# Watering system for deer needed



## Capt.Cook (May 27, 2004)

Last season I hauled water in a couple of big ice chest and transfered to a couple of those mollasses tubs in my feeder pen.It really seemed to keep the deer around.I want to set up a system with an IBC tote(275 gal),some type of trough and a float valve.Anyone have a similar setup?

My system will be a gravity feed from the tote and will have to take the tote to camp to fill.Tote will be placed near feeder pen and trough inside the pen.I need some ideas of what to use for the trough,**** proof the float,which float to use,freeze protection etc.......


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## fishinKat (Aug 17, 2010)

We have a spare tote that we use to go fill up the two other totes on the property. Unless you keep the thing on a trailer you wont be able to move it once its full of water. We keep the totes about 10 yards from the trough which is close to the feeder. I have not idea about what type of floats. We've never had a problems with *****.


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## CCRanch (Jul 8, 2006)

cut a plastic drum in half and use a horse trough float. cheap and easy


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## br549 (Jan 17, 2006)

We use a 3 tote bank on a homemade PVC set up to connect them. Then we run a garden hose to a 50 gal rubbermaid tank w a rubbermaid float. Mine has been out for 7 years and no problems. Temp has been down to 8.


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## Reel Cajun (Aug 1, 2006)

Go to Tractor Supply, they have a complete waterer with protected float.
I think it was around $38.00. It is back by the feed, we have 6 of them at our lease and have been using them for a year. All the other members will be puting them out this off season. They work very well. We have the tote outside the pen, with the plumbing coming off the tote, and connected to the trough with the waster hose supplied in the kit.


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## Capt.Cook (May 27, 2004)

Reel Cajun said:


> Go to Tractor Supply, they have a complete waterer with protected float.
> I think it was around $38.00. It is back by the feed, we have 6 of them at our lease and have been using them for a year. All the other members will be puting them out this off season. They work very well. We have the tote outside the pen, with the plumbing coming off the tote, and connected to the trough with the waster hose supplied in the kit.


Do you know the brand you are using?Was it the little giant?


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## longhorns13 (Aug 22, 2006)

We are going to the lease this weekend to fill protein and set up a watering system on the other side of the ranch with no water. We'll be using 270 gallon totes and feed to a trough. i'll send pics when I get back.


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## longhorns13 (Aug 22, 2006)

br549 said:


> We use a 3 tote bank on a homemade PVC set up to connect them. Then we run a garden hose to a 50 gal rubbermaid tank w a rubbermaid float. Mine has been out for 7 years and no problems. Temp has been down to 8.


Do you have any problems with flow by just gravity feeding?


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## Capt.Cook (May 27, 2004)

longhorns13 said:


> We are going to the lease this weekend to fill protein and set up a watering system on the other side of the ranch with no water. We'll be using 270 gallon totes and feed to a trough. i'll send pics when I get back.


Where did you get the totes?


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## longhorns13 (Aug 22, 2006)

We have had the totes for a couple of years. I did come across some totes on craigslist in Kemah. I'll PM u the #.


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## timberrattler (Nov 19, 2008)

Pics Please


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## rockyraider (Feb 1, 2006)

My buddy uses those poly tanks that you see on construction sights. He doesn't have water on his place in Paintrock. I think his poly tanks hold something like 250-500 gallons or something outrageous. He has a 1000+ gallon tank on a trailer with a gas sump pump on it for filling them. He has a hose running from the poly tanks to rubber cattle troughs and float valves hung on the sides of the troughs. We put the troughs where they sit lower than the tanks, about 15' from the poly water tank and they seem to feed with gravity just fine. They all sit within 15 yards or so from his feeders. They seem to have worked really well this year and the deer drink from them regularly.


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## br549 (Jan 17, 2006)

longhorns13 said:


> Do you have any problems with flow by just gravity feeding?


No we dont have any problems. We get the totes from road construction crews who get some **** in them for something. Wash them out well and get after it!! The tanks and floats at tractor supply are the rubbermaids I was talking about


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## buckbuddy (Sep 1, 2008)

*These sound like some ideas & constructions. We are planning to had some water to some areas, that seems like dry spots for the deer.*


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## Reel Cajun (Aug 1, 2006)

I don't remember if it's a little giant or not. I think it is 16 quart ? and has a picture of a horses head on the box, waterer is red. Works really well so far.


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## Aggiehunter99 (Jul 16, 2008)

We used a piece of pipe cut in half and capped on each side, make sure to cover the float because hogs love to get in the troughs and will break the floats and then you lose all your water. A concrete trough will work good. need something heavy to keep the hogs from playing with it. PVC is eay to break so I would use metal pipe for the flow lines.


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## Law Dog (Jul 27, 2010)

I have the same setup with the 275 tote & gravity feed, and I don't have any problems with the ***** or flow or pressure of the water. My tote is sitting on 2 rolls of cement center blocks5 feet from my trough. I put some bricks in my trough just in case an animal falls they will be able to climb out if the trough. Nothing worsts then a dead **** floating around in your water trough.


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## longhorns13 (Aug 22, 2006)

Sorry it took so long to get the pics. We used the baby blue pipe you see being put in for fire water in new communities. I was already cut in half and we screwed and siliconed lexan to the ends. We got the cheap(9.99) float from tractor supply. Reduced the 2" pipe thread down to a water hose fitting and ran the water hose to the float. We'll see how long the water last or the hose last.


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## longhorns13 (Aug 22, 2006)

Forgot the pics. Here you go.


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## Crusher (Jul 22, 2009)

Nice bird/racoon bath this would make Fred Sanford proud:****


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## Toddbo34 (Jul 30, 2006)

*Tote Tanks*

Here is a picture of my set up. Works very well! Simply build a stand and set up a float valve. Also I have about 40 of the tote tanks for sale at $100 each. They are in great shape. PM me if you would like one. Thanks, Todd


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## Toddbo34 (Jul 30, 2006)

Here is a picture of the totes that I have for sale. They are 275 gallons each.


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## longhorns13 (Aug 22, 2006)

You can see past pics of the single tote we were able to build. We then went to a two bank system and now it is a three bank system. Enjoy pics.


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## hops97 (Aug 24, 2012)

Do any of you know how to hook up one of those little giant waterers to a 250 gallon tote? would it just be like a piece of PVC pipe?


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## Tx_Biologist (Sep 7, 2012)

Best rule of thumb is to minimize the loss to evaporation. To water just WTD the little Giant stall horse waterer is ideal. Like this:
http://www.pet-dog-cat-supply-store.com/shop/index.php?page=shop-flypage-6964 
Just be sure to put an inline filter to keep algae from keeping the float valve open and running out all the storage water. The actual trough needs to be only 12"X12" in size. Remember to bury or hard plumb all water line because deer are notorious chewers of hoses. And pen them in to protect from hogs because you will lose the battle when they spill all the water in minutes after breaking the trough off the tank.


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