Gimme Some Water

Study the Benefits

Often overlooked details of a habitat management plan are strategically implementing water sources on your farm to help keep the deer on your property and promote lines of movement, the latter of which I learned from my friend Erich Long at Drumming Log Wildlife Management. My first experience with implementing a water source came in the summer of 2019 on our farm in Virginia where we were experiencing a 100-yr drought. I was watching an episode of Driven with Pat & Nicole and noticed how they were successfully implementing water sources on their farm in Minnesota. After thinking on that idea for a while, I realized that while there was plenty of water from the creek on the low side of our property, there was no such source on the high side. Immediately, my mind went to work and I decided to implement a water source on the southwest corner of my biggest food plot on the property. The intent was to improve the habitat on the farm during a tough period by providing an ergonomic source of water for the deer herd and to help pattern the buck I was targeting for the season.

Water Hole Location

Plan Your Strategy

I studied the topography of the food plot very carefully and chose to put the water hole in a location that would collect the most water during rain and heavy downpours. In addition, I strategically placed the water hole 35 yards to the southeast of my tower stand out of the predominant wind side for that particular location. That corner of the food plot was surrounded by a 4-ac thicket on the southeast and a pine forest on the west. I knew the buck liked to travel from a pine lot bedding area on the east through the 4-ac thicket (white line on map) and then through the pine lot on the west to get to a block of hardwoods where I had a small wildlife plot that I hardly frequented. The hope was that the water source would pull the buck into the food plot (pink line on map) during daylight hours while he was traveling a line from east to west and back to bed and feed.

Implement the Plan

I then used the bucket on my John Deere 5065E to dig the hole moving the excess dirt to the downside of the hole so that it would not wash back into the hole during heavy rains. I had a well close by so, with a few cheap water hoses, I was able to easily fill the hole. This particular hole would not hold water and I did not want to wait for for it to naturally seal or have to add bentonite and then wait. Instead, I went to our local Tractor Supply and purchased two small green tarps and lined the hole. I then added some dirt and small rocks into the hole to hold the tarp down, and surrounded the tarp edges with rocks to keep the outer edges of the tarp in place. After a fill up from the well (if you don't have a well close by, consider an UTV to haul your initial water in)… bingo! We were in business and still are to this day.

New Water Source

Hunt Your Source

It didn’t take long for the deer to start using the new water source and shortly thereafter, my target bucked starting frequenting the water source - even in daylight - as early bow season quickly approached. This setup was very easy to enter in the mid-afternoon before the deer entered the food plot; however, I had to use a tactic for exiting that I learned by watching an episode of Bill Winke’s Midwest Whitetail. These deer were fairly used to non-intimidating private vehicle traffic on our farm. So, as my hunt wound down, I would phone my wife and she and my daughter would drive up and the deer would gently exit the plot with no pressure applied. I put several afternoons into hunting the water source but I did not want to pressure the deer herd so I decided to lay off and kept a closer eye on the camera action. On October 13, 2019, my target buck daylighted the water hole, and I knew my window was near.

Summer Trail Cam Photo

Success or Not?

The day was Tuesday October 15th, a year-to-the-day that I killed the Big Eight in the same location. It was an ordinary day, no cold front, rain, or cold, just your normal mid-October day with high temps in the 50’s and lows in the 40’s. In fact, it was absolutely gorgeous, almost too good for hunting. As I enjoyed my sit and the blessing of the outdoors, the deer began to enter the plot and use the water source to perfection although, there was no sign of my target buck. As the sun continued to disappear and the end of my hunt looked imminent, I noticed some movement to my right, exactly where I had expected the target buck to enter the plot on his way to the water source. As I looked closer, I knew it was him and he was traveling with a younger eight-point. Just like I planned, he entered the plot broadside on his way to the water source. I ranged him at 35-yds and waited for him to stop; then, I let my Mission MXB crossbow go to work. Unfortunately, I made the absolute worst shot I have ever made on a deer. I knew it was way back by the visual of the impact of the broadhead, the distinct hollow sound it made, and the reaction of the deer. I was sick over it and waited about thirty minutes before I climbed down and backed out.

Finding Hope

As I laid there that night, unable to sleep, I heard the heavy rain on the roof and got even sicker. The next morning at daylight, in the pouring down rain, I made a circle in the 4-ac thicket and in the edges of the pines. I knew from the onset that my efforts were futile so, I backed out again and went home to wait the rain out. As I sat there, I decided to do a search to see if a tracking dog would be of any use after this much time and this much rain. The reviews were varied so I took a gamble and rang a gentleman who told me that he & his wire-haired dachshund, Elmo, would give it their best effort. For the first time since the shot, I had a little sense of hope. Elmo came and picked the deer right up. He didn’t go far, as the buck had circled back to the water source and was laying just off the field side. That hope along with the help of a terrific tracking dog (and a lot of patience) gave me the ‘best’ chance at turning a bad situation into a better one.

Lessons Learned

As you can see, I learned several things from this experience and hope you do, too. Adding strategically located water sources work and I hope to add many more on the farms that I manage. Additionally, no matter how bad your shot placement is and, it will happen, remain hopeful, patient, and utilize every tool available to you to retrieve the animal as humanely as possible.