A problem even if a person waits until late summer or Fall to fill it? I assume your temps are much warmer in VA.

You are probably right, just noticed that you are in wisconsin. Around here stagnant water will have green slime algie topping in a matter of days.

Malaria pit

Blue tongue could maybe be a concern.

A kiddie pool from the Dollar General. You can even dig enough to put it close to ground level. Add water or let Mother Nature fill it up.
I know a lot of places that put in the small plastic troughs along the drivable roads or trails and can carry water to fill them up or enough water until Mother Nature can fill them.
All have 1x6’s in them so anything that falls in them can get out. Plus it allows your smaller critters and birds a chance to drink as well.

Wouldn't deer hooves break through a kiddie pool?

Cut some 55 gallon plastic drums in half that have lids and you can make two and dig them in a foot so they won't get tipped over. They can be fllushed out periodically as needed.

Bryce

Not unless they can sharpen them really sharp, lol. It’s a solid plastic pool. They don’t even mind the blue color.

I haven't found a source of plastic drums that are food grade.

I would select a water source that required the least amount of maintenance and the least number of boots on the ground. You could dig or scrape with small backhoe or skid steer and then line the bottom with Sodium Bentonite.

Sodium Bentonite..Thanks. I had never heard of such a thing

I might just try 1 of those 15 gallon tubs from the farm store and use it in the fall

I bow hunted Buffalo County Wisconsin for years and we would cut 50 gallon plastic drums at an angle lengthwise in half. We would then put them within 20 yards of our ladder stands on top of the Bluffs where there were no water. The Valleys had some spring Creeks running through some of them but the deer liked to go to our water holes on top of the Bluffs without traveling far from there comfort zone. we set cameras up and head numerous pictures of lots of deer turkeys even coyotes and one bobcat using the water troughs. Needless to say we shot a lot of deer including some real nice b u c k s at these water troughs. The hard part was keeping them full of water but it didn't take much to keep deer coming to them.

In the George Washington National Forest in W VA the forest service would just make a divot along side their service roads If it rained enough there was some water in those small holding areas And if there was water in those water puddles there would always be a large amount of deer tracks from the deer using those spots to drink from If you have the place and ability' to make some watering spots it would be to your advantage

I think I have the place, but am trying to figure out how to create a water hole that won't cause blue tongue in deer

Years ago I found a nasty low spot holding water that was made by logging equipment. This was in a woods that did not have any creeks or ponds in it. The water in it was nasty. On a dry year the deer flocked to it to drink water. The deer would suck the water out of the hoof prints of other deer. I have seen deer pee in this water, then drink the water. I about fell out of my tree stand. Every couple years now I scoop it out with a shovel to maintain it. I had another woods I hunt with no creeks or ponds in it so I put a water hole in it that is a 3 foot deep plastic drum. I put it where I can haul water to it. On a dry year it draws a ton of deer. On a wet year there is not much deer action at either spot. We get 36 inches of rain per year here. So water holes can draw deer even where there is quite a bit of rain.

Interesting

My brother and I have managed our 750 acres since 1985. We have built water holes and also have a creek that runs over a mile and a half through it not a large creek. Couple old beaver pond holes and drainage's. Some years drought some years drowned, never had issues will illness. Put them in lots of people have them or similar.

I thought it was against the law to collect rain water there? Or is that Washington State?

Deer hooves are really quite soft on the bottom, but the plastic pool will get very brittle in the freezing winter.