Season Update
The hunting season is quickly winding down here in the Midwest, and this year has been unpredictable and unique for many whitetail hunters. The season began with hot and dry weather, which resulted in heightened activity around our Deer Ponds during September and October. Unfortunately, our food plots suffered due to insufficient rainfall, leading to lower yields than in previous years. As a result, our primary strategy for much of the fall centered on hunting near the Deer Ponds.
We installed Stealth Cellular Cameras at each of our ponds to monitor and identify shooter bucks that were coming into the water. With natural water sources dwindling, our ponds became increasingly popular during the dry spell.
On October 27th, our good friend Tanner Blaschka from Polaris Industries successfully harvested a mature 10-pointer that had been frequenting one of our Deer Ponds. We strategically placed the pond at the edge of a six-acre Brassica food plot, just twenty yards from our Muddy Tower Blind. The buck consistently visited the pond each night after feeding in the plot. By integrating Deer Ponds into our food plots, we've significantly boosted our success. Providing both water and food in the same area creates an optimal environment for deer, reducing the need for them to leave the plot in search of water and drawing them within bow range of our stands or blinds, just as it did for Tanner.
In late October, the Driven Crew installed several 250-gallon Deer Ponds on the RBO properties in Buffalo County, Wisconsin. After filling them with water, we quickly observed an increase in deer activity.
Garrett Phillips was the first hunter to take advantage of one of the newly installed Deer Ponds. He hunted at a pond located at the top of a wooded ridge, replacing an old waterhole that had dried up in recent years. "This spot has always been productive," commented RBO landowner Todd Miller, "but it had recently dried up and lost both water and deer activity—until we put in the new 250-gallon Deer Pond in the same spot." Just a week after installation, while sitting by the pond, Garrett had a magnificent 6x6 buck approach for a drink, and he made his shot count.
Another Deer Pond we installed on a different RBO property in Buffalo County, Wisconsin, had only been in place for a few weeks when a large buck began visiting it daily. On the morning of November 7, RBO client Aaron Gobert was hunting over the pond when the buck came in for a drink. It was Aaron's personal best buck to date and the first he had harvested over a Deer Pond, but he confidently stated, “It won’t be my last!”
Once the deer discovered the water in the ponds, they felt more at ease approaching them due to their natural appearance. The design and real dirt surface make a significant difference; the ponds blend seamlessly into the surrounding landscape. The tapered sides allow deer to enter and exit easily, and even small birds and animals can drink safely without the risk of drowning.
As I write this blog, I have a few shooter bucks visiting my Deer Ponds, and I'm eagerly waiting for them to become regulars. I’ll keep you updated on any developments, so please continue to check our blog posts for more news!
Until then, stay safe and happy hunting!
