Water Hole Question

[MT_mulies]

Hey guys. I've never sat at a watering hole during the hunt, I've always just been on the move. Its hard for me to be patient enough to just sit all day or for a majority of it. This year I hurt my knee in the middle of the summer and it is doing pretty good now, but it isn't at 100%. So I wanted to do a little less walking and save any knee work for necessary walking and or retrieving. I was wondering what you guys do for sitting at water. How do you decide which place to sit at(besides tracks, poop, and rubs)? Do you sit on the same water for a couple of days even if you haven't seen anything(since they will be moving and eventually hit the water)? Or do you move around to different water? Do you make a bling or just sit against a tree? I don't have a tree stand or I would do that. Any water hole suggestions would be good. I've never done it and want to this year, because a little knee injury isn't going to stop my hunting season!!!!!

 

[ktowncamo]

I've been successful hunting elk over water. One thing I look for of course is a water source that is the one and only in a wide area and that is active with elk sign. A trail cam is a huge help here and has been for me. I was able to pattern elk on one water hole down to the 1/2 hour and harvested a bull two years ago on that water.


If you can determine direction elk are coming from typically you can of course anticipate their arrival and set up accordingly. I like to build a couple of basic blinds with downed trees and limbs, giving me two options based on wind direction. The biggest thing is being patient.

[font=verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]If there are multiple water sources in the area, one thing I do is find out where the elk bed and then plan to be at the closest source, anticipating them to come to water in the evening after the afternoon nap or in the morning before they bed down.  BUT, one thing I've found is that elk will water where there is good cover to slip in and out of the water hole, rather than water at that perfect littlepond (not saying they don't, but it's far less often) they may slip into that little seep or stream that is the size of a ditch.[/font]

[font=verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Good luck this fall. Hunting over water can be very productive...and it will test your patience![/font]

 

[montanaelk31]

Chase those elk in the morning til 10 ish.  THen go to the nearest active wallow/water near where they are bedding.  Elk will show up between and 11 and 4, if they are going to hit it.  If they don't, then you can chase them from 4 til dark.  It'd be the way I'd hunt if my knee wasn't 100%. 
Ive shot them at wallows/water, they can show up at any time. Never used a blind.  Watch the wind...good luck!