Critters don’t like my watering hole

Last summer I did a little experiment by burying a little plastic trash can in a hinge cut area next to a trophy rock. I was pleasantly surprised that about every critter you could think of used it (trail cam). Back in March I buried a small swimming pool in an area where deer travel and where rain would refill the reservoir for me. I don’t have the first video of anything using it. It kept water in it back during that short but hot drought we had in May. Put 10 pounds of corn around it a couple weeks ago to draw deer in, only to find the corn untouched. Anyone else made a watering hole deer don’t like?

Just needs more water according to pic 🤣

Not once have I ever deer hunted a water source. Never really thought about it honestly.

Man, I knew I forgot something!

I just spotted your lock on. You must be a lefty...

Ha ya the main ingredient helps 🤣..i know u said it was full during drought I just kidding with ya

Some water might help.

For the record, that picture was from the day I put it in. It rained the next day and has been full ever since.

I don't and never have hunted water holes or salt licks. If you want to attract deer, add something with scent, like peanut butter. I've had a lot of pics of deer walking thru corn I had put out. Sometimes it took several days before they started to eat it. Joe does your pool have any plastic odor or maybe taste? Your loc on sticks out, deer look up too much now a days. I suggest adding some limbs. Hunt safe.

That stand hasn’t been hunted from in years. Just haven’t made the time to move it. I’m not doing this to get pictures of deer. That’s what a salt block is for this time of year. Only have a camera on it to see if it’s getting used. Water is limited on the property so just trying to add a small water source to see if they use it. $8 investment. Plastic smell might be an issue, but don’t see how it would be different than the plastic trash can I used in the other spot.

Just don't forget that deer get most of their water from the moisture in the plants they eat. Not saying this won't be effective, just something to think about.

If your corn was untouched, you don't have many deer, period.

I have used corn to help deer find new mineral sites, etc. and never had any problems. Hence the confusion by me. Certainly not high density deer population though.

The plastic likely smells like chemicals and they wont touch it. See this alot with treated lumber used on feeders if they are not left outside to weather before putting them out

But they should take to it with time as the smell fades?

Is it in a spot where deer travel, between bedding and food or near a food source? Or just in a spot you want deer to be?

I don't foresee the plastic being an issue for very long if at all, and deer patterns change depending on time of year.

Yes, there is an open spot in a nearby fence. Historically frequent tracks in the area. Also 50 yards from our most productive food plot.

I put a feeder out I had built out of a 26gal air compressor tank last year, I had just painted it. Deer would not get anywhere near it for months. Same spot I just had a 5gal bucket feeder the deer stayed under. They feed under it almost every day now. Only thing I could figure was they didnt like the smell of the paint. Might be the same with the pool.

Well if its the plastic or some leached chemicals in the water I reckon it could be cleaned out. If they're overpressured in that area they may just steer clear, or like somebody else said above, there are no deer in the area. What are your neighbors doing different? they may be holding deer.

Throw some dirt in the bottom of it. If its new im sure the water tastes like plastic. it will season in and they will start using it. We have built several. Some just holes that held water, some with old truck tarps but covered with dirt. Some made of plastic 275 gal totes cut in half.

We have plastic kiddie pools on every food plot on our lease. Deer use them all the time. Only difference is ours are blue, orange, and yellow. We also didn’t bury ours

Maybe deer are Auburn fans?

Not sure what a pool does

I hope to be up there this weekend to spray the beans and will see if anything has changed.

I think I'm gonna do the same with a concrete birdbath without the stand, for Dove/Quail.

Deer do love some peanut butter, but the
Problem I run into is they eat it up in just a couple days .
I have been watching alot of hunting shows here
lately, alot of hunters on the shows have been
Making watering pools. They make a product
That you pour into your water hole that says it attracts deer
and makes them healthy and grows bigger racks.

Another product to separate a fool from his money.

I should update that I finally got video of deer at the watering hole last card pull. Maybe it was just a smell that finally wore off.

I've seen the cattle troughs do really well. Let the grass grow all around it and add some sticks and stuff around it. My lease has 4 branches running through 120 acres.

I hunted at Dry Creek Club in Dayton many years with Nelson Brown. There were three artesian wells on the place with water spigots and when it was a dry Fall,all you had to do was open one up and deer would be there shortly to get some cold water.