Good Morning!
New member with a dumb question,,,
I was given permission late last fall for a new farm, all corn (rotates from corn to beans) with a square 40 acre block of mature timber on north and I’m guessing about 25-30 odd shape block of timber on south end. With Ag and timber it’s a couple hundred acres
Question is,,,there’s no water, no creek no river no pond nothing. Will it hold deer? I’ve been told from old timers growing up “if the deer have no water to drink, they won’t live there”.
The little time I had to scout last fall I found tracks and rubs and one or two scrapes but is it “holding” deer?
Thanks!
New land
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Re: New land
The thing i would recommend is set some trail cameras out and see what time of day your getting pictures. Deer do travel so they could be traveling after shooting hours. Someone with more experience then me will probably be able to help you out more.
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Re: New land
Thats odd, usually there is at least a small pond around ag fields.
You could go look right now for some seeps or holes. If they have ice/water in them now they will during season. Or you could wait until summer, go scout and try to jump some while trying to find water.
Honestly, if there is NO WATER period on the property then id suggest making one. You could go extreme and add a small pool or something but honestly just a hole will work fine. It wont hold water all the time but when it rains it will fill and they will visit it! Add materials to the bottom and it will hold water longer. Iv found water at higher elevations is best and they seem to visit those locations more often. I just scratched the ground to start a hole, added salt, added a few jugs of water. Every time it rains there will be a buck bedded around and visit it. These arent large bucks but shows the confidence I have in the consistency.
You could go look right now for some seeps or holes. If they have ice/water in them now they will during season. Or you could wait until summer, go scout and try to jump some while trying to find water.
Honestly, if there is NO WATER period on the property then id suggest making one. You could go extreme and add a small pool or something but honestly just a hole will work fine. It wont hold water all the time but when it rains it will fill and they will visit it! Add materials to the bottom and it will hold water longer. Iv found water at higher elevations is best and they seem to visit those locations more often. I just scratched the ground to start a hole, added salt, added a few jugs of water. Every time it rains there will be a buck bedded around and visit it. These arent large bucks but shows the confidence I have in the consistency.
Last edited by <DK> on Wed Feb 05, 2020 5:20 am, edited 3 times in total.
- <DK>
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Re: New land
Do it now or soon so you can develope the area and they find it. Iv found it takes a few weeks to draw bucks in - if they dont frequent the area yet. Does / fawns / local bucks should be on it right away.
Also, expand your map of the area and see if there are any water holes on neighboring properties, close by.
Also, expand your map of the area and see if there are any water holes on neighboring properties, close by.
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Re: New land
DK is right. Make a water source if you can. He’s right about the salt water too... I discovered that by accident at a salt lick of mine.
There are does in my rut grove and they need to go about 3/4 mile for water every day. Especially early season they get up, browse for a while, and off they go.
If there is water within a mile I wouldn’t worry about it at all.
There are does in my rut grove and they need to go about 3/4 mile for water every day. Especially early season they get up, browse for a while, and off they go.
If there is water within a mile I wouldn’t worry about it at all.
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Re: New land
Something cool I've read recently is that deer can get all their moisture content from green forage (leaves and that), but need water to digest woody browse. So even if you find deer during the green months they may leave the property once that first snow comes and lays everything down. Jeff Sturgis on youtube has good videos on setting up water holes, I plan on trying one out at the in laws property this year.
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Re: New land
KornfedKiller wrote:Something cool I've read recently is that deer can get all their moisture content from green forage (leaves and that), but need water to digest woody browse.
This is very true but thats why its important to monitor what type of summer/preseason happens. That also plays into acorns or early season food sources.
If its been wet or a shower a week then I wouldnt target a water hole. A dry, crunchy first week of Oct can be a great time to hunt a random mud hole and kill something. Dry creek bottoms in the hills will have spots that hold water after rains, I mark them in the winter. If they have ice/water while scouting then they will def have water come season.
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Re: New land
Did you go through the property really thoroughly yet? sometimes there can be a small ditch that can can be misssed easily and that will satisfy their water source
Haste makes waste
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