The simplist of water holes

[DEC]

So I have been toying with this idea for quite sometime, but haven't done it yet. One fear that I have is that here in Indiana I've heard mixed feedback whether this is considered "baiting" or not. In my mind I cannot see how this is much different from digging a real pond ... just on a micro scale. But I've been told that burying a tank or plastic ornamental pond liner for watering deer in your hunting area could be considered baiting.

 

[j-bird]

So I have been toying with this idea for quite sometime, but haven't done it yet. One fear that I have is that here in Indiana I've heard mixed feedback whether this is considered "baiting" or not. In my mind I cannot see how this is much different from digging a real pond ... just on a micro scale. But I've been told that burying a tank or plastic ornamental pond liner for watering deer in your hunting area could be considered baiting.

"Bait" as defined in our regulations is anything taken afield for the deer to consume to assist you in the harvest of a deer. Now somebody want to claim I am baiting deer by filling up a hole with water......I think that will be a real stretch. I don't see how building the water hole is baiting - no more than a food plot. Yes per the narrow view, maybe, but somebody is really reaching in my opinion. IF someone got nailed for baiting because of a water hole then the CO was being a prick or they really wanted to nail him for something else and that was all they could get to stick. You put something out and it "happens to fill with water" - mother nature put the water there.....you didn't! Mother nature makes apples and acorns fall - is that baiting if you planted the tree? Someone is taking a real narrow view of the regulation in my opinion......especially when the shelves at wal-mart are wiped clean of true "bait" on the opening weekend of our firearms season. CO should have much bigger fish to fry than worrying about some water hole!

Besides my water hole is for the coons, turkey and other critters NOT DEER - any deer seen drinking from it will be shot!:D

 

[DEC]

I agree J-Bird. Just what I have been told is all. I have been told it both ways. I have some ICO friends and I will run it by them.

 

[j-bird]

Well, I failed. I went out the following weekend to take a look and all I had was a dry hole with a sheet of plastic in the bottom. Quick review didn't show a gross failure so I quickly went on to trying plan B. I lost the battle...not the war!


I however haven't given up. I found some 30 gallon tubs (18" deep x 24" x 36") and bought 2 and sunk them in the ground in 2 different locations. They are not as large as I would like, but if they draw some attention I can always replace them with something bigger if I need to.


I then also found out that critters are stupid as I had 3 drown mice in one of my new water holes so I had to address that with some metal screen on the edge. Even with the stick/limb in the water hole the mice must have simply swam around the edge and never found the way out. Hopefully this will reduce that issue as well. Nobody wants to take a drink with dead things floating in it!


Orange flag on the dowel to keep folks from getting a wet foot. The one in the picture is in the woods and the fallen leaves sit on the waters surface and completely hide the water hole. If the flag seems to scare critters I will tape it later. I could just see....step, step, step, sploosh! You watch it will be me that does it!!!!

 

[Peeps]

I agree J-Bird. Just what I have been told is all. I have been told it both ways. I have some ICO friends and I will run it by them.

In Wisconsin you can hunt over a water hole no matter if it's natural or man made. I asked a warden about putting a heater in the water during winter to keep it open and if someone could hunt over it. Just curious, I have no interest or means to do that. He said it would be legal to hunt over that water as it is not considered baiting.