drought concerns

[wawhitey]

We are having a really dry hot summer here. Im worried that my wallows will be bone dry come elk season, and that the elk will change their routines / travel routes in order to use other water sources. Having no control over the weather there is nothing to do but wait and see what happens. Is anybody else concerned about this effecting their season? As long as we get enough rain to fill up the elks preferred water holes by september they should be predictable. If not, all bets are off and ill really have my work cut out for me.

[Rangerz]

Been keeping an eye on the area we are planning on going. Hasn't been much rain there either and it has been warm as well.

Limited water sources can limit locations, but also limits vegetation. Hopefully gets better soon.

Was in Portland last month and it was hotter there than here in Vegas. You guys have had a tough summer.

[Lefty]

All I can say is yikes
The past week upper 90's and over 100 three days here in SE Idaho.
I was where 'i'll be hunting. All the flowers are in full bloom, I was hiking above 8500 ft and had rye grasses at my shoulder.Weve covered a lot of ground the past week, so much more green,.. which when dry burns

[barber111]

It's wayyy serious here in northwest Montana.. Moved here 21 years ago and that year the archery season was postponed ... We'll have an archery season, I just don't want it to be postponed this year. I can deal with no camp fire.. Just been a few years since we had a three day weekend for the opener, I just don't want to forfeit that..
Thanks, Barber

[GobbleFarmer]

I have been getting lots of rain here, the local creeks and ponds are full!
Sorry to hear about your hunting areas though. Hope they get better soon!

[ElkNut1]

That's why we own bugles! This is how we find where they are! (grin) I don't worry about weather or lack of it, the bugle will find their locations!

ElkNut1

[wawhitey]

That's why we own bugles! This is how we find where they are! (grin) I don't worry about weather or lack of it, the bugle will find their locations!

ElkNut1

Shoulda seen that coming!

[Swede]

As you have said, it is hot and dry here in Oregon. Personally, I hope it stays that way. As a tree stand hunter, I don't desire a cool moist season. If it stays hot and dry, there will still be water holes that are usable, and the elk will come to water at least twice a day. All I need to do is locate which ones are getting hit, so hot and dry is fine with me. Also, if there are fewer water holes, they will be more likely to come where I am waiting.

[ElkNut1]

wawhitey, it's because it's the truth! (grin) We locate nearly every elk through calling. Sometimes it's night calling or early morning, other times evenings or midday. So much depends on the phase of the rut we are in so we dictate calling accordingly. If it weren't for calling I probably wouldn't hunt them near as much! (grin) The bugle is our best friend & it can be yours too, use it wisely & you'll wonder how in the world you ever got by without one!

ElkNut1

[wawhitey]

wawhitey, it's because it's the truth! (grin) We locate nearly every elk through calling. Sometimes it's night calling or early morning, other times evenings or midday. So much depends on the phase of the rut we are in so we dictate calling accordingly. If it weren't for calling I probably wouldn't hunt them near as much! (grin) The bugle is our best friend & it can be yours too, use it wisely & you'll wonder how in the world you ever got by without one!

ElkNut1

Well i ordered a chuckler from you yesterday. Going to practice until september. If my honey holes are dried up ill hike out to some good ridges in the dark and try locating the elk right before season. Still hoping for enough rain for these guys to use their normal haunts though!

[ElkNut1]

Calling before the season to locate them can be a crap shoot! It's pre-rut time. You could get a response but don't be frustrated if you don't, timing is everything!

ElkNut1

[WapitiTalk1]

Calling before the season to locate them can be a crap shoot! It's pre-rut time. You could get a response but don't be frustrated if you don't, timing is everything! ElkNut1

Paul, our pathethic early archery season in WA opens on the 12th this year and runs for a bit less than two weeks. If old Whitey is out locating right before the WA season starts, he may very well be able to get a few answers, yes? I 100% agree if you're calling before "most" states seasons start and you're out tooting your horn between the third/fourth week in August.

[ElkNut1]

Rory, you are spot on! I did assume the season started late Aug, thanks!

ElkNut1

[wawhitey]

Yup, mid september opening. So if my wallows are dry it will be september 7-10th or so that ill be out trying locator bugles. Whats the best time? Dusk / dawn / middle of the night? Hell my luck ill be out in the dark trying to get elk to sound off and ill have wolves come in.

[Elkduds]

Incredible, record-setting rain and runoff in CO this summer. We have a new level of fire danger, a step down from Low, "submerged."

[ishy]

I'd love it if half of our wallows dried up. Biggest problem in my areas are there are way too many.

[wawhitey]

Well the good news is, i went to my best wallow a couple days ago and it still has water in it. Fresh Elk tracks all around it too so the elk are drinking there. And we got rain last night so life is good. The bad news is, last time i checked my cam there was may 10th. Less than 11 hours later a couple bears came in and flipped it upside down and backward so its been useless for 2 months. I think they wanted some privacy, judging by the way the boars snout was glued to the sows rear end.

[GobbleFarmer]

Glad to hear things are looking up for you Whitey! The bears seem to give you trouble all the time with your cam's, is there any way you could fasten them better?

[wawhitey]

Glad to hear things are looking up for you Whitey! The bears seem to give you trouble all the time with your cam's, is there any way you could fasten them better?

You can put them in lock boxes, lag bolt them to the tree, python lock them. That makes them pretty much bear proof. However, all that stuff makes them more visible to people. And no matter how well you lock something up a thief can steal it if they want. Also to do that method you pretty much have to have the cam down at eye level to get it pointed in the right direction. I put mine 10-15 feet high in the tree and use no cables/ straps or boxes. This ensures that pretty much nobody will notice them. Id rather comr back to a camera thats been pointed the wrong direction for a couple months than come back to no camera at all. So i accept the fact that multiple times throughout the year ill be hiking back to my rig fantasizing about shooting every bear i see. I5s frustrating, but the way i see it, those are the two options.

[barber111]

Finally got a little rain here in N.W. Montana.. Thank God.. What a morale boost. I also went out yesterday morning to check cams, look, and walk.. Saw one cow, and one spike both separate, and alone.. The trees and foliage was actually wet.. COOL.. Only cam pics were of 3 separate bears.. (all blacks) Saw two piles of griz crap. I shake my head wondering, "how does anything smaller than an elephant leave a pile that big"....
I'm the guy walking thru the woods with a pack, and an AR with a 30 rnd clip. Probably looks kind of goofy but I believe in high volume of rounds downrange. LOL...
Never know when it may come in handy for defense or for one of those critters on elknuts cam...
Glad you got your rain wawhitey...
Thanks, Barber

[wawhitey]

Well my best wallow is almost bone dry now. Worried the elk will move down to water on private land for september.

[longbowelk]

I have hunted an area where the elk are so used to visiting the first water hole in a valley and using as a wallow. They then go onto the second to use also. So when the first water hole drys they still walk to it first at evening and then work down to the second. I hope that makes sense. i.e. since they have a small pattern started they keep it going even after it drys out.

[GobbleFarmer]

That sucks whitey! Sorry to hear.

On another note, you are a boss photographer even with trail cams, cow elk and moose at the same time - thats awesome!

[wawhitey]

Hah thanks gobble. Trailcams seem like a good hobby to keep me out of trouble in the off season.

[Mike_Parson]

we are having the opposite issue here in NM. its been raining all spring and most of the summer and a lot of the water holes that usually dry up before fall are still holding water. Im praying for it to let up for the next 6 weeks so things can dry out a little bit and maybe help concentrate the herds areound a few spots still holding water.

[elkaholic]

So far I haven't seen any difference in this year over past years. Last year had a rain storm in Aug that filled some water holes and that spread things out.. Time will tell...