I don’t own or have access to vast acres of whitetail nirvana. Like many reading this, I hunt open-to-anyone dirt and small chunks of private property. Last year, I learned how to make one of those small chunks an early season gem.

All life needs water, and whitetail deer are no different. During the warm early season months, bucks and does need to slake their thirst regularly. Forget about a food plot and put in a pond.

Always check with the landowner first, but few will object to you digging a hole, lining it with a tarp and adding water.

Start by locating an area that’s back in the timber. I picked a spot about 150 yards off a known bedding area. You’ll also want to be sure you can access the area for morning and evening hunts without alerting deer.

My pond sits at the intersection of three trails in a heavily used staging area. Last year, bucks and does would hit the water before heading to the ag fields in the evening and would sneak in for a sip on their way back to bed in the morning. It was a hot zone.

Dig a manageable hole. Mine measured 3 feet long, 3 feet wide and 2 feet deep. Be sure to angle your edges and not make them too steep. This will help with the tarp seal and will make it easier for the deer to access. I picked up a heavy-duty white tarp from a garage sale. I like white because it reduces evaporation and keeps the water cooler. Line the hole with the tarp and leave plenty of overlay. Next, use a spade and stab the overlay of the tarp into the ground. Then cover the overlay with dirt and sand. All that’s left to do now is fill your pond with water and hang a trail camera and treestand.