Water Holes for Deer

Crossbow Hunting

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BryanOney
Posts: 188
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 10:23 pm
Location: Northfairfield, Ohio

Water Holes for Deer

Post by BryanOney »

In Ohio there is quite a bit of water in most woods. One woods I hunt in has very little water in a dry fall. I found a place in a logging trail that got wallowed out by machines pulling out logs. On a wet fall it gets very little attention from deer. On a dry year it is a crazy magnet for deer and especially bucks out cruising for does during the rut. In the spring I take a square point flat bottom shovel and clean the rotting leaves and crud out of it so it will continue to be a water hole. Sometimes I see deer stand in the water and pee in it then drink the water right after they pee in it. Anyone else ever find a spot like that and have any experiences or thoughts on improving a water hole.
Stepnoutnb
Posts: 516
Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2019 7:17 pm
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Water Holes for Deer

Post by Stepnoutnb »

BryanOney wrote:
Sat Aug 10, 2019 10:57 pm
In Ohio there is quite a bit of water in most woods. One woods I hunt in has very little water in a dry fall. I found a place in a logging trail that got wallowed out by machines pulling out logs. On a wet fall it gets very little attention from deer. On a dry year it is a crazy magnet for deer and especially bucks out cruising for does during the rut. In the spring I take a square point flat bottom shovel and clean the rotting leaves and crud out of it so it will continue to be a water hole. Sometimes I see deer stand in the water and pee in it then drink the water right after they pee in it. Anyone else ever find a spot like that and have any experiences or thoughts on improving a water hole.
You have to check out Jeff Sturgess. He has a YouTube channel helping people improve their land to produce great whitetail habitat. This is what he does for a living and he puts everything on YouTube free of charge. Here is just one video of many talking about water holes and vertical licking, rubbing sticks. He seems very knowledgeable and sincere.
Enjoy
Wayne

https://youtu.be/8oHwinuI4Cw
BryanOney
Posts: 188
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2003 10:23 pm
Location: Northfairfield, Ohio

Re: Water Holes for Deer

Post by BryanOney »

Thanks Wayne. That guy has quite a few informative videos.
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artifact
Posts: 387
Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2015 8:04 am
Location: NE PA.

Re: Water Holes for Deer

Post by artifact »

Many years ago I found a water hole in the woods while archery hunting with a bunch of heavily used trails coming to it, OH BOY! I put a tree stand there for gun season and didn't see hide nor hair of a single deer. Guess they were too busy evading other hunters to come for water, seemed like there was shooting everywhere except where I was at!
Stepnoutnb
Posts: 516
Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2019 7:17 pm
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Water Holes for Deer

Post by Stepnoutnb »

BryanOney wrote:
Tue Aug 13, 2019 2:46 pm
Thanks Wayne. That guy has quite a few informative videos.
Your welcome and yes he’s got a lot of great ideas.
Stepnoutnb
Posts: 516
Joined: Mon Apr 22, 2019 7:17 pm
Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Water Holes for Deer

Post by Stepnoutnb »

artifact wrote:
Tue Aug 13, 2019 3:08 pm
Many years ago I found a water hole in the woods while archery hunting with a bunch of heavily used trails coming to it, OH BOY! I put a tree stand there for gun season and didn't see hide nor hair of a single deer. Guess they were too busy evading other hunters to come for water, seemed like there was shooting everywhere except where I was at!
I’m thinking the water hole idea is best suited for private or less active areas.
Wayne
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nchunter
Posts: 197
Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2005 2:48 pm
Location: Piedmont, North Carolina

Re: Water Holes for Deer

Post by nchunter »

I recall a Midwest Whitetail video—2016 or 2017 season, I believe—where a guy in a hot state like Georgia or Alabama put a kiddies wading pool in the middle of some planted pine. Kept it filled with water, and hunted over it. As I recall he was quite successful with it.

You can pick those kiddie pools up for a pittance at the Dollar Stores this time of year.
ChrisK
Posts: 147
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2018 12:47 pm
Location: Rockville Indiana

Re: Water Holes for Deer

Post by ChrisK »

I have thought about using kid size pools but I don’t know if I will be in the gray area when comes to baiting laws here in Indiana. I would like to put two of them out. Just use rain to fill them.
Buck
Posts: 124
Joined: Sat Sep 26, 2015 8:35 pm
Location: Northern NJ AKA Zone 13

Re: Water Holes for Deer

Post by Buck »

No lawyer here but if you fill them then baiting could be in the cards. Im not sure how you would be baiting if they fill through natural rainfall.

If the pools were made from mineral rocks the state may have a case ... :lol:
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xcaliber
Posts: 12821
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2013 7:35 pm
Location: NW Indiana

Re: Water Holes for Deer

Post by xcaliber »

ChrisK wrote:
Fri Aug 16, 2019 7:25 am
I have thought about using kid size pools but I don’t know if I will be in the gray area when comes to baiting laws here in Indiana. I would like to put two of them out. Just use rain to fill them.
Make a call to Indiana DNR and ask, make sure you get the name of the official you spoke with, just in case!
It’s not the way you rock, it’s the way that you roll!
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XB I GO
Posts: 634
Joined: Sun Nov 29, 2015 10:00 am
Location: Texas

Re: Water Holes for Deer

Post by XB I GO »

You mean like this deer I filmed?

https://youtu.be/RcPiTL3ElM0

I have like 30 seconds of this but it wont post that long so this is a short clip. The deer pees in the water a couple of times and splashes it on herself...
ChrisK
Posts: 147
Joined: Tue Mar 13, 2018 12:47 pm
Location: Rockville Indiana

Re: Water Holes for Deer

Post by ChrisK »

xcaliber wrote:
Fri Aug 16, 2019 12:52 pm
ChrisK wrote:
Fri Aug 16, 2019 7:25 am
I have thought about using kid size pools but I don’t know if I will be in the gray area when comes to baiting laws here in Indiana. I would like to put two of them out. Just use rain to fill them.
Make a call to Indiana DNR and ask, make sure you get the name of the official you spoke with, just in case!
I emailed them earlier after posting that. I have not heard anything back
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