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Mid day wallow's and wind?

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Mid day wallow's and wind?

Postby Breeze » 07 22, 2013 •  [Post 1]

It seems that I have a lot of really nice looking wallows marked on my GPS, but invariably they are on the mountain side, maybe a 1/3 from the top ridge. Some are really trounced. My problem is that I think the elk are above the wallows and my mid-day wind current is heading up hill, so I never can sit there. Is this a common trend for wallows to be below the elk .... and what do you do?

Incidentally, I sometimes spend a lot of time hiding out (esp mid day when warm) near small water drainage's because I have noticed the colder air (from the water temp) flows down hill with the water current. It feels like 'futility' to sit there but I assume it's better than moving around and blowing them out for sure.
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Re: Mid day wallow's and wind?

Postby Indian Summer » 07 22, 2013 •  [Post 2]

To answer the one part of your question... I find that 1/3 down from the top is a common location for wallows, travel routes, & sometimes bedding areas. They'll follow that bench side hill from the water and wallows to bedding areas. But a common habit for elk is to circle uphill of their trail to bed using those daytime thermals to carry scent up from their backtrail. They won't be all the way on top so I'd be careful because they probably aren't too far above the wallows and trails. When I travel mid day I often stay a good way uphill of the game trails to avoid getting busted.

Sounds like you've paid attention to what's going on with the thermals and are on the right track. Even though the elk could show up at the wallows at any time he odds might increase later in the day when the air starts to drop. I wouldn't push my luck by denying the wind mid day but instead wait until the conditions are right to hunt there. In the meantime the draw you mentioned with the down draft is key. I use those to move uphill mid day. As you know it's cooler there and a great place to pick up some elevation. Then, if you want to be aggressive you could try to approach the elk from above or better yet side hill from the same elevation.

If you want to sit mid day before moving to the wallow or elsewhere I'd park it right in the downdraft areas a bowshot below travel routes. Those are great places to fool moving elk when the air everywhere else is on the rise.
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Re: Mid day wallow's and wind?

Postby Jaquomo » 07 22, 2013 •  [Post 3]

Sounds like you're hunting in my area. Our wallows are good for trail-camming, not much else unless we want to scare the willies out of the bulls before they get to us.

We leave them alone and kill our elk elsewhere in mornings and evenings.
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Re: Mid day wallow's and wind?

Postby wideangle » 07 22, 2013 •  [Post 4]

Thanks Indian Summer that was a helpful post.
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Re: Mid day wallow's and wind?

Postby Swede » 07 23, 2013 •  [Post 5]

Wideangle, I see you are from Oregon. I don't know where you hunt, but where I am here in Oregon too, I find wallows on the tops, in the bottoms and everywhere in between. I know I sound like a broken record, but if you want to hunt water holes and wallows, get a good hang on tree stand and set it up 25 feet above ground, or as close as reasonably possible. Afternoons and evenings are especially productive times to wait for a bull, if you can avoid being defeated by the wind. The absolute best way to do that is sit in a comfortable tree stand.
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