Man Made Water hole

[Buckmaster]

I'm thinking about putting a man made water hole into my management mix next year.
We have a creek at the bottom of our property but no water source toward the top.

What do you guys have?

Post me up some pictures if you will.

I'll have all winter for layout, design, and material gathering.

 

[Bigslam51]

http://www.ruralking.com/tank-heavy...HW0lGDbN_vL1t_LKAZ260olDH7zB4tiSVEaAkiD8P8HAQ

 

[giles]

Sounds like a perfect habitat for diseases. I don't think the pros would outweigh the cons for me.

 

[Bigslam51]

Sounds like a perfect habitat for diseases. I don't think the pros would outweigh the cons for me.

Idk, alot of people do it. Can't be any worse than dumping a pile of corn.

 

[xbowguy]

I have 2 springs that have shallow flow. Need to dig them out for depth or maybe even a liner of sorts.

 

[giles]

Idk, alot of people do it. Can't be any worse than dumping a pile of corn.

Difference with a corn pile is that it's revolving stock. Water creates a breeding habitat with direct nose-to-nose contact. A way to get away from this would be something with flowing water, like what Rick is talking about.

I haven't done any research on this, just my thoughts. I could be 100% wrong.

 

[CJD3]

I made this in a small raven about 8-10' wide and w/ good fall. Yellow clay bed. It cuts down the middle of a 15-20 acre hard woods. I just made a dam of local rocks exposed along the stream bed, and covered w/ bigger flat rocks. The "over-flow" or spillway is a 3 foot piece of gutter down spout and a 90 degree elbow. lol but its worked all year now!

 

[Dustinb80]

Would the water be stagnant? I could see that being a problem

 

[teenbowhunter]

From my experience deer prefer stagnant water. But some flow would definitely be good as far as preventing spreading of disease

 

[CJD3]

Well Hell...It has decent flow due to the drain field and fall. Hate to think I was spreading disease by making this...

My picts show the pool still filling and the mud settling at the end of construction. with over 5 acres of hard woods drain field, I believe my water will replace the pool volume every 2-24 hours, depending...

 

[Mike]

I have a natural low spot on the property I own. It's about an 1/8 acre in dry months and maybe a 1/2 acre in the spring. I wish it weren't there. It makes the property useless in the summer due to mosquitoes.

 

[Dustinb80]

Looks nice Jim

 

[teenbowhunter]

Well Hell...It has decent flow due to the drain field and fall. Hate to think I was spreading disease by making this...

My picts show the pool still filling and the mud settling at the end of construction. with over 5 acres of hard woods drain field, I believe my water will replace the pool volume every 2-24 hours, depending...

I wouldn't worry about that, nature is pretty damn good at making puddles too. Looks like a nice treat for the deer imo. And a nice spot to kill one

 

[brock ratcliff]

My buddy in Buffalo Co WI has built tiny ponds on most every ridge on his 1500 acres. I killed my buck up there at 1100 am on an exceptionally warm day for mid November. That buck had bedded 25 yards from the water hole at first light. I had a long wait but it was worth it. The water holes are the hottest spots on his farm during a warm rut. I think it's a great plan, unfortunately I have no idea what would be the best way for you to do it.

 

[brock ratcliff]

His ponds are only 40' or so in diameter. The Brunsons have shot a few off of them if you've ever seen their show.

 

[xbowguy]

From my experience deer prefer stagnant water. But some flow would definitely be good as far as preventing spreading of disease

Do they actually prefer stagnant water if they had a choice between the two? "Some" is always better than none.

Looks great Jim! I need to do two of these and I'm sure Braydon would love it too!

 

[xbowguy]

I typed in "Man made watering holes for deer" on Youtube and there are all sorts of video's for about whatever design you can dream up.

 

[Gern186]

My buddy in Buffalo Co WI has built tiny ponds on most every ridge on his 1500 acres. I killed my buck up there at 1100 am on an exceptionally warm day for mid November. That buck had bedded 25 yards from the water hole at first light. I had a long wait but it was worth it. The water holes are the hottest spots on his farm during a warm rut. I think it's a great plan, unfortunately I have no idea what would be the best way for you to do it.

I hunted Buffalo county Wisconsin last year as well and sat over a watering hole at the top of a long ridge. Every buck in the neighborhood came there to drink out of it at all hours of the day. It was probably only 25 foot diameter. The landowner just dug into the hillside just below the ridge and diked up the dirt on the low end, creating a simple but effective pond. I was amazed at the amount of wildlife that came to use that little spot every day. The deer would get right in the water alot of the time too. Some of them would actually be protective of it towards other deer, like they were trying to claim it as their own.