Water distance from protein station???

[Postoaks]

How close does water need to be to the protein station for it to be effective? I understand the closer the better but is there a distance that really makes a difference if not obtained?

My protein station in West Texas is just over half a mile from the nearest water source. I am trying to decide if the opportunity cost is worth the hassle of creating a water source at the feed pen.

TIA

[mikemorvan]

I just e-mailed Cary Zipp (seems like a really nice guy), the nutritionist @ Gorman Milling, that exact question this morning. I tentatively have one planned to go about 200 yards from a stock tank. He said he didn't have a specific recommendation, but that 200 yards was close enough. He said it just needs to be close enough for deer to get to in order to help with digestion. I'd guess the closer the better. We used to hunt in Garden City and didn't have any water on a two section pasture. We still fed protien with good results. This probably doesn't help that much, but i'd say the closer the better...

[raiderelkhunter]

You can set up a water system with a couple of 275gl water totes floated into a small trough and not be out much money at all. I have a place I hunt in Reagan County as well that has alfalfa on it and I have water on the fringes. PM sent...

Search the DIY forum for the water system thread...

[Mike Murphey]

1 mile is only a 20-30 minute walk for a deer....not very far for them to travel....

[Johnny Dangerr]

We have 5 P/S and all have water in the station. A 300 gallon tote goes a long way. We put 3/4 of a cup of bleach in with the water, and we are going to paint the plastic white to keep the sun off them...

[Fightinaggies]

Don't have a specific distance to tell you if it would be effective or not, but I can tell you you can never have to much water accesable to your deer. IMO .5 mile is probably a little to far. You can build water stations for fairly cheap the only thing is the hassle of hauling water out there to fill it. How many other water staions do you have on your place? how many acres is it?

[Postoaks]

Don't have a specific distance to tell you if it would be effective or not, but I can tell you you can never have to much water accesable to your deer. IMO .5 mile is probably a little to far. You can build water stations for fairly cheap the only thing is the hassle of hauling water out there to fill it. How many other water staions do you have on your place? how many acres is it?

It is a big place and the wells are scattered almost a mile apart from each other throughout the place. I know it will only help just not sure it is worth the hassle. How long will 250 gallons of water last? Do you keep it full throughout the year or just during the hotter months?

[Fightinaggies]

1 permanent water source per square mile is the bare minimum I would recommend as that is the approximate home range of a whitetail.On our 2500 acres we have 12 feed stations with water in additon to the cattle troughs and stock ponds on the place. A deer drinks one to two times a day and consumes between 2-4 gallons of water per day. Depending on your deer density that should kind of give you an example of how long 250 gallons will last you. We keep ours full year round but you will notice a definate increase in usage during the hotter months

It is a big place and the wells are scattered almost a mile apart from each other throughout the place. I know it will only help just not sure it is worth the hassle. How long will 250 gallons of water last? Do you keep it full throughout the year or just during the hotter months?

[mhbaseball]

I have a creek that always has water 40 yards from my cottonseed and protein!!! works out good and got a tank 100 yards from where I am sticking my next one