Within the winter, deer require about 1.5 quarts of water per day for each 100 kilos of physique weight. Throughout hotter, summer season months, their hydration wants double. That is price understanding, irrespective of when or the place you hunt whitetails.
Even in areas the place water isn’t briefly provide, figuring out the most probably spots for a buck to slake his thirst is a strong technique. The place water is restricted, it may be an even bigger draw than meals, bedding, or any of the opposite cornerstones of a deer’s life.
Giant sources, like rivers, lakes, and reservoirs, are straightforward to seek out. In addition they, typically, aren’t as productive for stand websites as smaller water. Deer prefer to rehydrate in cowl, which implies the smaller the supply, the higher. Tiny streams, hillside seeps, ponds, and even puddles, may be unreal for ambush websites.
To seek out them, you’ll must do two issues. The primary is scout, lots. Spring scouting, when the toads and frogs are very curious about making tadpoles, is a good technique. For those who’re mountaineering trails and in search of final season’s rubs, pay attention for the sound of frogs. They’ll let you already know you’re near water.
If you’d like a jumpstart on that course of, or just can’t get boots on the bottom for some motive, go to a mapping app like onX. Toggle between topo layers and satellite tv for pc layers. The topo layer will present you moist areas in simply identifiable blue strains and dots. Switching over to satellite tv for pc mode will allow you to see the water supply because it truly appears.
Typically you possibly can see floor water, generally you possibly can’t. Both manner, drop a waypoint on doubtless spots, after which in case you can, pull these up on different mapping providers. Firms typically appear to show satellite tv for pc imagery from completely different sources, which may help you see the potential water gap at completely different occasions of the 12 months, or throughout completely different years.
Take note of the kind of water you’re e-scouting and ask your self how doubtless it’s to be round in September or October. Seasonal ponds typically dry up, which implies the candy spot you discover in April could possibly be utterly dry by deer season. The identical goes for tiny streams. Though, in case you stroll a stream mattress lengthy sufficient you possibly can often discover a spot the place standing water exists after a lot of it has completely dried up. This may be an unbelievable setup. Extra dependable sources embody seeps, cattle ponds, and guzzlers, which regularly keep moist all season.
All whitetail hunters ought to issue water into their looking equation. It’s as vital as meals and safety to survival, and one thing that may actually focus deer motion all through the complete season. It’s additionally one thing that numerous different hunters are likely to ignore, to allow them to as an alternative give attention to looking thick bedding areas, or apparent vacation spot meals sources.
Characteristic picture by way of Matt Hansen Images.
