Early Season Secluded Water Holes

[JMAR85]

I read an article a hunter wrote where he discussed hunting over secluded water holes at mid day during early season when its hot out. Has anyone had success doing this?

[<DK>]

As long as its close to pre-scouted buck bedding then yes these spots can be great! In fact they can even bed closer to the water for cooler temps as well. If you have a water hole at higher elevations w these ingredients it can be a great combination.

Ill share this spot for a reference example. This is flatter ground but its the biggest buck iv tracked and found his beds. The real eye opening aspect of it was his favorite water hole location. A trophy buck could get a drink here anytime of day and no one would ever know he was alive. Both water access and food were within 50 yards. Notice the multiple sets of large tracks around it. More than one buck used this location.


Hope this helps

[First Sit]

Yes, one of my best bucks was taken oct 13 on a isolated watering area on public. The best areas typically have security cover to where the deer will use it in daylight AND very little water is around in the area which concentrates the deer to that available source. I only hunted this area one year and it was during a drought year it was a small pond maybe 10ft which was mainly wet mud with a small water puddle in it. The deer mainly licked the mud. I saw a lot of activity in this area and at all times of the day. It was so thick around it that you had a tough time seeing deer 20 yds away.

The buck I shot made a scrape about 25 yds away and all I could see is the legs and antlers then he disappeared for 10 min or so and popped out in another spot. Not every deer will hit the water too a lot will but especially with mature bucks they seem to sorta check things out in the area a little more I think to see whos been there deer wise and also verify its safe. Multiple mature bucks were using this water source, I blew a chance on my first sit on it on a diff buck than the one I took which was on the 3rd sit. This was an area I hadn't pre scouted I found it in season and the sign and cover told me it was being used and I felt it was adaquate for daylight movement. Not a lot of buck sign maybe one small rub existed on a sapling. I had an idea where the deer where bedded which was about 100 yds away in multiple directions in which the entire route was inside security cover.

[Bigburner]

Yep. I have a couple really sweet ones that are proven producers year after year. I can always steady kill does there and one in particular I always have a buck encounter or two every year on my first sit. Last year it resulted in me getting winded other times I passed b/c it wasn't what I was looking for based on what I knew was using the area. And like mentioned above these are in super thick cover that a buck would have no hesitation moving around any time of the day. A royal pain in the but to get into and super hard to track and recover a in as well. but Its usually my first sits of the year occur in these spots.

[dan]

I have not seen much midday use... But it has been great in the evening if the water source is close enough to bedding.

[JMAR85]

Thanks for the responses. I've found some great water holes in the past few years but I don't think I've payed close enough attention to them. I'm going to put more effort into them this year.

[JMAR85]

I have not seen much midday use... But it has been great in the evening if the water source is close enough to bedding.

Dan when I think of water holes one of the things that comes to mind is when you shot that buck over the water hole and it jumped straight up and into the hole, sank down and then bounded off. It was like the buck did a canon ball. That was really neat.

[dan]

I have not seen much midday use... But it has been great in the evening if the water source is close enough to bedding.

Dan when I think of water holes one of the things that comes to mind is when you shot that buck over the water hole and it jumped straight up and into the hole, sank down and then bounded off. It was like the buck did a canon ball. That was really neat.

That was one of my most exciting hunts. I thought that buck was going to bust me any second. I think the squirrel scaring the buck and grabbing his attention was the only reason I got an arrow in that buck.

[ghoasthunter]

I have good luck hunting over springs and seeps up in mountains early season when the bucks drop down from their cliff beds and head to valleys in evening.

[hambone]

I have better luck hunting these spots in the evening. One of my best spots is close to a secluded pond surrounded by bedding. I have encounters with mature bucks, if not kills, in this spot ever year. The last buck I killed from there was a 4.5 yr old 11pt. 2017 firearms kill.

[Grizzlyadam]

We had a very dry summer one year so I thought it would be a slick move to try and catch deer going to water after getting up out of bed in the evening. I set up on a small stream at a crossing just down wind of a bedding area. I had some does come down out of the bed and when they got to they water they just stepped over it and kept on going without any interest in it.
I remember reading some time ago that when everything is still green and lush, deer get something like 90% of the hydration they need from the food they eat.

[Boogieman1]

I have spent many man hours guarding these secluded water holes and never had any luck even with cams. My conclusion for my area is the buck is eithier bedded right ontop of it and I bump em off, or the fact I'm surrounded by a lake that they gravitate to in the evening. I have had luck behind the dam but nothing coming for a drink.

[ghoasthunter]

We had a very dry summer one year so I thought it would be a slick move to try and catch deer going to water after getting up out of bed in the evening. I set up on a small stream at a crossing just down wind of a bedding area. I had some does come down out of the bed and when they got to they water they just stepped over it and kept on going without any interest in it.
I remember reading some time ago that when everything is still green and lush, deer get something like 90% of the hydration they need from the food they eat.

in swamps definitely because the plants hold more water in hill country its less so they will need more water its also temp related the days that are hitting the 90s they will need to drink. I've seen deer take water from some nasty rotten puddles that my dog wouldn't drink.

[ghoasthunter]

I have spent many man hours guarding these secluded water holes and never had any luck even with cams. My conclusion for my area is the buck is eithier bedded right ontop of it and I bump em off, or the fact I'm surrounded by a lake that they gravitate to in the evening. I have had luck behind the dam but nothing coming for a drink.

you might be on the wrong water are your spots near bedding and along the point A point B path they will drink any kind of water that's convenient to them. the more scarce the water the better luck you will have some of my mountain spots the water source is the only one for miles. also if you find a hole with a lot of tracks remember they can hold for months in the mud. just like food plots the small holes back in the thick are better.

[JAK]

Might be a dumb ? But do waterholes matter much in a swamp I've got a few secluded ponds with bedding close bye but it's pretty wet all year. So would there be a need to use the watering hole ?