Sitting on Wallows

[eltaco]

I have to ask, because I really haven't done this much myself... but there's a lot of talk about sitting on wallows, or watering holes, or mineral licks... how many of you guys sit on these areas? If you sit on them, how often are you doing so, and at what times of day... what duration, etc? I have not yet learned the skill of patience, and my legs just want me to keep adding miles to my GPS tracks, so I can't ever stay seated for any length of time.

Last year I finally set out two trail cams, and I was BLOWN AWAY at how much traffic these things were seeing. Last two weeks leading into hunting season I was getting roughly 75pics a week, which was pretty consistent within a half hour of sun-up and half hour of sun-down. The bulls were a bit infrequent, but on the days they used the wallow, their timing was impeccable.. could have set a watch by it.

So basically I'm curious how often you're sitting wallows, and any information you can tell us about it. How long do you sit, what hours are you at the area, are you calling, etc?

[ElkNut1]

Eltaco, very good questions & several here will no doubt help you out! But for more info that is excellent you should consider Swede's Book on Wallows!! It will add additional info & it is a very good read! If you'd like to see it click on the big ElkNut name at very top of page & you will see it on the front page of our website! You'll like it, it's the Treestand Elk Hunting Book!

ElkNut1

[Freebird134]

Paul, I've seen you mention the date on your pics a couple times now. When do you think wallows stop being productive--when does use taper off?

[ElkNut1]

Wallows are generally used mid Aug to mid Sept for peak activity, after that it starts dropping off! It's like peak rut times are from Sept 15 to Sept 25 but there's still good bugling before & after those dates just not the same as Peak times!! Sept 1st is a great time to be evaluating & sitting wallows!! Find active ones & they can be money! This is in the PlayBook! (grin)

ElkNut1

[eltaco]

Eltaco, very good questions & several here will no doubt help you out! But for more info that is excellent you should consider Swede's Book on Wallows!! It will add additional info & it is a very good read! If you'd like to see it click on the big ElkNut name at very top of page & you will see it on the front page of our website! You'll like it, it's the Treestand Elk Hunting Book!

ElkNut1

Thanks, Paul... I'll check that out. That'll probably cost me a few new diaphragms, as well. There's no way I could place an order from Elknut without throwing a couple of calls on the invoice!

I'm seriously curious, though. I saw some heavy wallow use on my cams the last two weeks before season last year. It really tapered off during the opening week last year, and it got me wondering if I should spend my first couple of mornings sitting wallows that have shown significant use on cams. I've never done it before, but I see how it could yield great results.

Any time I sit at a wallow for a few minutes, I can't help but think I could be bugling back and forth with a bull right now!!!

[ElkNut1]

Thanks, Paul... I'll check that out. That'll probably cost me a few new diaphragms, as well. There's no way I could place an order from Elknut without throwing a couple of calls on the invoice!

I'm seriously curious, though. I saw some heavy wallow use on my cams the last two weeks before season last year. It really tapered off during the opening week last year, and it got me wondering if I should spend my first couple of mornings sitting wallows that have shown significant use on cams. I've never done it before, but I see how it could yield great results.

Any time I sit at a wallow for a few minutes, I can't help but think I could be bugling back and forth with a bull right now!!![/quote]



Ha Ha, yes, sitting wallows is tough at times especially when all you can think of is bulls may be bugling somewhere else while your just sitting there! (grin) It requires some real determination & dedication to sit wallows for an extended amount of time! But it is necessary to put in your time at them to be productive, you could have elk come in 15min after arriving or 6 days later or anywhere in-between! It takes a special person to be that dedicated, I personally could not sit for 6 days but many can! Last 3 hours of daylight & the same after daybreak can prove to be good though on active wallows, between the two times I would take evening everytime & save my mornings for glassing & running & gunning depending on the rut phase! If you have a particular wallow in mind to sit then do your best to stay out of the vicinity running & gunning as you could upset their natural movement there or push them out accidentally! If you decide to sit one watch that wind direction from where trails enter & exit! You do not want to be given away before their arrival!!!

Sounds like you are seeing lots of Aug action then the action subsides! Generally what's happening is the bulls that were in that area were still in bachelor groups & now are transitioning where the cow groups are as they feel the urges of the rut coming to the fore, they now can leave their areas they were in & be in a different area where the cows are more prevalent! Look for the wallows in that area to now pick up momentum! As elk move on so does the sign! Eventually they will all head for their Breeding Grounds! Therese areas generally have their own wallows or water sources as well as good feed & cover! As the Rut increases many elk will frequent this breeding area as they can attract lots of bulls & action depending on your elk population. So you can see as elk transition from area to area the rut can dictate where they end up, follow the sign & you will find them again & their use of water & wallows! Wallows in the morning will be close to feeding & midday/evening wallows will be nearest bedding! Choose wisely for the time frame you plan to sit!

ElkNut1

[Swede]

Last year I finally set out two trail cams, and I was BLOWN AWAY at how much traffic these things were seeing. Last two weeks leading into hunting season I was getting roughly 75pics a week, which was pretty consistent within a half hour of sun-up and half hour of sun-down. The bulls were a bit infrequent, but on the days they used the wallow, their timing was impeccable.. could have set a watch by it.

So basically I'm curious how often you're sitting wallows, and any information you can tell us about it. How long do you sit, what hours are you at the area, are you calling, etc?[/quote]

I have never experienced a situation where just a wallow alone was getting the kind of use you described. My observation is that the cows come in for water, but will walk in the mud and water with the calves which play around and splash. I like to go to a wallow and slap it with a large stick 4 or 5 times, then I go nearby with that stick, which is about the size of an elk antler, and rake for about a minute. I follow that up with a two second long two note bugle, then stomp off like I am a bull that just used the wallow and am leaving. At that time I quietly slip up into my tree stand and wait. If the bull(s) that normally frequent the wallow are nearby, they may wait an hour, but expect them to come in to see who was there. I learned this stunt from Elknut. The first day I tried it, my son and I both killed five point bulls within an hour of each other at the same wallow.
I also have had bulls come into a wallow on a regular basis, but that is not the most common situation. If your camera indicates you can pattern a bull, you know what to do. Some elk, cows and bulls, are very predictable. They can also become very dead if you want then. I like a well used water hole that has a wallow with it. If the situation is right I will be in my saddle riding that pony about 10-12 hours per day. Of coarse I sit in a stand about ten hours per day until I get my elk. That may be most of the season on rare occasions.

[easeup]

I have never had any luck sitting. so in 30+ yrs of chasing elk, I will be honest and say that I have never sat more than one afternoon per year. As a NR guy, most of those hunts were say a week long. But to this date, I have never seen a single elk at a wallow.
one year I decided to slip in about 2 oclock and set up on a well used wallow and spend a very warm afternoon sitting to change my luck. Now on that day I was not paying very close attention to my skills because a nice 5x was already laying in the mud when I arrived with my hands in my pockets! I was furious with myself!

I have had a number of bears come in to those wallows and water holes but no elk.

[WapitiTalk1]

I have never had any luck sitting. so in 30+ yrs of chasing elk, I will be honest and say that I have never sat more than one afternoon per year. As a NR guy, most of those hunts were say a week long. But to this date, I have never seen a single elk at a wallow.
one year I decided to slip in about 2 oclock and set up on a well used wallow and spend a very warm afternoon sitting to change my luck. Now on that day I was not paying very close attention to my skills because a nice 5x was already laying in the mud when I arrived with my hands in my pockets! I was furious with myself!

I have had a number of bears come in to those wallows and water holes but no elk.

Perfect easeup.. Same kind of scenario with me three years ago in WA. Took a friend from AK on his first bow elk hunt. We hiked our way up through the terrain close to three miles (no trail) to an old pack trail I know about in a wilderness area. No one was home on the way up and we finally stopped at mid morning on the pack trail once we reached it. Took a break about a 100 yards over a wallow that I know is used off and on. The wallow was over and beyond a little finger ridge. Jeff and I grounded our day packs, grabbed a snack, and layed our bows down. I said, "well, you never know" and threw out a locater. After a few seconds of silence, we both went back to munching our snacks. Over my right shoulder I sensed movement. Down below in an open little draw, here comes walking a beautifull 6X roosey.. A very nice mature bull. He was about 35 yards away and coming towards us as we sat basically, in an open but shaded area. "Jeff, get your bow... bull.. bull". About the time Jeff looked and scrambled for his bow, the bull turned.. headed down to the 5 or 6 cows that he was tending by the wallow and the crashing commenced My lack of patience got me again..

[Coveyleader]

Wallows and water holes are really best in dry areas. I've killed elk on both, but all of them had one thing in common, dry areas. They key to hunting a wallow or water source is getting the wind in your favor. In the areas I have set up on, the water was always towards the top of a draw. In scenarios like this, you hope the elk will come in from the sides or top if they come from down drainage, they're going to pick you off more times than not.

I have one water source that I've killed way more elk off in the AM then the PM. It's a great morning spot and I can hunt it until about 9:30, or until the sun hits the draw. Then the wind will start shifting, and at that point, I will get down. Same in the evening, I will wait at the head of the draw until about 6PM until I know the thermals have shifted, and the wind is coming down the draw. That's when I make my approach to the stand.

To simply hunt a wallow or water source without really putting the big picture into play is almost a waste of time in most OTC elk areas but I'd also mention hunting elk over waterholes isn't rocket science as some make it out to be either.

[Swede]

Coveyleader makes some excellent points, but I would add one more to what he has written. No doubt going into or sitting a water hole without consideration for what the wind is doing, is the perfect receipt for frustration. That given; most of the time when I take the thermal and prevaling winds into consideration, I can come up with a solid hunt plan for a well used water hole. I often find them near a bedding area, so I may come in at first light or even pre-dawn from a direction that minimized where my scent will be detectable. I will leave when the diurnal wind are steady. I can come back early while they are still blowing upslope. Probably most important is that I find a good tree where I can go up 25-30 feet above the water hole and minimize the likelyhood of getting busted by the wind. Yes I do get busted occasionally, because nothing is absolute, but I have also minimized the risk so I also kill a lot of elk by planning everything carefully.

[ElkNut1]

Coveyleader, thanks for your comments! Yes, waterholes & wallows are a great source to consider in waterless regions! They are basically a no brainer! (grin) Find secluded ones where not every hunter in the area is aware of them & now you've got something! Problem in many western states is you have too much water! This means too many wallows & water sources, elk can be anywhere & never be a 1/2 mile from water. When this is the case throughout the west a hunter has to know what to look for when considering these "special spots" to set a stand or make shift ground blind to hunt! Not all elk hunters are well versed in these areas so they need to know how to handle this situation no matter where they hunt!

When hunting water sources or wallows, should they call, how about a decoy, how high in a tree or if at all, how about a ground blind, should they use scents, etc. No it's not rocket science but it takes know how & how to handle these questions appropriately to give ones the best possible odds! There are plenty of guys here to help these needy ones out to help shorten their learning curve & avoid many of the trial & errors we've experienced in the many years in the field! Heck, a rocket scientist wouldn't have a clue in what to do with either! (big grin) I couldn't help myself! (grin)

ElkNut1

[slim9300]

I have to ask, because I really haven't done this much myself... but there's a lot of talk about sitting on wallows, or watering holes, or mineral licks... how many of you guys sit on these areas? If you sit on them, how often are you doing so, and at what times of day... what duration, etc? I have not yet learned the skill of patience, and my legs just want me to keep adding miles to my GPS tracks, so I can't ever stay seated for any length of time.

Last year I finally set out two trail cams, and I was BLOWN AWAY at how much traffic these things were seeing. Last two weeks leading into hunting season I was getting roughly 75pics a week, which was pretty consistent within a half hour of sun-up and half hour of sun-down. The bulls were a bit infrequent, but on the days they used the wallow, their timing was impeccable.. could have set a watch by it.

So basically I'm curious how often you're sitting wallows, and any information you can tell us about it. How long do you sit, what hours are you at the area, are you calling, etc?

The large (2/3 slope) wallow that my old man found a few years back in our area brings in the bulls like clockwork from noon to 3pm, Sept. 10-15th. Literally the same three bulls came in every day from the 10-15th and a few others were sporadically coming in too. Before the 10th they barely came in and after that they aren't as patternable but there is still at least one bull each day from 12-3pm using the wallow or checking it during the rest of the month. There is a reason we have 2 treestands, 5+ miles back in.

[Coveyleader]

It's true that the Mountain West is filled with water, but when you look at states like AZ, NM, CO, UT, and WY, there are some pretty dry areas. I'd say from my experience timberline wallows and waterholes are more of a crap shoot then anything. When you talk about the West Slope of CO, AZ, NM, and UT it can be very hot an dry and water sources are elk magnets. Just look at many bulls killed in those states. They're muddy (most likely killed on a wallow) or many guys find a tank in NM and AZ.

My experience in Western Colorado is this; find a water source in a draw that has some timber above it, or just over the ridge where the water source is, and you have a good chance at success. In areas with cattle, it can be harder to tell what's actually hitting the water, but if it's void of cattle, the water source/wallow will be pretty obvious. I'm not talking about a crick, but more like an old beaver pond, or a place that has water about the size of a kids plastic swimming pool has backed up.

The key to my success is finding draw with a good water source, or good wallow. The reason draws work so well is normally the thermals in these areas are constant early in the AM, and again in the PM. This means if you find the right source, the "ONLY" way a bull can bust you is from down wind. That leaves 3 other directions of travel for an elk to commit to a water hole without you getting busted.

My experience tells me that bulls do not approach the wallow or water source from downwind. Some will, but many won't. I find it pretty funny, because once they commit, there is no caution at all they come right in. Once on the water, you have all day if the wind is good and you can really pick your shot. Also note, all of the bulls I've killed off water were on OTC areas with tons of hunters. It's not uncommon for me to have a hunter walk in on me and I have to wave them off.

As far as treestand height goes, I'm sure the higher the better, but as stated, in a draw, you could be 30 feet up, and the sides of the draw will still be level with you so you're still SOL if they come from the sides. I'm sure higher is better if they come up the draw downwind of you.

Decoy? Why? just like Antelope hunting, the elk are coming to the water source for a reason I've never used one. I will say this; make sure you have a call and some rocks in your pack. Many times a bull may come close 80-100yds from you and a call is always nice to have. The rocks can add realism when you chuck them in the water below you.

Again, not rocket science, but my observations from sitting water the last 11 years with 100 percent shot opportunity each year. It all sounds easy, but rain will put a damper on all water hole hunting.