Traditionally, land enhancement practices to attract deer have focused on food sources and food plots, but water is the most critical requirement for the survival of any sort of life, including deer. It’s true that deer benefit from eating moisture-bearing vegetation, they absolutely require drinking water as well. After all, deer are large animals and bucks typically drink around a gallon of water, spread throughout the day.
Hunting Ponds
Studies have shown that deer, especially mature deer, will often visit a watering hole before they visit their favorite forage spots. When a reliable, safe water source is located conveniently close to both bedding and food plots, you’re more likely to attract and keep healthy populations of deer and mature bucks. This is so important, in fact, that properties boasting nearly every feature of desirable whitetail habitat may still come up short if there are poorly located or undependable water sources.
It’s not necessary to build a fancy 3-acre pond for the benefit of a stable deer population - deer aren’t that picky if the location feels safe. In fact, a rain puddle will satisfy them just fine, if there are other nearby options that persist through dry seasons. Consider locating small water sources near bedding areas, on travel routes, within food plots and in staging areas. These configurations are highly attractive to deer and can quickly raise the appeal of your land above surrounding parcels. Keep in mind, too, that hotter weather means deer and bucks will all need to drink more. That can be useful knowledge when you’re choosing where to hunt on any given day.
Safety
Even hosting all the important elements for survival on your land won’t guarantee a steady, optimal deer population, especially if you’re wanting to attract mature bucks. Bucks that have survived the test of time are, by necessity, cautious and selective in where they settle. One of the most critical features of an appealing deer habitat is safety: plentiful cover, absence of human activity, and minimal disturbance to the landscape. A change in any of these conditions may be enough to spook cautious bucks into moving into safer territory.
Food, bedding, and water sources should be well screened, and safe travel corridors between them should be carefully protected. If you’re able to eliminate sight, sound and scent of hunters or other human activity, especially near travel corridors, resident deer are more likely to establish predictable daily movement from site to site. It’s the predictability of these movements that are the foundation of a successful hunting season.
Food
Once water sources and safety are ensured, well planned food plots come into play. Maintaining a healthy resident population, including mature bucks, throughout the year will keep your hunting opportunities consistent and plentiful. The need for cover and water sources don’t change, but deer diets do change with the seasons. Food availability must change as well to ensure your herds don’t move on to greener pastures. Resist the temptation to plant an abundance of food plots all featuring the same two or three forage plants - plan for a diverse variety of crops that are layered according to season. While deer are enjoying tender spring growth, other plots should be planted with summer crops or prepped for a full variety of fall forage during the high demands of breeding season. Don’t forget the need for healthy winter forage, either. Deer that lack the proper amount and variety of nutrition in the winter are vulnerable to disease and the weakening effects of exposure to the elements. A full year-round menu of nutritious, plentiful food will give your resident herds little reason to move on.
The Unique Challenge of Mature Bucks
Bagging a trophy deer isn’t a simple matter of good eyesight and accuracy with your weapon of choice, or even dumb luck. Rather, this is where the art of hunting comes in and success often relies on the hunter’s ability to adopt the mindset of a mature buck, understanding its three basic needs: bedding, feeding and watering.
Many deer, especially mature bucks, prefer to bed very close to water - often within 75 yards, even if the source is very small. If your site is optimized to meet the essential needs of resident bucks, waterholes can be one of the most successful ambush locations that can be constructed on your land. Because of the value of a deer pond as a hunting feature, it’s better to focus on placement than quantity if you’re planning to add water features. Deer will visit well placed water holes before they move onto evening feeding locations, while cruising bucks will visit them all day long during rut season. Since bucks feed minimally, if at all, during rut, the quest for a mature kill needs to focus on water sources.
