Deer Question

[Autocar]

I have a small wet land in my woods and over the years it has filled in with leaves and slit. This summer it has been dry so this fall I took my Bobcat and started digging it out to hard pan but after about a small area I realized I was going to get stuck. A day later or so water sipped in and today I suppose it is a foot deep. But what I can't figure out the deer tracks are thick, track upon track and the water is muddy soup. I don't know what there up to but it is interesting seeing all the action. And a hundred yards east is a acre pond so I would not think that there drinking the wet land water

[LeeB]

Maybe some mineral in it they're after?

[bluthum]

By casual observations only [meaning not science] I've noticed that deer seem to go right past clean spring or creek water to drink from a fairly funky pond or seep.TReally foul livestock ponds excluded.

There are typically more choice browsable plants around stagnant water but in my mind insufficient to account for the attraction.

[KEC]

A lot of animals are quick to take note of things that change in their home area. Maybe they are just checking it out.

[JJ]

Deer like the sent of fresh turned soil, especially around rut.

      JJ

[BillyTheKid]

Deer are very curious about changes in their home range. When I was building the house I am now living in, I had finished pouring the basement walls. Inside was complete muck after a rain. I built the foundation with a walk-in  on one side. One day I noticed fresh deer tracks in the muck. She came in the walk-in, walked a rather larger circle inside and wandered back out. Very curious.