From today

I could have a dove shoot over this water hole we have. Vultures, hawks, doves, squirrels, deer, coyotes and coons stick their nose in it everyday.

Gotta' love the listed location of that cam!

Water tanks are far and above my favorite habitat enhancement. Mine are 150gal buried ground level and I'm planning to upgrade them to 300 or 500gal this winter. They've always been busy with critters but this summer the deer are drinking longer. They usually get a quick drink and move on. This summer they're lingering, guzzling, then coming right back again to chug more. They're fighting over water like they do at mineral sites. Never seen that before and I've already filled one tank 3x.

Make friends with your local pool guy and they will keep you loaded with old pool liners. Work great and completely free. Built this one a week ago

LOL BSK you should hear the conversations about hunting that location. You gonna hunt the right nut, left nut or just the tip.

Ski said:

Water tanks are far and above my favorite habitat enhancement. Mine are 150gal buried ground level and I'm planning to upgrade them to 300 or 500gal this winter. They've always been busy with critters but this summer the deer are drinking longer. They usually get a quick drink and move on. This summer they're lingering, guzzling, then coming right back again to chug more. They're fighting over water like they do at mineral sites. Never seen that before and I've already filled one tank 3x.

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Shows that maybe deer do need more water in the summer than just what they get from vegetation?

BSK said:

Gotta' love the listed location of that cam!

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Very FIRST thing I noticed. Need to know the back story..........

backyardtndeer said:

Shows that maybe deer do need more water in the summer than just what they get from vegetation?

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Deer will readily drink from any freestanding water. But can they get by without it? Yes they can.

fishing rod field is getting a lot of action

^^^Dang the encryption

backyardtndeer said:

Shows that maybe deer do need more water in the summer than just what they get from vegetation?

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After what I've seen this summer I'm convinced they absolutely need more water than conventional wisdom suggests, especially during droughts like this. Imagine being a lactating doe with twin fawns trying to eat enough greens to produce adequate liquid milk, in a summer where browse is dry as popcorn.

My thoughts are that the tank costs about $100 and takes a couple hours to bury. From thereon there is no more expense. Most years don't need any water added, and each year after season I rake out the leaf litter. That's it. So why not have them?

Ski said:

After what I've seen this summer I'm convinced they absolutely need more water than conventional wisdom suggests, especially during droughts like this. Imagine being a lactating doe with twin fawns trying to eat enough greens to produce adequate liquid milk, in a summer where browse is dry as popcorn.

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Completely agree.

The buck at night pic was the day I turned the camera back on. Notice the water level then as compared to the first post. DPinTn said I ought to put a stick in so squirrels and whatever else that may fall in has a way to climb out. Smart guy he is

UPSman said:

DPinTn said I ought to put a stick in so squirrels and whatever else that may fall in has a way to climb out.

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Critter stick. They're critical. Don't want something dying & rotting in there.

Spicy cats….