holes or drinking stations thier has been some big problems in areas with it were they put in water holes for the deer and it decimated thier heard and it seemed to affect more of the mature bucks than any other, out west I do belive they call it blue tounge and also EHD wich is spread by insects at the water holes not sure if it has been found in MN but something to think about.

[mrklean]

ive heard of that blue tounge before, it reallyh gets the pronghorn bad

[deerminator]

I'd be interested in knowing if the insects that carry blue tounge are prevelant in the uppwer midwest and if they have impacted the deer population. I've never heard or read anything locally but that doesnt mean there's not a problem. Regardless, I've typically heard it being more of an issue around domestic livestock with watering bins and manure piles, anything that moistens the ground and gives the insects, midges I think they're called, a breeding and congregating ground. That said, if they're here, they're here. It doesnt matter if its a slough, pond or your artifically-created water hole, they'll find the deer somehow in that case.

I did try a watering hole a few years ago. I buried a 30 gallon rubber livestock dish, filled it with some five gallon buckets and threw a mosquito dunk in it farmers use in their watering tanks. A few deer drank from it but mostly raccoons taking baths everymorning.