# ?? How to Make a Watering Hole??



## jemedm (Jan 18, 2008)

anybody done this and would share your experience?

the only tools I have are my hands and a shovel....wouldn't need a big hole to attract the deer into this great spot


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## twigzz88 (Jul 17, 2006)

i dont know much about it, but id imagine if you want it to be spring fed or fed from water that you hit it would be a deep hole. I would tihnk to keep the water from leeching out you would line it with plastic or pack clay on the sides, but im far from an expert on this.


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## drum3rguy (Jun 1, 2006)

It seems like I remember somebody posting pictures of a watering hole they made. They used half (long ways) 55 gal drums buried in the ground and they just filled them up every so often.


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## erictski (May 20, 2009)

get a small kiddie pool...a buddy put one in the low spot of a field and dug it in lined with dirt and filled it initiall...then hope the rain holds or bring some water in...


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## Barehunter (Feb 10, 2007)

Several years ago I dug a hole and buried a large (maybe 35 gallon) "tupperware" type container like you can get at WallyWorld so that the lid was level with the surface of the ground. I kept the lid on it but cut a hole around 10" diameter in the middle of the lid. This helps to keep trash out and reduces evaporation. The lid has a rim around it so when it rains all the water that falls on the lid runs into the container. I filled it initially and from time to time as needed. Not necessary but I piled some flat rock around the edge etc to make it look natural. Deer used it frequently during dry weather. Maybe once a year or two you need to clean the leaves etc out but it works great.


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## badshot506 (Feb 6, 2008)

here are some ideas but they are a little more advanced than just digging a hole.


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## jemedm (Jan 18, 2008)

thanks, guys!

any problems with water stagnation?


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## Cariss (Oct 16, 2006)

I've thought of using a preformed pond mold that people use in their yards. Dig a decent hole and make a drainage tunnel that runs to it and keeps it filled with rain water.


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## tpcollins (Aug 3, 2007)

twigzz88 said:


> i dont know much about it, but id imagine if you want it to be spring fed or fed from water that you hit it would be a deep hole. I would tihnk to keep the water from leeching out you would line it with plastic or pack clay on the sides, but im far from an expert on this.


I think twigzz88 is right about spring fed - if the water becomes stagment, I wouldn't think it would be very tasty. If you could replenish it often that would keep it fresh but then you're leaving your scent in the area more than is necessary - catch 22.


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## OBAN (Jun 25, 2006)

Great thread and thanks for the ideas. I like the pond idea. I'll be running a water hose out to it from house. It'll be buried in the ground a foot or so for frost layer and next to my 100'x100' food plot.


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## Heavishot (Jun 3, 2009)

Most parts of the country a container like this will dry out... the rain can't keep up with evaporation. If you're able to run a hose out to it you might hook up a timer or float valve and have it automatically fill. And, if my 'hose' was going to be permanent I'd use 1" pvc instead of a garden hose. Heck, if you're running pipe out that close to your food plot go ahead and rig up some sprinkler heads and have the greenest food plot in the county!

I wonder if you rigged it to come on several times during the night if i would encourage the deer to use it only in the daytime?


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## jemedm (Jan 18, 2008)

Heavishot said:


> Most parts of the country a container like this will dry out... the rain can't keep up with evaporation. If you're able to run a hose out to it you might hook up a timer or float valve and have it automatically fill. And, if my 'hose' was going to be permanent I'd use 1" pvc instead of a garden hose. Heck, if you're running pipe out that close to your food plot go ahead and rig up some sprinkler heads and have the greenest food plot in the county!
> 
> I wonder if you rigged it to come on several times during the night if i would encourage the deer to use it only in the daytime?


that's one of my many quandries....the deer are moving through late at night and i'm trying to get them to hang around a little more. this used to be a great 21 acres to hunt until the land owner had it thinned for timber.

the soil, like most in SC, is sand and water will zip right through it. they devoured my corn and salt last year and towards the end of the season they were moving much closer to hunting hours.

i'm going to put a very small food plot where the most traffic is and pondered the creation of a watering hole. there's not one close by so my thinking is that would be the key attraction


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## Hoyt Thompson (May 7, 2007)

Heavishot said:


> Most parts of the country a container like this will dry out... the rain can't keep up with evaporation. If you're able to run a hose out to it you might hook up a timer or float valve and have it automatically fill. And, if my 'hose' was going to be permanent I'd use 1" pvc instead of a garden hose. Heck, if you're running pipe out that close to your food plot go ahead and rig up some sprinkler heads and have the greenest food plot in the county!
> 
> I wonder if you rigged it to come on several times during the night if i would encourage the deer to use it only in the daytime?


I second this idea and the timer for night time sprinklers would be a good deterrent to nocturnal feeding.


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## hillbillyboy (Feb 2, 2009)

down in texas ive seen guys dig a trench, line it with plastic, or half of a 55 gallon barrel cut lengthwise then build 2 slanted frames on either side with a sheet or 2 of tin roofing so when the rain hit it, it would run down into the trench


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## dustoffer (Jan 24, 2009)

We had surface water collectors on a military reservation here in Tx--they were installed by ranchers who leased the range for grazing years ago, and when the leases weren't renewed, they left the water setups in place. It consisted of a concrete tank, up to 8-10' across and 3' deep. It had "collectors" which were sheets of corrugated roofing which directed rainfall into the tank. Some had outflow pipes into smaller tanks (think washtub size) which had float valves on them. Worked great except when the rains didn't come, and then we trucked water to them in a tanker truck.

If you build one this size, be sure and leave a limb in it which reaches up to the top of the side so any small critter that falls in will have a way to climb out. If you are thinking about putting in a child's wading pool and have feral hogs in the area, it will be a muddy, smelly mess in short order.


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## Luckybuck1 (Jan 15, 2005)

I've made 2 small ones on my Fathers property one consists of a small kiddie wading pool and another I used a front end loader and some 3 mil plastic to make the other. Both work great have no problem with stagnation and only on the driest days have I had to refill both of them.


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## turkeykiller22 (Jul 10, 2008)

*water*

You can take and go to home depot or lowes and have them cut you a liner for like a small fish pond. It will cost like 20 or 30 bucks for like a 10ft but 10ft. Then go dig a small depression and cut it to fit the hole, or put the entire thing in the hole. After that then put some dirt back on top of it to cover it up. Also another thing to try is beneonite, it is some sort of powder. but when it gets wet it expands and then stays that way. you can buy some of that and just fill your hole up with that. Let me know how it works. Thanks Drew


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## BOWTECHshot101 (Mar 4, 2009)

*water*

We used 75 gallon plastic tubs that are made to water livestock.We have a year round stream,built a concrete box to collect water about a foot deep and covered it.Ran black water line down the hill to the tub.set the top of the tub about three inches above ground and drilled a hole for the pipe to stick in.Dropped down about an inch on the other side and put a drain.Always have fresh cold water.


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## dogtired (Aug 14, 2008)

You may consider moving the water spot a short distance from the feeding area so they move back and forth between them. This will give you some other opportunities for a stand, reduce evaporation and a better water collection point. Just a thought.


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## luckyluciano2 (Feb 2, 2005)

*Watering hole*



jemedm said:


> anybody done this and would share your experience?
> 
> the only tools I have are my hands and a shovel....wouldn't need a big hole to attract the deer into this great spot


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AGoyxUc0iY&feature=youtube_gdata_player


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## Plains Hunter (Apr 10, 2009)

Have you seen these?

http://www.rainmakerguzzler.com/index.html


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## TenneseeArcher (Nov 5, 2009)

jemedm said:


> anybody done this and would share your experience?
> 
> the only tools I have are my hands and a shovel....wouldn't need a big hole to attract the deer into this great spot


Seen a good simple one on the hunting channel the other day.

Materials Needed-shovel, small plastic kid pool(walmart,dollar general, toysrus, etc. link below for pool $8 ), and a small log(find in the woods bout 6"-8" around by 6 foot long or so)

http://http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11195809

Step 1- Dig a hole just big enough so the pool sets flush with ground level
Step 2- Set the pool in the hole and fill with water
Step 3- Put one end of the log in the pool and prop the other end on a tree(This allows small animals, such as birds and squirrels, and insects to get to the water easily to drink an eat small organisms that cause nasty water and algae, which will help keep the water cleaner)
***note***- Digging a hole can be left how to save time

It looked good and he killed a nice buck over it on opening day he had watched during the preseason.


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## UTBrushBuck (Mar 20, 2011)

Here are some pics of one me and my buddy put out this year on his farm. There was a tap there so we just filled it up every time we checked the camera. One hint is to make sure there is a floating log, ramp, or somethig that lets the squirels get out. If not they drown and stink up the water. Haha the deer dont care for it after that.


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## wellingtontx (Jun 8, 2010)

We have used one of the large 230-350 square totes that is then connected to a a small water trough with a float valve. Generally the large totes will last 4-6 weeks before needing to be filled up again, even in the Texas heat.

We have found the water totes priced anywhere from $25 to $75, depending on what was in them and how much clean up they needed. Use a relatively small water trough to avoid too much evaporation.


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## johnf (Dec 20, 2008)

I live on the side of a hill and my air conditioner evaporation drains are on the downhill side of the house. I just glued a pipe fitting on the end and ran a hose down to a 5 gallon bucket about 100' down from the house. It's in a little pine thicket and the deer go to it all summer. I guess I could burry it to keep the water cooler, but they don't seem to mind.


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## seiowabow (Dec 19, 2010)

I ran some tile down a hill and popped the end out into a small ditch. Dug a hole under the tile and put a 75gallon tub under the drainage tile. It rain and fills the tub to overflowing then drains off into the ditch.


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## l3rian (Mar 11, 2011)

So, you wanna make a watering hole, do ya? First thing I would start off with is the foundation. Get yourself a good piece of flat land and have a good size square piece of concrete poured. Then I would follow up with some framing to get the shape nice and level. The next step would be to add the walls and then some good trusses. the outside would need to be sided and the roof shingled. Throw up some electrical outlets and run some wire for power. Throw up some drywall and mud to make it look nice, then paint it whatever color you would like. Add a bar and lots of beer, with some harder liquor. Throw on a couple taps, the good ones, not just some ole crap that might leak. Be sure to throw in some bar chairs and pool tables or nothing will frequent that area. Another thing that might help, is to get yourself one of them flashing decoys to hang out on the front. Now all you have to do is sit back and watch as all kinds of animals frequent your watering hole! This may be one of the best ways to make a watering hole! 


This in no way is to make fun of anyone. I just thought some may get a kick out of it. No pun intended. :set1_draught2:


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## ksgoosekillr (Jul 9, 2009)

just google "guzzler" dont buy the expensive store bought ones ive made all mine out of old lumber/an old bathtub/plastic tub and sheetmetal tin... made for use in desert/dry conditions. I have plans somewhere ill try to find


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