Putting in a pond can cost anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars, so you want to make sure it’s worth it. Here are a few pros and cons to keep in mind.
PROS
We’re biased, of course, since we love ponds. However, we genuinely think the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to hunting ponds for deer, ducks, or other game species. They include:
- They’re right nearby: Say goodbye to costly, lengthy, heavily planned hunting trips! You can enjoy those as well, of course, but a pond means you can simply head out to the back of your property to bag deer or waterfowl, swim and play, host a pondside party, or simply rest awhile.
- You have total privacy: Many other hunting spots draw other hunters, and there’s nothing you can do about it. With your own pond, you control who shows up and when.
- Deer will feel safer at your pond: Due to the reduced hunting load, animals will feel safer and be less suspicious when coming to your pond, which will make hunting easier.
- Kick stormwater management up a peg: If you have paved surfaces on your property or receive a lot of runoff from upstream, a pond is an excellent, high-quality, and relatively low-cost way to manage it. Compare this to installing networks of bioswales or diversion channels, which don’t offer the combined benefits a hunting pond does.
- It’s relatively easy to install a pond: Many property owners, from suburban dwellers who abut a big forest to rural citizens with a hundred acres, have the know-how to install a pond themselves. If not, it’s pretty easy to get in touch with a construction crew to help you out.
- It’s even easier to source the right materials: A pond is only as good as its liner. If you don’t have a wealth of good clay in your area, it’s a cinch to find a high-quality, puncture-proof, UV-resistant liner, completely customized to your design.
- Ponds repay themselves: Venison’s not cheap, nor is steak of any kind. When you add in the cost of other game – duck, teal, turkey, rabbit, for instance – a pond becomes much more profitable.
CONS
Naturally, there are some drawbacks to any big project, and ponds are no exception:
- Expense: No matter how affordable a pond you might build and how quickly it can pay itself back, you still have to spend out to get one.
- Hassle: Any construction project is a hassle, no exceptions. However, if you work with the right people and source your materials smartly, you’ll find this is far less of an issue.
- Patience: Deer won’t discover your pond overnight. However, with patience and attention to detail – such as finding the right food sources for deer, which we will discuss further – then you’re pretty much guaranteed to see an increase over time.
Only you can decide whether such an undertaking is worth it for you. That said, if you do it right, you’re much likelier to get the benefits you seek out of your pond. The first factor in “doing it right” is pond placement, so let’s take a look at that now.
