When and How to Make a Water Hole for Deer [A Guide]

By John Gay – HuntWise

Planting food plots or starting timber stand improvements may get most of the attention when it comes to habitat management for deer, but one thing that should not be overlooked is how and where deer have access to water.

Growing up, my dad and I had access to hunt a dry parcel of land. Any water, natural or otherwise, was few and far between. To fix this, he created a makeshift waterhole by taking a fifty-five-gallon barrel, splitting it in half, and burying it up to the brim at a low spot in a dry seasonal draw.

While I didn’t enjoy the task at the time, we would haul water in buckets to keep the halves full, and they became an oasis for wildlife. Deer, turkey, songbirds, and small mammals would visit this water hole regularly, and it would eventually become one of our favorite archery hunting hotspots before the rut and fall rains began.

I can’t stress enough the importance of adding a water spot to your food plot and habitat planning! Today, we cover how to make a water hole for deer (and why). CLICK HERE TO READ ENTIRE ARTICLE