Water for Wildlife

With my background coming from the Aquatic Management and Water Quality industry I am curious as to how you are all putting water on your sites, and how you have accomplished this goal. Here are a couple ways I have provided water with my preference being a properly designed lined wildlife pond.

 

Most of the properties I hunt either already have ponds or creeks. But I do like what you did above. I have seen some people use kiddie pools and fill them by hand initially.

 

I'm thinking about cutting some plastic 50 gallon drums in half top to bottom and digging them into some areas that already tend to hold water when it rains. I figure they keep the water from soaking in so quick


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I was on a turkey hunt on some private property, and the guy used some of those cheap plastic totes for water tanks. He partially dug them in so they were at a slight angle, then he'd dump them out once they looked like they were getting scummy and dump a 5 gallon jug of water in there. He also placed a decent sized stick in the tote so mice or anything else that managed to get inside could climb out without dying in the water causing it to get nasty. Pretty slick actually.

 

Just dug this in yesterday. 120 gallons of attractive water.

 

Live in Minnesota deer don't have to walk a quarter mile to find water. In dry years I have just placed an 8 gallon bucket by the feeder and the deer will use it.

 

Garden hose and a pitcher.

 

To the OP, that watering hole in your foodplot looks good. Details?

 

The wildlife pond/watering hole in my OP is a 25X25 synthetically lined pond. I placed fabric on top to hold clear stone, and also to protect from possible hoof damage. The actual cost for the material was $250.00 approximately, and holds a ton more water than most of the water tanks/pools that people buy online. I had the hole dug at 6 feet max to improve water quality, and also add black pond colorant to decrease sunlight thus reducing harmful algal blooms from occurring. Lastly, with top soil placed around the edge I seed my plot right up to it. Water quality is key in preventing EHD/blue tonque, and it all starts with using the right methods to give them that healthy water source.

 

I learn something every day. Thanks


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Any link to materials?

 

www.btlliners.com is where I get my liner material from.

 

I have a creek the runs diagonally trough my property. It holds water year round. I also have a natural shallow pond that will typically dry up during the dry summer months. I have dug a small watering hole that sits at the edge of my clover plot and next to my large. We have a very heavy clay base here, so I didn't need to put any type of liner. It will hold water most of the year as long as we have enough rain it doesn't all evaporate.

 

That pond looks great OP. Where did you get whatever you put in to the water to make it black? Great idea for stopping algae, and other growths. Do you have more information on it?


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Junior I get pond colorant to add to my wildlife ponds. There are quite a few brands on the market. The only one that is E.P.A. registered to "block" sunlight is Aquashade. It will make the pond blue, but don't worry it doesn't' scare the deer away lol.