The Benefits of Watering Holes for Deer

When we created the first Wild Water deer watering system a few years ago, we knew it was an evolution of sorts.

When we created the first Wild Water deer watering system a few years ago, we knew it was an evolution of sorts. Getting landowners and deer managers to grasp the idea that providing free standing water was in their best interest would take education. The early adopters have seen results, and after countless requests, we now introduce the Wild Water 300 – a bigger water tank for deer and wildlife.

So what are the benefits of supplement the water sources for whitetail deer with a watering hole like the Wild Water? There are many, which we discuss below.

Habitat Improvement

“Wait, you are going to seed these 10 acres with clover just so the deer have something to eat?”

This was the reaction of many farmers not-so-many years ago when the concept of planting forage for wildlife was taking hold. Institutionalized in eastern Texas to improve the poor condition of the whitetail herd during the late 1970s, food plots spread like a weed to other parts of the country. Today, every deer manager worth a lick spends thousands of dollars on food plots and obsesses over the design, productivity and nutritional value.

Why aren’t more land managers applying the same thinking that goes into food plots to water sources? A large percentage of resources goes to creating more food while leaving the deer to fend for themselves when it comes to water. The balance is out of whack even though the goals are the same.

Many landowners are supplementing water sources with the Wild Water and reaping the rewards.

“I’m growing bigger deer with the Banks Wild Water System,” said Paul from Alabama. “The dry months of September and October have made it critical that my deer have water.”

Providing water reduces stress, cuts the distance needed to travel to find nourishment and maximizes health. Try it, and we know you will grow healthier, bigger deer.

Drought Insurance

Whitetail deer are resilient creatures that are able to survive under the harshest conditions. However, they are not immune to everything Mother Nature throws at them. A property without natural resources may provide enough water for a deer to live comfortably during normal conditions, but what happens when the puddles and forage dries up? Deer will move out of the area and may not come back. Having a consistent water source in addition to your food plots and bedding areas increases a property’s holding power. The new 300-gallon Wild Water makes maintaining a water source easier for the deer to find and landowners to manage. The covered tank distributes water to the trough on it’s own, keeping it full while reducing surface area. This means less water is lost to evaporation, which can be quite high with other non-covered tanks during dry times.

Influencing Deer Movement

Just like many food plots are designed to bring deer to the gun during hunting seasons, the Wild Water can be strategically placed. Locations of watering holes are great areas to hunt over during early season evenings when bucks are parched after bedding down and before heading out for the night to feed. And once the rut starts, a tank placed along a major funnel might be the only thing that gets a cruising buck to stop his search for a hot doe long enough for a shot.

We recommend placing a tank close a buck’s bedding area, where he’ll likely stop for a drink before he heads to food sources. During the rut, focus on trails. The great thing about the Wild Water deer watering system is you can move it as patterns change. Eliminating the need to turn your property into something resembling a piece of swiss cheese (and making water too available that it doesn’t funnel deer movement) as you dig new holes.

In conclusion, we’d like to stress to landowners to evaluate the water needs of the deer herd like you would food. Would they survive without any supplementation? Probably. However, they may not be as healthy, present or huntable. Check out the Wild Water and consider adding water to your overall herd management tool today.