OTC Honey Holes

[PathFinder]

Elk hunting is a secondary pursuit for me, so I found all of my "honey holes" when I was doing other things. While deer, lion, bobcat, or bear hunting. It pays to be very observant about everything that is in an area and then record it as others have mentioned.
It took three years after moving to Colorado to feel like I had enough areas nailed down to be successful consistently.

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[Shraedus]

Shraedus, find water! I could care less about all this terrain feature stuff in timbered country if there is no water around. I mean very small pockets the size of a wallow or larger. Not looking for lakes here! Some areas will have 10'x10' sized ones others may have that & larger but very small in comparison to lakes or large ponds. I use Basemap & can locate all kinds of spots I'm referring to.

You will notice that most of these areas located that elk are within hearing distance of calling from these water sources.

Some of these areas are within 1/2 mile from roads & others can be scattered further in. I look for ones that are less than 3 miles from my access points. This helps on the packout!

Do elk frequent the same areas yearly, heck ya they do, it can be banked on! Now if someone beats you in there & runs them out & then you show up days later thinking elk weren't there that year. No way, they were around.

P.S. Find those water pockets! The more secluded the better your chances of little to no hunter competition! I'm referring to Archery hunting here!

ElkNut

Thanks, this is the info I was looking for. I will be out in mid-September for my first elk hunt. I will start looking at the zone in greater detail.

 

[ElkNut1]

Know this, you will not find such water holes on a paper map. You will need a clear Map App. It's best used when near good wifi signal such as at home. You'll be shocked how many of these small sources that are out there with most hunters unaware of their existence. Good thing is the Elk know they're there! (grin) Find a few of them while scouting from home & lock in their locations. Once there visit these spots & the surrounding area, about a 1/2 mile in various directions, you should find signs of elk being in the area. -- If no real sign move to the next one.

2-3 of these at most with elk sign will pay great dividends!

ElkNut

 

[Ross]

Elk honey holes are the things dreams are made off…been lucky enough to find 4 of them with one producing almost double digits bulls and two bulls using the same meat pole were they a secret no. Did they take a lot of sweat yes. Did many show up too late yep. Are there secret little watering areas yes. Is there some serious escape cover yes. Is it fun to get to No Were the elk always there yes. Was it magical a thousand times over edit just cause…..it is fun reliving found this honey hole in the early 90s but was roaming a lot and did not really learn it until the late 90s and started to see success…opening day 97 on a foggy rainy day there are 3 bulls over 30 yrs I would like one more day on and it used to haunt me now I enjoy the memories ️ Also went by the meat pole last yr and it was still hanging

 

[Alpineelk]

Elk honey holes are the things dreams are made off…been lucky enough to find 4 of them with one producing almost double digits bulls and two bulls using the same meat pole were they a secret no. Did they take a lot of sweat yes. Did many show up too late yep. Are there secret little watering areas yes. Is there some serious escape cover yes. Is it fun to get to No Were the elk always there yes. Was it magical a thousand times over

Double digits that's insane. I hope to get ther one day. I do have a few spots that always have elk tho

 

[PredatorSlayer]

Several years of success in one place is what a honey hole is to me. OTC will always have company. Just the nature of the beast. Even you hike way back in, guys on horses always seem to find you

 

[thedutchtouch]

 

[BRTreedogs]

I Google unit numbers then read the Rokslide threads.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I Google unit numbers then read the Rokslide threads.

So does everybody else. And therein lies the problem. I don’t blame the people for asking the question, but I think the guys that divulge info to a stranger on a public internet forum should lose hunting privileges for life.

 

[jgilber5]

Something I'm trying to figure out is how big or small do I need to be looking for in an area to consistently hold elk. I know they'll travel miles if needed for food/water, yet the only spot I've found that's worthy of "honey hole" is maybe 40-80 acres with everything they need. When you all that have a few spots dialed in think of your honey holes, are these areas spot-on-the-spot situations, tiny little benches, or drainage-wide?

 

[BRTreedogs]

Something I'm trying to figure out is how big or small do I need to be looking for in an area to consistently hold elk. I know they'll travel miles if needed for food/water, yet the only spot I've found that's worthy of "honey hole" is maybe 40-80 acres with everything they need. When you all that have a few spots dialed in think of your honey holes, are these areas spot-on-the-spot situations, tiny little benches, or drainage-wide?

Both
I have places i know they are running around somewhere in this drainage.
I have places i expect to know what bed they will bugle from.

 

[SoloWilderness]

Both
I have places i know they are running around somewhere in this drainage.
I have places i expect to know what bed they will bugle from.

This.

 

[cnelk]

Something I'm trying to figure out is how big or small do I need to be looking for in an area to consistently hold elk. I know they'll travel miles if needed for food/water, yet the only spot I've found that's worthy of "honey hole" is maybe 40-80 acres with everything they need. When you all that have a few spots dialed in think of your honey holes, are these areas spot-on-the-spot situations, tiny little benches, or drainage-wide?

I think you already know the answer

 

[BRTreedogs]

The hard part for me is admitting when myself or someone else has already ran them off, especially since there is sign, i have a hard time not just beating the same spot’s thinking they should be here

If there not their got to move on.

 

[jgilber5]

I think you already know the answer


View attachment 531099

You caught me. Still in the part of the learning curve where I trust my own opinions least

 

[Coveyleader]

I have places that produce every year. Actually I have so many in the areas I hunt that many don’t even get hunted.


Some areas I hunt it’s all about time in there, every day that goes by is one day closer to shooting one.

 

[Bearwhisky]

Ive been hunting my otc areas for over 30 years. Probably over 100 sq miles.
Each year I have a goal to find SOMETHING new, either scouting during the summer or while hunting

Definitely elk have their favorite spots. Over the years Ive killed 4 different elk standing by the same tree.

I gave up on a really good area because some rookies came in and camped right in an elk travel corridor every year.

I did this rookie mistake. I woke up with elk shit between our tents. Dummy! We were smoked after driving 26 hours straight and plopped down in the first bench we found after hiking to our general area.


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[MallardSX2]

First rule about honey holes is that you don't talk about honey holes. lol

 

[Geewhiz]

First rule about honey holes is that you don't talk about honey holes. lol

Truer words have never been said.

 

[mtnbiker208]

The hard part for me is admitting when myself or someone else has already ran them off, especially since there is sign, i have a hard time not just beating the same spot’s thinking they should be here

If there not their got to move on.

persistence has killed alot of elk. alot.