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Stand at wallow?

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Stand at wallow?

Postby Muskeez » 04 05, 2016 •  [Post 1]

Basics first: I have only bowhunted elk 2 years, came close but no cigar. Always hunted from ground, and calling, and in Northern CO. 2 years ago I found a BIG wallow. It has 2 water holes and mud all the way around them. They were probably 20 yrd x 20 yrd and 10 x10 yrds, and in a clearing about 50 yards x 75 yards. It is pretty much at the top of the mountain. Being from Iowa I immediately, thought why don't we just sit on this thing all day?? Well, we milled around that mountain for half the day and called a bull in fairly close but he skirted around the wallow and drifted off. We sat on it for the last 2 hours of the day, in the rain, tucked into a pine tree base. No elk, but not surprised either. I have been kicking this around for two years now and can't get it out of my head. I have read that wallows and water holes aren't used as much when the rut starts. Is this true? What time of the year would you sit in a tree stand at a wallow like this? Season opens in late August this year in CO. So my greenhorn idea is this, IF I can pull it off. Drive out and do a scouting mission for a couple days, around Aug. 1, take a couple cameras and a couple stands and strap on steps. Place the cameras on the wallow and any other wallow I may find, hang stands in favorable trees, stash my climbing sticks so I can put them back up later. Come back for opening day and check cameras to determine how much the wallow is being used and at what times of the day. Hope nobody else has the same plan. This is approx. 4 miles from a trailhead and a mile from any trails that I know of, so hopefully no competition, but not betting on it. Am I on the right track or dreaming? Please be blunt, I am all ears!
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Re: Stand at wallow?

Postby Swede » 04 05, 2016 •  [Post 2]

Great question Msukeez. I sit at wallow with water all season. The wallowing does taper of, but the elk usually don't quit drinking water. If use is still active, I would plan on hunting there. If your water hole/wallow has a good bedding area and has trails into it, I would get excited over it.
It is very common for elk to skirt around a wallow on their way to a bedding area in the mid or late morning. If you see that, stay silent and let them pass. Don't worry. Often they will sneak in for a drink in the afternoon or that evening. If you are there in the evening and they appear to be passing by, have a cow call ready. Give out a few short mews and you may bring one or more your way. Rarely do I call from my stand, but that is one of a few instances where I will.
Do you have a picture of you wallow?
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Re: Stand at wallow?

Postby Muskeez » 04 06, 2016 •  [Post 3]

I found my pictures but they are too large to load and I'm a dummy on the computer. What I learned from looking at them is that the opening in the timber that the wallow is in is larger than I thought and the wallows weren't holding as much water as I recalled. It was a dry fall if I remember correctly (2013). But there was still water in the holes and lots of mud tore up. So, do the elk come in there to drink that same nasty water that they roll in and pizz in? There is a small stream not 50 yards from the wallow. What times of the year do elk use the wallows the most? Summer? Pre-rut? peak rut?
THANKS Guys!
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Re: Stand at wallow?

Postby stringunner » 04 06, 2016 •  [Post 4]

look for trees around the wallow or area the wallow is in for signs of tree stand use. Are limbs cleared from trees? Do the trees look like they have had steps screwed into them in the past? This will help determine if the spot is being used by other hunters. Sometimes it's hard for me to tell how "old" these signs are. This is where I struggle. Either way placing a camera early in August will be very helpful for you. And even place a stand. But if you see signs of other use by hunters, be prepared to work through that with others hunters if they show up. Approach it civilly if so and I think it will work out better for both parties involved.
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Re: Stand at wallow?

Postby Swede » 04 06, 2016 •  [Post 5]

Muskeez wrote: So, do the elk come in there to drink that same nasty water that they roll in and pizz in?


Absolutely! That is a great place to locate your tree stand. Never waste your time at a crystal clear pool or stream. The reason a pool especially is clear is because nothing is disturbing it. Elk don't care if the water is clear, and it only takes a small pool or spring to satisfy an elk. Elk don't know and don't care anything about germs, sanitation or hygiene. If a water hole reeks of stinking elk all the time, that is where you want to be if you are out to shoot one.

Beautiful ponds, streams and springs are a great place to rest and view the scenery. That "nasty water" is a great place to set up for a kill.
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