Forums46
Topics539,492
Posts9,750,307
Members87,166
|
Most Online25,604 Feb 12th, 2024
|
|
|
Re: Cheap and easy way to keep deer healthy in the drought?
[Re: Curtis]
#2282753
05/01/11 08:34 PM
|
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 618
stephenme
Tracker
|
Tracker
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 618 |
Here is a water cather I built just to give you an ideal on what they can look like. Not hard to build and this one will hold 320 gallons of water. I do top it off everytime I go to the lease and it works perfect.
|
|
|
Re: Cheap and easy way to keep deer healthy in the drought?
[Re: stephenme]
#2282837
05/01/11 09:13 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
stxranchman
Obie Juan Kenobi
|
Obie Juan Kenobi
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296 |
Nice setup, might want to dig the trough down some to lower it for the smaller animals to drink. A fawn this summer will not be able to reach the water level. Also put a piece of cattle panel or some concrete cinder blocks in it so if a bird or small critter falls in they can get out and not die in the trough if you have not already.
Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?
|
|
|
Re: Cheap and easy way to keep deer healthy in the drought?
[Re: stxranchman]
#2284839
05/02/11 03:34 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 6,074
Justin T
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 6,074 |
Nice setup, might want to dig the trough down some to lower it for the smaller animals to drink. A fawn this summer will not be able to reach the water level. Also put a piece of cattle panel or some concrete cinder blocks in it so if a bird or small critter falls in they can get out and not die in the trough if you have not already. Digging it down would also help insulate it and reduce loss from evaporation.
|
|
|
Re: Cheap and easy way to keep deer healthy in the drought?
[Re: watchale]
#2285259
05/02/11 07:14 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 144
estex
Woodsman
|
Woodsman
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 144 |
I guess it makes a difference if they are making you money. My deer are just moochers. Mine are Democrate deer too... They know what time the feeder is going off...
Team 870...Just pump it
|
|
|
Re: Cheap and easy way to keep deer healthy in the drought?
[Re: estex]
#2290527
05/05/11 02:47 AM
|
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 73
Mykol
Outdoorsman
|
Outdoorsman
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 73 |
I hate to ask a stupid question, but here goes... Do deer actually have to drink water to live, or is it possible that they get all the water they need in browse foliage?
|
|
|
Re: Cheap and easy way to keep deer healthy in the drought?
[Re: estex]
#2290897
05/05/11 10:10 AM
|
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 13,451
Seadog
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 13,451 |
I guess it makes a difference if they are making you money. My deer are just moochers. Mine are Democrate deer too... They know what time the feeder is going off...
I support Cap and Trade - Cap our spending and Trade Obama
I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the Government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them. - Thomas Jefferson
|
|
|
Re: Cheap and easy way to keep deer healthy in the drought?
[Re: Mykol]
#2290924
05/05/11 11:35 AM
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
stxranchman
Obie Juan Kenobi
|
Obie Juan Kenobi
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296 |
I hate to ask a stupid question, but here goes... Do deer actually have to drink water to live, or is it possible that they get all the water they need in browse foliage? Yes and No. In normal rainfall or better years they do not have to drink much water as they can get it thru the vegitation the consume. But in a drought with a taller browse line and not many green forbes then yes they will drink water. If you feed protein they will drink more water also. In South Texas they can eat cactus or browse plants and get enough moisture to survive on for a while if needed in drier times. At the same time adding water is probably the single most over looked management tool for all wildlife.
Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?
|
|
|
Re: Cheap and easy way to keep deer healthy in the drought?
[Re: stxranchman]
#2291169
05/05/11 02:18 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,641
redchevy
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,641 |
The cheapest would be to keep a low density on your property. Suplemental feeding and selective harvest generaly rais the population. If you keep the population where it should be naturaly then you deer should stay healthy, especialy if you feed.
But I like to go out and see a bunch of deer and have more chances at growing a tropy, so you pay to feed them when it gets dry.
We keep the protein full and have a tank that will go dry in about a month and have 2 large 20' round cement water trouphs and a 80 gal water trough at each feeder we fill every time we go. In wet conditions the troughs at the blinds evaporate and grow algea, but now they are near empty or empty every time.
matt
It's hell eatin em live
|
|
|
Re: Cheap and easy way to keep deer healthy in the drought?
[Re: redchevy]
#2291632
05/05/11 05:31 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 14,768
jeh7mmmag
gramps
|
gramps
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 14,768 |
If you are in the cotton raising area check with area gins about there cotton burr pile (low protein ,free inseason and then burned) and somebody to haul a truck load. Dump corn, protein, molasses, mineral on top of pile. Desperate people do desperate thing BTDT
�Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.� ~ John Muir
|
|
|
Re: Cheap and easy way to keep deer healthy in the drought?
[Re: jeh7mmmag]
#2296968
05/08/11 12:45 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 531
KCR
Tracker
|
Tracker
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 531 |
Outback Wildlife Feeders makes a great water guzzler. I bought 3 last year and they work well, but you still need rain. We haul water to them with this setup when there is no rain and it works so well one man can do it alone.
|
|
|
Re: Cheap and easy way to keep deer healthy in the drought?
[Re: KCR]
#2299906
05/09/11 10:35 PM
|
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,243
wellingtontx
Pro Tracker
|
Pro Tracker
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,243 |
KCR Got any pics of the deer using that Outback Watering System ?
|
|
|
Re: Cheap and easy way to keep deer healthy in the drought?
[Re: stxranchman]
#2299915
05/09/11 10:39 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 32,156
txtrophy85
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 32,156 |
I hate to ask a stupid question, but here goes... Do deer actually have to drink water to live, or is it possible that they get all the water they need in browse foliage? Yes and No. In normal rainfall or better years they do not have to drink much water as they can get it thru the vegitation the consume. But in a drought with a taller browse line and not many green forbes then yes they will drink water. If you feed protein they will drink more water also. In South Texas they can eat cactus or browse plants and get enough moisture to survive on for a while if needed in drier times. At the same time adding water is probably the single most over looked management tool for all wildlife. we see quite a few deer go to water but certainly not all of our population
For it is not the quarry that we truly seek, but the adventure.
|
|
|
Re: Cheap and easy way to keep deer healthy in the drought?
[Re: wellingtontx]
#2301053
05/10/11 09:57 AM
|
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 531
KCR
Tracker
|
Tracker
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 531 |
I don't have my game camera over the water, but I have seen them use it in person. I watched from about 500 yards as several does would eat protein and then go over and drink from the guzzler.
|
|
|
Moderated by bigbob_ftw, CCBIRDDOGMAN, Chickenman, Derek, DeRico, Duck_Hunter, hetman, jeh7mmmag, JustWingem, kmon11, kry226, kwrhuntinglab, Payne, pertnear, rifleman, sig226fan (Rguns.com), Superduty, TreeBass, txcornhusker
|