Kansas Deer Hunts
Hunting Whitetail Deer Over Water Resources; How To Improve Our Kansas Deer Hunts
South Central Kansas has been in a severe drought since the 2011 season. This has severly effected all the wildlife living in the area. All of Dirt Road Outfitters Kansas Deer Hunts hunting spots have a water resource located within a quarter of a mile or less of these hunting spots. Even though a water resource maybe close for the wildlife; specifically the whitetail deer, doesn't mean that they will go to this water resource if the deer do not feel protected. Deer, especially the mature whitetail bucks like a water resource that is close by to their secluded bedding area. Having a water resource close to this area will help enhance the hunters chances of harvesting a mature whitetail when deer hunting season opens for our Kansas Deer Hunts.
In the winter months deer require about 1 1/2 quarts of water for every 100 pounds of weight per day. In warmer months they require about twice that amount of water. When an area is currently experiencing temperatures of over 105 degrees, & little water nearby, it is vital to ensure that the deer do not have too much stress put upon themselves to have a water resource nearby. If one is nearby in the dog days of summer the deer are more likely to stay in that area once hunting season roles around. This not only provides an added benefit to all the wildlife in the area, but to you the hunter as well.
Yes, it is true that most of the whitetail deer find much of their needed water in the food they eat. This is also known as browsing for the whitetails. However, if the area is in a drought this means that there isn't as many browsing food resources nearby for the deer. Again, this is why it is very important to have a water resource nearby for the whitetail deer on your Kansas Deer Hunts. This includes the winter months as well. In a normal winter the deer can meet their daily water requirements by eating snow or licking ice. However, if you are in a drought, the area is probably experiencing above normal temptures, which means that if the area receives moisture in the winter it will more more than likely not stay around for long.
In recent years a few more of the hunting shows have shown the hunter, whether it be a rifle hunter or bow hunter, hunting over a water resource on their Kansas Deer Hunts. If your hunting property has a water resource in an area that is in a severe drought I would strongly reccomend hunting over that spot rather than your normal hunting spot because at some point in the day the deer must drink. Even if your water resource isn't an ideal hunting desitination you can make it into one by setting up a ground blind, & brushing it in with materials that are located near that water hole. If you put out food sources for the deer on your property, the bucks don't have to go to it to find a hot doe when they are in heat. But all deer must drink at some point in the day, & if you have the only watering hole in the area doesn't it make more sense for your Kansas Deer Hunts to hunt that area for your mature whitetail deer than a spot that has food that you have provided?
Thank you for reading!
Hans Fritzemeier