I'm no Grizzly Adams, but I have an idea or two...

     There are two things I'm not. One I was. The other I never will be. I was 25 years old once. I'm definitely not anymore. I will never be an outdoorsy kind of guy. My idea of camping is a Ramada Inn and it better be within walking distance of a watering hole.

     And speaking of watering holes, I'm no Grizzly Adams but I usually have an idea or two this time of year when it's almost Dove Season in Texas and most other places. The plan is always the same: Set a buffet, and just like people, the speedy migratory birds will get in line. At least that's the logic behind everything although there are no guarantees.

Step #1-The Dreaded Hole

     We've already planted two, five acre food plots. That's the food part of the buffet. Now, we're making artificial watering holes.
     Step #1-Dig the dreaded hole and that's where the "I'm not 25-yrs-old" part comes into play. The hole doesn't care that "I'm not 25" anymore. The hole, that will hold a plastic tank, must be deep enough that the water remains at ground level. Dove like to survey their surroundings for predators. Then, they'll dive in, drink and dive out. They don't linger on the ground for too long.
     So, digging the hole is tough enough. It's even more straining considering our severe drought conditions. But never one to easily give-up, I have a plan.

Add Water & Resume Digging

     How do you make hard dirt softer dirt? Add water, let it get absorbed into the soil and VIOLA! Resume digging.
     So looking at the photo on the right... My goal was/is to dig a hole deep enough for that one foot deep trough. I want a slight angle on it so water almost sloshes out the left side.
     Back when I was 25, the above digging duty would've taken an hour. Today, I almost missed lunch even though I started at 9:00am. Patience Grasshopper.....

     Once I finished the hole and dropped in the trough I had the hard work out of the way. Next, I cobbled together a gravity fed watering system using a 65-gallon tank, a giant spindle to increase the gravitational pull, a few valves, a tattered hose and a plastic float.

Everything Flows Downhill

     If all goes as planned, I'll fill the white, 65-gallon tank with nearby well water, open the valve to the tank, gravity will pull the water through the hose to the nearby trough where the float will maintain the level that I'm hoping to accomplish. Here's a look.

     This video shows only the skeleton of our new beverage station. Any dove hunter reading/watching this blog will quickly note that no 'country dove' would ever use the watering hole as-is. I still have plenty of manicuring to do around the water because the less vegetation the better for the birds. As for all the other wildlife that we hope come over for a drink, most don't care if their glass is dirty or neat.... Get it?

Bill Robertson