water for deer
 

its been really dry i think i can up my chances if i cut a drum and bury it full of water and keep it fresh

How about a cheap kids plastic pool and keep it full of clean water?

I think the "keep it fresh" part would be difficult. Without a flow of water, it wouldn't take long to get slimey, full of crap, debris and mosquito larva.

yeah kids pool would work

A $1.99 five gallon bucket might work.
Just get three $1.99 five gallon buckets.
And take two about half full, then fill one bucket of water into the other.
Then about every two weeks or so just carry the two buckets half full of water, dump out the old water, and fill it with the clean water.
or rotate the old bucket with a fresh clean one.
Just sit it on the ground, that way you can move it to another spot if you wanted to.
And the bucket will stay cleaner.

Changing buckets sounds like the only option, without flowing water you'll have algae build up in less than 2 weeks, and that would be if it's in an open area with no trees. If its in the woods, less than a week.

Check out this short article I wrote a while back...small waterholes are an awesome tool for you!!

Not every parcel needs more water. However…if you have daytime bedding areas with dry ambush sites on the way to evening food sources, adding water can be an outstanding feature to your small parcel.


Large ponds can take up way too much space, while at the same time creating an area of higher stress levels that may be acceptable to doe family groups while actually repelling mature bucks to 50 yards or more from the location…some of us just do not have that much room to lose!
So, I have really enjoyed using small tanks or hand-dug (I’m cheap) holes to meet the needs of water for the local deer herd while not detracting from the amount of cover or habitat I have in the area. I thought I would share a few pictures from some of my own waterholes…



Just click here to read the rest: http://www.whitetailhabitatsolutions.com/?p=74

the deer already know where the watering holes are. i dont think adding a small amount of water will "bring deer in"...maybe get them to stay a lil bit longer cause they can wash the bait down with a drink w/o having to come back and forth, but not bring in or hold deer.
we use buckets in the hog traps, buried of course, so we dont have to check em daily in summer, but that water gets nasty perty dang quick. if ya live in cold climate, yer bucket will freeze over when ya need it most, hunting season.

Northjeff, that was a very informative peice of info, id like to read your book but im short on cash this week maybe next. my dad has a drum that holds like 30 gallons, im going to half it and wash it and use it. ive been working very hard over the last few years with my brothers and my dad to hold deer on our small peice of land. i have never killed a deer because im a college student and cant pay dues yet. over the last few years ive been planting food plots setting up mineral licks and watching deer come in at night. this year ive got tracks every where, new ones evry day, and my salt licks are getting tore up. and i jumped a little one while plowing a road the other day so im hopeful that this year i will get on. the watter cant hurt