Wallows

[gledeasy]

Have you ever had a favorite wallow that disappeared? Did it ever come back? Did the elk continue to use the same trail to and from?

No tag this year, but I have a wallow I was banking on sitting when I get the tag. Last year and again this year it is dry. We had a decent winter this year, last year was a big snow year (but dry summer/fall), the year prior was a terrible drought year. However, the wallow had water that year.

The area is heavily forested, with a stream and ponds all throughout the drainage. This particular wallow is on a steep mountainside below a rock flow.

I still had elk in the spot last year, but it wasn't hit like years previous. We'll see what this year is like.

It's a good hike to get to this wallow, but for archery hunting I felt like it would be a great spot. Now, who knows.

Maybe it's gone due to dry soil? Or something else? Would you try digging it some to see if it helps?

 

[Ross]

I’ve had one wallow in a dark north slope simply dry up not enough of a spring to keep it going...this one two feet deep and the dark nasty found it 30 yrs ago doubt hardly knows of it as out of the way for 99% and have to think like an elk to find it this further wallow always produced one epic pic a year until the wolves killed an elk very close to it last year and they never came close to it all of september the 5pt with cows I shot in rifle a few weeks after the photo

 

[Swede]

I have been sitting over wallows, and water holes for many seasons. Wallows are very fickle and just because it has been thrashed earlier, is no reason to believe it will get hit again soon. Springs and trails are better, Consider a good looking wallow just a little bonus.

 

[LongWayAround]

I don't have the photos or experience of Ross but my observations have been that a bomb crater wallow one year might be nothing the next. I do know of a few perennial wallows but I've never been successful sitting one.

 

[ElkNut1]

Here's some info on Wallows outlined in the ElkNut Mobile App, there's more info there including photos of Active Wallows & Non-Active Wallows & Dry Wallows. Hope it helps!





Active Wallows/Water Holes & Licks! Do not waste your time on dead beat wallows that may look OK, if they do not wreak of a barnyard and there are no fresh tracks around the wallow or on trails leading to and from them you are most likely spinning your wheels there! Active wallows are a must for best results! If the wallow is a dry wallow you will notice the stench of urine when in use. This urine odor can last for days. At times you can see where bulls have urinated in these dry wallows. These are good indicators of recent use! Not all wallows/waterholes are used every year no matter how long they've been there. Elk can relocate or are killed off so very possible other elk may not be using them yet!

Watch The Wind! When hunting wallows/waterholes you must avoid being winded at all cost! They rarely return within a week or so if you're winded. Only setup where and when you know the wind is in your favor during your entire stay whether it's 15 minutes or 4 hours, this may require more than one stand on certain wallows to maintain that needed wind direction! Many wallows are located on flat benches, parks and meadows, these flat areas are very well known for swirling winds so choose setup spot wisely! -- There are times sitting at the actual wallow is not possible due to unpredictable wind direction, when this happens consider your setup on trails leading to these wallows, you may have to back up where a bench, park or meadow narrows so you can setup below or above the trail depending on wind direction at that time of your sit.

ElkNut

 

[Fisherkid1]

Here's some info on Wallows outlined in the ElkNut Mobile App, there's more info there including photos of Active Wallows & Non-Active Wallows & Dry Wallows. Hope it helps!





Active Wallows/Water Holes & Licks! Do not waste your time on dead beat wallows that may look OK, if they do not wreak of a barnyard and there are no fresh tracks around the wallow or on trails leading to and from them you are most likely spinning your wheels there! Active wallows are a must for best results! If the wallow is a dry wallow you will notice the stench of urine when in use. This urine odor can last for days. At times you can see where bulls have urinated in these dry wallows. These are good indicators of recent use! Not all wallows/waterholes are used every year no matter how long they've been there. Elk can relocate or are killed off so very possible other elk may not be using them yet!

Watch The Wind! When hunting wallows/waterholes you must avoid being winded at all cost! They rarely return within a week or so if you're winded. Only setup where and when you know the wind is in your favor during your entire stay whether it's 15 minutes or 4 hours, this may require more than one stand on certain wallows to maintain that needed wind direction! Many wallows are located on flat benches, parks and meadows, these flat areas are very well known for swirling winds so choose setup spot wisely! -- There are times sitting at the actual wallow is not possible due to unpredictable wind direction, when this happens consider your setup on trails leading to these wallows, you may have to back up where a bench, park or meadow narrows so you can setup below or above the trail depending on wind direction at that time of your sit.

ElkNut

Hes not kidding lol

 

[gledeasy]

Didn't realize wallows come and go so often. This one has been there for the better part of 10 years to my knowledge. I might dig it sometime just to see.

 

[mwebs]

In my experience there seems to be the more permanent wallows/ water holes and then the ones that pop up during the rut where there are springs, seeps, seasonal water, etc. If there is a good amount of water around and the more permanent wallow isn't muddy and active, you could be sitting a long time before you get action. Now the ones that have more recently been created could be pretty productive. A few seasons ago I walked by a seep for about a week, one morning it had been turned into a nice wallow overnight. Consistently got into elk around it after that until some guys pushed everything out of the area.