Antler Points

It hardly seems reasonable that there is a debate bout whether waterholes or other water sources should be provided for deer. As usual, where there is a debate or discussion, there are some mixed meanings for words and some uncertainties. In this brief space, I try to provide a little clarity and to pull together some things we know about deer and water. As late as March, 1995, The Wildlife Society Bulletin had an article "Desert Wildlife Water Developments: Questioning Use in the Southwest." If there are some questions about the dry southwestern conditions, then it will be that in the eastern U.S., similar questions will be more difficult to answer.

Just because a hunter gets "thirsty" there is no reason to assume that deer do also or that they have that same sensation. Humans know the risks and dangers of not having water. "Thirsty" is a condition that triggers a fear response. Probably not so in deer!

Water requirements vary. An average 150 pound deer may drink about three-fourths gallon of water a day when it is readily available (as in a pen). In the wild, the use of water is much less than this. They can get most of the water they need from eating wet and juicy plants. Plants are variable but may be 1/3 water in weight (some are 90% water). An avaerage-sized deer eats about 9 pounds of forage a day. In the springtime, this is an intake of 3 pounds of water or about 1/3 of a gallon of water.

They are very efficient in retaining water by reducing urine, excreting dry feces, and doing little panting (panting hastens evaporation and cooling). They seek out cool places; behavior can be a water conserver. Known in other animals, deer probably forego cooling themselves in the day by using water or evaporating it, and wait until the night conditions for body cooling.

Chemists know that when plant foods are processed in the deer's stomachs, one of the products is water. The deer gets water from within the plants cells but also from the chemical breakdown of its food. Deer have a significant advantage over some animals -- they can store water in one of their four stomachs.

In the mid-eastern U.S., rainfall in common. Only during extended droughts is water to drink a major problem for deer. The emphasis here is easily overlooked. The emphasis is on defining a major problem and being sure that the water is available (1) in adequate amount, (2) well-spaced in the environment, (3) of good quality, and (4) (most important) to meet the specific needs in a one-month period for the doe to provide milk to the fawns. This is a critical need, and unless it is well provided and specifically met, all the water at other times means little.

Downing and McGinnes said that in 50,000 observations of deer in a large enclosure, they saw no more than 12 deer drinking water. An Ohio biologist in 1939 observed that he had never seen deer drink fresh water, only that from muddy saline licks (suggesting that salt, not water, was sought).

Water needs to be provided away from roads (where animals will not be disturbed). It needs to be well distributed in small units across the deer range. (I've written a paper on how to do this).

R* Deer staff are developing a waterhole "float", a device to reduce evaporation from water developments for wildlife. There is no need to build deer watering areas where water (ponds, livestock watering, streams) already exists year-round. (Careful: the crisis period [see #4 above] is our target.) Is there water available every year, without fail, from April 1 to June 1? If the answer is yes, then the needs of most deer can be met. It is best to try to provide year-round water (but providing it will be difficult). The difficult thought process is one of thinking of all things that could happen over 150 years-to deer or to the land. We want to prepare for the worst water conditions we can imagine if we are serious about intensive, stable, high-quality deer management on an area. Oh, the deer can take care of themselves and their water needs on average. However, "on-average" won't do the job for the superior herd. The needed herd stability comes from managers meeting animals needs in the worst parts of the worst years. Broyles (1996) called for more, better research on water developments and said that such work "...too long has been an uncontrolled experiment..." My view is that, given all of the conditions suggested above-high variability, easily substituted sources, extremely long periods between crisis events, key needs in only one segment of the population-then there is no "scientific" way to test adequately, cost-effectively, or in a timely way the need for water developments for deer. Small water developments -- with very permanent supplies, all well-spaced -- are part of the successful herd management strategy of R* Deer.

This Web site is maintained by R. H. Giles, Jr.
Last revision January 17, 2000.