I Need Help, Which is a Better Bet

[Slayerz]

I have had a camera set up for two years on what I considered a wallow (wallow number 1), the elk stop by (couple times throughout the week, both bulls and cows) and lay in the mud, but not thrash around in it, no bull rubs in the vicinity (been adding salt for two years, next to wallow hole, ~120 pounds selenium and trophy rock). Last year I found what looked like a wallow as well, but with bull rubs near by and about 1/3 mile away from wallow number 1. I was late in getting a camera on this second wallow this year, but a 7 point did show up to smell around in late September 2013. The picture of wallow #1 is what they normally do in the first "wallow" I found, wallow #2 is what looks more like a true wallow. The first wallow is a seep in a cedar thicket with elk sized holes that have vertical banks, which leads me to believe, more for laying in than actually wallowing in. The second wallow, in a cedar thicket consists of two spots separated by a log that are more circular, larger in size, and have more horizontal banks. For the experts out there, which would be a better bet for sitting on, given wind is in your favor?

Also, Elknut, my brother and I purchased some of your calls this year and love the playbook and all its information, if we would have read it before the season started, the bull in picture one may have been mine as we were about 100 yards from that "wallow" the same day the pictures were taken, three hours earlier

[Magic]

My simple answer is the one that you are getting the most pictures at, and Welcome to ElkNut Forums.

[Swede]

Again welcome to the forum. Wallow #I is getting hit twice a week. I will take that any time. Wallow #2 has drinking water available. I would normally prefer that as there are two reasons for elk to come there, and they drink a lot more than they wallow. The rubs near wallow #2 are also attractive to me.
Check the number of trails coming into the wallows and observe their use. I would go with the one that shows the most common use. Of coarse next year you can set up your trail cams and determine which gets the most frequent use. Checking trails is good, but often it is hard to figure out if you are getting frequent use, or a herd is stopping by periodically. Your camera will tell you what you have coming in. I would rather go where one bull is coming in frequently, than an occasional herd is coming in sporadically.

[cnelk]

Wallow 1 early in season for sure.
How were you thinking of hunting it? Tree stand?

The other #2 wallow/water hole may be good later if there are trails in the vicinty

[Slayerz]

Thanks for the information and insight. I will have my cameras up at those two location by the beginning of August to see what is starting move through. As mentioned in other posts, they may not even be around these wallows next year

[Slayerz]

Wallow 1 early in season for sure.
How were you thinking of hunting it? Tree stand?

The other #2 wallow/water hole may be good later if there are trails in the vicinty

I will be hunting out of a treestand.

[BRazz]

Again welcome to the forum. Wallow #I is getting hit twice a week. I will take that any time.

Do you really think a couple times per week is pretty good? I'm not questioning - really wondering.

I have spent relatively little time sitting wallows, and just got a game camera for this summer/season. Throughout the season camera showed oscillating phases of elk activity, at times coming in twice a day, and at other times coming in once or twice a week. I sat there six different afternoon/evenings, and finally ended up having an opportunity at a cow the evening before the last day of the season (hit a little tree - doh!). But I considered the wallow decent at best, mostly due to the unpredictability. I didn't have anything to compare to, but it seems like some guys say they hunt wallows where they see frequently multiple bulls in a single day hit the same wallow... So my question - what degree of activity or consistency are you looking for???