Water sources

[street]

What's your guys opinion on how much more important water sources are to deer in the west as compared to deer in the midwest/wet climates.

I think the vegetation provides the deer a lot of hydration in those wet climates, how much is that the case out west do you think?

 

[Researcher]

It depends on where you are hunting, saying out west is too broad. Here in Nevada water matters quite a bit since its pretty much a giant desert. Idaho, while it does have some dry places, has a lot of areas where there is plenty of water year around in about every drainage.

 

[street]

Speaking specifically about deer, I have never even worried about water when I am hunting aspen conifer zone type habitat. Even if there is not much water up there, the deer still seem to be fine. I hunt several places I have to pack water into because there isn't any up there but there are a lot of deer. Just like said above water doesn't really come into play for muleys until it's more arid, desert type habitat.

That's pretty much what my observations say. I just find it weird that you hear a lot of people on podcasts and such saying scout the water sources. Those people must be hunting desert type country and not higher alt spots with good vegetation and moisture.

 

[idahohikker]

There is some high country that’s lower on water where it’s more of a factor. But yeah my experience is normally there’s at least one good creek in every drainage and it’s not normally that much of an issue up high.