Coues at water

[TAM]

Just went and checked one of my trail cameras on a water hole this past Saturday morning and wanted to share some interesting facts. There were 24 pictures taken of which 18 were deer (4 bucks), 1 bear, and one lion, and the other 4 pictures were blank. There are a couple of interesting facts that I would like to point out. All 24 pictures were taken within a four day period (all pic's are stamped with day and time). Of the 18 deer pic's, 13 of them were taken between 10:52 am and 2:58 pm. I think this really demonstrates the point that coues deer like to water at mid day. Also there were only 2 pic's of deer coming in at night which demonstrates that coues don't like to water at night.

 

I've been using these trail cameras for about a year now and this most recent roll of pictures is not much different from every other roll I have got. Only about 10% of the coues deer water at night and about 65-75% of coues deer will water at mid day. I guess the moral of the story is that if you want to bag a coues deer over water, you may as well sleep in and hunt at high noon. Also don't let anyone mis lead you about coues being noctournal and only coming to water at night, it's simply not true!

[coueshunter]

Thanks for the numbers. It really puts a different light on what the majority of people believe. Would love to see the pictures if you can post them........Allen......

[CouesWhitetail]

Thanks for the info TAM. I frequently see WT at water between 11 and 1 pm. And I think most hunters know that is true for Coues deer and plan accordingly. I also see WT at water in the early morning, late evening and at night. But I agree they have a strong tendency to water around noon. I don't blame them....who isn't thirsty at noon on a summer day in AZ

 

Amanda

[Kevin]

TAM,

Amanda brings up a good point about an AZ summer day. Do you think their preference changes with the seasons or moon phases?

[TREESTANDMAN]

I believe that the biggest factor on wheather or not a whitetail will come in to water is SECURITY. I think that whitetail's for the most part avoid water at night because they know that is when lions are out and about. During the middle of the day, the deer know the lions will be napping. I believe this is why some deer may turn "nocturnal" after realizing that a hunter is sitting water during the day they will probably hit the water more at night. I also think that deer are more skittish on water holes w/ close, dense cover surrounding the water as opposed to a water hole that is more open.

[TAM]

Kevin, I'm not sure if the moon has any effect on there watering habits, but throughout the past Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring and now Summer again only about 1 in 10 pictures that I get are of deer at night. Perhaps coues do a lot of feeding in darkness, but from my experience with trail cameras they don't like to come to water at night regardless of season or moon phase.

 

I have noticed that water tanks that are surrounded by thick brush seem to get less action than tanks in an open area with thick cover nearby. I think coues like to have good visibility of there surroundings when they come to water.

[az4life]

Tam

Thanks for the tips. It is good to keep in mind, especially during the early seasons.

 

Overall, I have generally seem more deer in the mid day as well. Rarely when I am out hunting are there any shots heard from surrounding areas until mid morning either. Game pics I have from later in the year ( not around water) do show more like 50/50 or 60/40 activity day and night, but this is usually after early seasons and approaching the Dec hunts.

 

Thanks again!