Breaking Ice for Wildlife?

[J Wales]

Our tanks south of Abilene are frozen over, along with our water troughs and every trace of surface water. With temps below freezing for days, do you think it is worthwhile to break ice for deer? I wonder if they’ll even get to it in time before it freezes back over…

[locolobo]

May not be on your place but they have water. Flowing creeks etc.

[JeffJ]

We will use pear burner to heat up and melt ice in our metal troughs.

[brokeno]

They will be fine unless it stays frozen for a week or longer.

[Killer]

How do they drink up north? In Iowa right now there is no open water. Eat snow?

[Dale Moser]

There's water somewhere, they will find it. Maybe better to have it close to home though.

[Bisch]

I don’t t know if it’s worth it or not, but I just now got done clearing all the ice out of my water troughs and putting out alfalfa!!!!!!

Bisch

[rladner]

How do they drink up north? In Iowa right now there is no open water. Eat snow?

This, animals survive all over the world. Alaska, Canada are all frozen for months at a time, yet the wildlife seems to find something to drink. Nature knows how to survive without human assistance. I would stay warm inside and not worry about breaking ice.