This past weekend, I spent 2 days scouting a brand new hunting area. I found some great looking elk habitat, but didn't find any wallows. Lots of water in different forms, but nothing that looked like it had elk wallowing in it. Does anyone have any advice in breaking down a big timbered area to determine likely areas for wallows? I found a couple muddy seeps that would be good wallowing areas, but no wallows to be found. In my short time there, there is a lot of the area that I didn't cover, so I'm hoping I can reduce my focus areas on the next trip to find the wallows. Any advice would be appreciated. thanks.
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Finding Wallows
- Thread starter spanky
- Start date
nclonghunter
New member
- Dec 28, 2012
- 681
Spanky, The area we hunt has a seep that a group of traditional bow hunters have hunted for years and taken many good bulls. It is 3/4 the way up the mountain and at the head of a small drainage. I have been there a couple times and it never has looked "wallowed" to me, but there are tracks around it.
After locating wallows on foot, I have looked at the location on Google Earth and other maps that give a Topo view of the area. You can find the blue lines indicating water drainages on the topo map then look at Google Earth and look at the vegetation along those drainages. You may notice dark timber and then a patch of light colored trees. If you see a patch of lighter trees, I would look at that area. Now, having said this I have found seeps and wallows that were not indicated by the topo or Google Earth, so walking your hunting area and concentrating on those drainages should help....just my two cents worth and hope it helps.
After locating wallows on foot, I have looked at the location on Google Earth and other maps that give a Topo view of the area. You can find the blue lines indicating water drainages on the topo map then look at Google Earth and look at the vegetation along those drainages. You may notice dark timber and then a patch of light colored trees. If you see a patch of lighter trees, I would look at that area. Now, having said this I have found seeps and wallows that were not indicated by the topo or Google Earth, so walking your hunting area and concentrating on those drainages should help....just my two cents worth and hope it helps.
that makes a lot of sense and helps a lot. One of the seeps I found was just above a small creek. There were a lot of tracks around it, so in hindsight it would have been a good spot to set up a game camera.
I'll check GE for the light colored trees as you suggested, and on my next scouting trip I'll check out those areas. Thanks again for the advice.
I'll check GE for the light colored trees as you suggested, and on my next scouting trip I'll check out those areas. Thanks again for the advice.
NC, can you do a screen capture and post the image of what those light colored trees look like near a known wallow.
Are the light colored trees aspens vs. spruce, or something unique to a wallow area?
Google Earth is the primary scouting tool for us easterners, that could be some valuable scouting info.
thanks Jim
Are the light colored trees aspens vs. spruce, or something unique to a wallow area?
Google Earth is the primary scouting tool for us easterners, that could be some valuable scouting info.
thanks Jim
nclonghunter
New member
- Dec 28, 2012
- 681
I am not good at posting pictures, but I am trying. The circle is where a wallow is located. The drainage comes down the mountain and through the lighter colored trees. There are actually two more seeps or wet areas up the mountain and they do not have lighter trees around them. I suspect that the wetter ground allows the different types of trees to grow.
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nclonghunter
New member
- Dec 28, 2012
- 681
nclonghunter
New member
- Dec 28, 2012
- 681
This is an area I have looked at and plan on scouting this year for a wallow or seep. The drainage splits at the top of a flat area and may be a good spot. Worth checking out and it is on the north slope of the mountain. Look at the Topo maps to determine where the drainage flows and how the terrain lays.
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nclonghunter
New member
- Dec 28, 2012
- 681
Spanky, I am an eastern hunter with limited western expierience but I have found what I am sharing to be true. I have also found some seeps in areas that are evidently springs coming out of the side of a mountain and they make a big wet area. Those you will just happen onto. I also do not believe they are wallowing now due to rutting activity. The wallow activity picks up during the rut, so you may not see activity that will be there later.
I was hoping some of the western resident knowledge would jump in here and give some added info.
An elk hunter can never stop learning unless he believes he knows it all.
I was hoping some of the western resident knowledge would jump in here and give some added info.
An elk hunter can never stop learning unless he believes he knows it all.
either in A or the bottom of B looks most likely to me all together the north facing slopes would be best but where the road is it looks like an easier approach for an evening hunt and go down on top of them because of the way the thermals would work with your access.
nclonghunter
New member
- Dec 28, 2012
- 681
Spanky, I believe your "B" area may be a bit steep. I made some circles that look like possible locations to me. The area marked "C" looks real good to me also. Lots of dark timber in that photo/ which makes me wonder if the grasses are green at the lower levels. The area above where you marked "B" appears to level some with several drainages converging together. Should be a wet area in there...Good Luck and let us know how it goes.
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Septemberluvr
New member
- Jan 8, 2013
- 43
A good friend of mine who also happens to be responsible for introducing me to the FANTASTIC sport of archery elk hunting was infatuated with finding and hunting wallows. What we found however was that there are so many places in the areas we hunt where the elk can wallow and get water, they never visited the same one with any frequency. We'd find some that looked like they were getting hit hard, hang a camera and go back to find nothing. If you are in a place where water and wallows are few and far between, that would be a great place to set up. If there is lots of water and seeps around, I generally don't set up on them, rather try to catch them transitioning between bedding and watering areas mid day. I look for the route I think they will take from the beds to the watering areas and try to get in position to see them first and make a stalk.
nclonghunter
New member
- Dec 28, 2012
- 681
Abundant water and seeps would make it hard to choose, but if you are finding some that are being worked it's a good place to keep in mind. If I am chasing elk all morning, depending where I ended up by noon, I would head to a near seep or wallow to check it out and sit on it a while. Good place to eat lunch and do some cow calling for a while. I have heard of people throwing rocks and splashing water while cow calling and having bulls respond.....better odds than just sitting somewhere because you don't know where else to go to or what to do.
BrentLaBere
New member
- Jan 7, 2013
- 358
Spanky,
After scouting a new area I was wondering the same thing after stumbling across this area. We did find a few tracks and game trails leading to this location. Water is to be had in a lot of places. I cant help but think this will get hit closer to season.
After scouting a new area I was wondering the same thing after stumbling across this area. We did find a few tracks and game trails leading to this location. Water is to be had in a lot of places. I cant help but think this will get hit closer to season.
