Do I Need a Waterhole for Deer?

The thumb rule for creating a perfect deer habitat is to focus on just three main things – food, water, and shelter. While these things may seem quite simple, they work like a charm every time. But surprisingly, most hunters underestimate the importance of water. They may spend a lot of time creating several food plots on a single property or they have been cutting trees to build thick undergrowth so that the deer can feel hidden and safe. However, they don’t pay that much attention to including water in their properties. The fact is that if you don't have any ponds or creeks on your property, the deer will not get any water, which is essential for their survival.

That’s why you need to create a waterhole to attract local deer and keep them healthy. What’s more, this will also serve as a perfect spot to set up a stand. The good news is that you won’t need a very large pond or lake to attract and retain the deer herd. Here are some crucial factors that you need to keep in mind while creating a waterhole on your property.

1. Location: Location is one of the most critical factors that you need to consider while constructing a waterhole. To create an ideal one, make sure to take into account the travel routes of deer on your property. Deer usually look for water at the nearest possible location. So, choosing a place nearby their bedding area is a good idea. Another thing you can do is cover up the waterhole a little to make the whitetails feel safe and secure while drinking water.

2. Ensure Adequate Cover: When hanging a stand or placing a blind, make sure to use sufficient cover, and also take into account the entry and exit options. Creating a waterhole is pretty much useless if you can’t take advantage of it for your hunt.

3. Use Trail Cameras: Install trail cameras near your waterholes so that you can monitor deer traffic and activity easily and understand their patterns. Most often, deer visit these waterholes in the evening before they start looking for their main food sources.

If you ask any experienced hunter, they will tell you that most deer are more attracted to small stagnant pools than the water bodies with running water, like a creek or clear spring. Many hunters believe that deer choose quite stagnant pools so that they can hear any approaching danger which is difficult in case of noisy running water.

Creating a Perfect waterhole

Many hunters create waterholes on their properties with some commercial containers. You can do this by simply putting a 50- to 100-gallon tank directly into the ground. However, if you're constructing your waterhole in a place where the deer population is particularly sensitive, this kind of water hole might scare them off. In such cases, make sure to bury a part of the tank to make deer feel safe.

Fortunately, even if you have a tight budget, you can even create a waterhole with kid’s plastic pools or you can simply buy an affordable plastic water tank from a local store.

As mentioned before, the location of your waterhole matters the most. Make sure to dig a hole that can take at least 2/3rd of the tank. Depending on your tank’s size, digging a hole this deep can take some time and effort. However, you can do this on your own, or with the help of a buddy, and without using any costly tools and equipment.

Many hunters don’t hesitate to go the extra mile and put some soil in their tanks to ensure a natural taste of water. Soil also contains many important minerals that may be beneficial for deer in the long run. You can also buy minerals separately to add to your waterhole. Apart from improving the general well-being of deer, minerals also help speed up the antlers' growth in bucks.

You can use hose or 5-gallon buckets to fill up your tank, but if the location is remote, you may need other options. Sometimes, rain is sufficient to fill them up unless your location experiences a very dry climate.

The tough part obviously is to find the right location to construct your waterhole and put in the necessary elbow grease to dig the hole. While it’s a lot of hard work, having a waterhole can deliver some amazing results.

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