Building a DIY Wildlife Guzzler: An Off-Grid Wildlife Water Solution for Central Washington

The V-Roof Design: A Low-Maintenance Water Catchment

Most wildlife guzzlers you see online use massive rubber mats, but for the wind and snow of the high desert, I prefer the double 4x8 roofing panel design…as does the wildlife commission in WA state. That is one of theirs in the image.

This guzzler is located in eastern Washington sate which has a semi-arid environment. And it is this kind of dry climate where guzzlers shine. They can provide excellent water for most of the summer. A real blessing for the animals that live there.

I will be building a DIY wildlife guzzler on Stony Oasis as well, but will change it up a bit. I’m driving 2 3/8-inch round steel posts deep into the rocky ground. They’ll stand up to the high-desert winds and heavy snow loads for a lifetime. Quick and easy!

Parts of a Wildlife Guzzler

The Catchment: Two 6' x 16' metal roofing panels set in a "V" shape, as in the one above. . Tucked into a stand of Ponderosa pines to block the wind, and give the animals a sense of seclusion....this 192-square-foot roof surface will harvest roughly 1,200 to 2,000 gallons of water a year from rain and snowmelt.

The Main Reservoir:I will be installing a stock watering tank (300-400 gals) for the bigger wildlife. This tank will be fitted with a small ramp for smaller creatures who may make the mistake of falling in.

Below you can see the tank on these wildlife guzzlers is gently sloped to the bottom as an escape route for smaller creatures who want a drink.

The Small Critter Sanctuary: Underneath the main roof, I’m building a protected zone. Water from the gutters will feed half 55-gallon drums tucked behind a fortress of logs and brush. It’s a safe, "predator-free" drinking spot for birds and small mammals—complete with the mandatory get-out ramps as well. Make sure your safety ramps are grip-able...meaning they are easy for small creatures to climb to escape. You do not want to build a trap! You want to build a habitat.

The Overflow: Once the wildlife is satisfied, the excess doesn't go to waste. I will have an over-flow on the stock tank which will run into a small fruit tree orchard, turning the "waste" water into food for wildlife.

Maintenance for a Wildlife Guzzler

If build well there will be little maintenance required for a guzzler. Just a quick look to see that the roofs are clear, and water can flow easily.

If you are in an area that can freeze make sure there is enough slope in all piping to prevent freeze breaks.

Generally a guzzler is located well away for structures and people so mosquitoes are rarely a concern; but if they are check with your local Mosquito Control District; in many WA counties, they will actually come out and provide/stock the fish for you for free if your setup meets their criteria.. From my point of view these insects only feed other creatures, so I would just let them live.

Check that your 'small critter' rams are all in working order...you do not want your guzzler to be a death trap for small creatures...remember, they are thirsty too!

Parts List For My Guzzler

Here is a breakdown of the parts I will be using when building my Guzzler at SOF.

• 12 23/8 steel galvanized fence posts.
• 8 2x6x16 2x6 lumber.
• Stock tank...I plan on a 300-400 gallon tank. The smaller critter tanks will be half barrels I have on-hand.
• 32 ft. of gutter, with the needed downspouts ect.
• Roofing...I have many pieces of 6 ft roofing...hence the size of my guzzler.
• PVC piping to carry the water to the tank, and/or plants if you want them.

This guzzler built with metal posts should last a very long time.

Installing My DIY Wildlife Guzzler at Stony Oasis Farms

2/19/26...I have my guzzler about 1/3 built, and will be going up to my property a couple more times to complete it. So, this post will be ongoing, subscribe, or check back often to see when I get more work done on it if you are interested.

Some may question if they need to be this strong...but remember these will need to support a substantial snow load. If you are in an area where it only rains you could take that into account.

Bedrock is not very deep in places on Stony Oasis Farms, but I picked a spot for this guzzler that I felt the soil would be deeper. And I chose well (been pines there for 100's of years building soil) some of these posts are 4 feet in the ground and have not hit bedrock. I will pound them even deeper on the low side of the roof. If I hit bedrock I will simply cut them off at the correct height.

In the last image you can see I have cleared a path to be able to get my little excavator in to do the dirt work. Prep for the tank, and make brush piles around for birds and smaller creatures concealment if needed. My little E35 Bobcat Excavator makes this kind of work very easy for an old guy! Shoves simply do fit my hands the way they used to. Had my grandson over to run it...he is a natural, let him dig 50 ft of ditch his first time...did great!

3/7/26...Got back up to my property a few days ago, and got the rest of the posts pounded in for my guzzler. I will have alot going on this spring, and this project may have to be put on hold for a bit. Need to finish my solar power install, so I can move there and have power...in my RV I will be living in for the first winter anyways. I am thinking about building a cabin with all the amenities...we will see.

I think this guzzler will supply enough water to support many fruit trees I plan to plant. I will have to make a deer proof fence around them, but once they start producing fruit...the animals will love them!

Here are a few images of the progress I have made...

Next step is to find my tubing cutter and cut all these posts to the correct height. Then the roof install, get my excavator in there and dig my stock tank down in the ground a bit.