Looking for a "Hell Hole"

[Swamp Buck]

I have been pouring over maps trying to locate a potential "Hell Hole". Can someone post up a picture of a hell hole where elk would be? Topo or photo would be great. I am NOT trying to locate anyones's spot (I thought I would never have to use those words) so please make it as discrete at you can.

[Bullnuts]

Elknut Paul had some photos of where he killed his bull last year. THAT looked like a hell hole. Crawling through brush to get in sounded like a lot of fun.

[WapitiTalk1]

Here's a true blue "hell hole". It boasts alder grabbing, very steep sidehills and a canyon down the creek which prevents you from coming up the bottom (rocky cliff waterfalls). This location boasts both wooly mammoth bulls, and, brown bear. The best boot access is from a trail system to the north which stops well short of the lip of the draw shown. With horses, a guy an come in from the south but it's a long haul. Everything a guy could wish for ... I haven't hunted this particular area in a "few" years.

[Indian Summer]

"Hell Hole" is a term used not just to describe an area because it is um... hellish as in thick or steep. Instead I'd say they describe areas that a guy just wouldn't prefer to haul an elk out of. Any hole over 15 or 20 miles in is a hell hole right? When people hunt UP a mountain usually anything too far down over the opposite side could be considered one.

But if you ever wound an elk you'll find the closest one real fast. It'll be further down hill than you cared to go, near some ugly thick cover even if it's just a small patch. Since they can head toward water when wounded it can very well be a place elk don't even regularly go as in way down in the gut of a steep sided ravine with blowdowns scattered down both sides. I don't think it's something you can really pinpoint on a map. Although thick is usually found on the north/northeast slopes.

[Pop-r]

With all due respect Pantom16 I personally wouldn't even consider ur map much of a hole much less a "hell hole"! Lol

[WapitiTalk1]

With all due respect Pantom16 I personally wouldn't even consider ur map much of a hole much less a "hell hole"! Lol

No worries. I've slid down that south facing side and crawled (crawled) back up it a few times. Was actually relieved we didn't have to bring large chunks of elk flesh outa there.

[Lefty]

Get away from where it is a tough walk in from the nearest acess
I use to hunt the Klicitat river in Washington.3000 feet elevation drop, or a very risky float across the river in the dark( and daylight)
Steep seems to always be good
On elittle honey hell hole I hunted in Utah was a short walk up a nasty rock ridge, maybe 8o feet elevation gain right off the ATV trail then down a nasty green slope facing a freeway ,.. honey hole for sure
Another was a mile walk in , 1500 feet down though thick brush before it lead to quakies and a spring

Hotter than Hades, Idaho desert

IMG_0539 (Small).JPG (45.81 KiB) Viewed 4406 times

[Trophyhill]

hard to describe what a true hell hole looks like but you'll know it when you see it

[Lefty]

hard to describe what a true hell hole looks like but you'll know it when you see it

But the very worse has to be a lodgepole blow down

[Trophyhill]

hard to describe what a true hell hole looks like but you'll know it when you see it

But the very worse has to be a lodgepole blow down

I tried following a bull thru some serious blow down a couple years ago. he made it thru in about 20 seconds or less. took me 45 minutes to navigate that crap lol. elk 1 hunter 0