I am thinking of fencing off another acre that is next to my acre pen now the only thing is that it does have about a 1/2 acre pond i was wondering what everyone thought about having a pond in your pen? Thanks
Joined Apr 2009
1,485 Posts | 0+
Vaughn, MT 59487
Personal problems I have seen with my ponds. Had seven elk fall through the ice. Luck was with me and all survived. Had a fawn fall in and saw it before it drowned, was lucky enough to get it out. The hand writing was on the wall we would lose something sooner or later.
We now only use the pond pens from spring to late fall while there is no ice. Rotation is good for pens so a pond should not be a problem as long as you always move the deer before ice on the pond.
Disease and parasite issues with ponds is a whole different problem but can be handled with management.
We now only use the pond pens from spring to late fall while there is no ice. Rotation is good for pens so a pond should not be a problem as long as you always move the deer before ice on the pond.
Disease and parasite issues with ponds is a whole different problem but can be handled with management.
I'd say a pond very close is an invitation to the Midge Fly which carries EHD, and if you are in OK that should probably be a concern.
Yeah i agree but the pond is already 10yrds from the pen anyways so it will be a concern either way. I just wasn't sure about anything else the deer could possible get from the pond? Or about them falling in.
I had a pond in my Pen once,here in Texas, it was like 1/4 of an acre....it produced a lot of Bacteria when it rained....it killed a lot of my High Dollar Deer. I would not fence it......Its better to give them clean water.Trust me....it was a nightmare....
Joined Apr 2009
1,562 Posts | 0+
cental Pennsylvania
I have a little pond in my pen (24ft across), it is only 2 ft. deep and is spring fed, it has worked well for me so far
Joined Apr 2009
1,231 Posts | 0+
PA
Death trap for big deer too..They do not understand the concept...I have told mine many times...Mine is only a creek, but they fall through alot!
If i fence them out during freezing weather so they don't fall in through the ice what other problems can or will happen? Thanks
the pond is close to 1.5 acres right now but i had planned on filling in about an acre but may fill in the whole pond if everyone has bad experiances with them.
the pond is close to 1.5 acres right now but i had planned on filling in about an acre but may fill in the whole pond if everyone has bad experiances with them.
Aside from the ice/drowning issues that you have in your region, the problem I have seen with ponds that are standing, they become stagnant. The deer stand in them to drink, and they pee and poop while they are drinking. Before long, unless it is a really big pond, more of a lake, or unless you have a spring or creek that is constantly moving fresh water through, is that you end up with more mouth infections and e coli problems because of the extra bacteria that gets ingested. Same will happen with pens that don't drain well after a heavy rain.
I'm with Robbie on this one. Ponds and standing water are a problem waiting to happen. We have a friend that lost several deer to diarrhea from e-coli. He couldn't figure out why they kept getting it. And we kept telling him it was from the standing water in the pens. We would drive to his farm almost 2 hrs away to try and treat his deer and supply him wiht meds. Managed to save a some for him. He finally filled in the pond and has had no problems since.
Ponds also are the main source of Leptospirosis, in cattle will cause abortion and reproductive problems....not sure about deer. Once in a pond it is there!