Let\'s Talk Wallows

[otcWill]

I\'ll be the first to admit that I don\'t know much about hunting wallows. I usually can\'t sit still and have always opted for the run/gun type of elk hunt. It seems every time I find a good wallow it gets abandoned shortly after and they never seem to use the exact same spot each year. I have found some killer wallows though and would like to give a treestand a try one of these days. I\'d like to hear from any and all about your thoughts on hunting wallows: When (time of year/day)? Where (best locations)? I\'ve found some great ones that are at high altitude and the winds are ridiculously fickle. Can these be hunted effectively? This is an area that I definitely stand to improve.

The wallow in the pic is at about 11,500ft. Wind is horrible starting at about 7:30 am until about 5:30 pm when it becomes predictable again. Its a perfect little bench within 100-300 yards of an awesome bedding area. If I could sit this undetected, I could cherry pick a bomber nearly every year. The wind has always kept me from setting a stand. Thoughts? Plan of attack?

 

[iccyman001]

How far are the trees surround the water?

I\'d have tree picked out to climb with my climber depending on the wind.

 

[Swede]

It is hard to say much from just seeing the one picture, but I would want some more information before I would spend time there. Are there good trails leading into the wallows? What about rub trees in the area, and maybe most important what would a trail camera tell me about time and frequency of use? From just what can be seen, it looks like these wallows could be just a night time place to get down and muddy.

 

[otcWill]

There\'s plenty of trees within 30 yards but none you could get very high in. Trails are plenty and torn up, same with rubs. Trail cam shows multiple bulls hitting it mostly at night but some during late morning and mid day. Wind is terrible at those times though

 

[Swede]

OTC, you have my interest now. Can you get up 15-20 feet above the ground level? Maybe you could rig a brace in a tree to steady it in the wind while you are perched there. If elk are coming in during the day, it could sure be fun to be their welcoming committee of one.

 

[AndyJ]

Will, my experience with wallows sounds like yours. Is there an area on the way to the wallows, maybe along a trail where you could ambush a bull and have more predictable winds? All the best used wallows I have found have been in terrible wind spots. I\'m pretty sure that is why the best wallows are the best wallows and why others rarely see action.

 

[cnelk]

Same experience here too. Find \'em, hunt \'em, bad wind, nada.

 

[BTL]

Is there really anyway to tell if elk are hitting a wallow during daylight hours vs after dark? What would be the signs you look for?Montana doesnt allow game cams during the season(on public land).

 

[cnelk]

I have noticed that wallows lower in elevation near feeding areas are hit at night.
Wallows up higher on the slope are used during the morning, day or early evening as they move up (or down)

For instance, of the pics I posted, the first and third ones are up on the mountain.
The middle one is lower near feeding areas

 

[Scot320]

I look to see how much mud or dirt is still suspended in the water, after a while you can kind of get a feel for how recent it was visited.

 

[Zpd307]

the wallows I found were hit in the morning just before they bedded. I shot my bull at 0930 hours. he raked a tree first and then had to break the ice before he could dive in. this was on sept 12th, if I remember right. a couple of days later I was still hunting a trail leading into their bedding area and was following a fresh mud trail from a bull that had recently wallowed before going to bed.

 

[JohnFitzgerald]

This is the only type of wallow I pay attention to. Used that day!