The Magic of Wallows

[@RCHER]

Okay, so ever since I can remember, whenever I'd run across a wallow, heavily used fence crossing, or pinch point with trails that look like a motocross track, I get about as excited as a guy should be allowed. I mean, is it me or does that stuff have special Ju Ju magic in it? It probably has something to do with that ambush predator/hunter in us, and I like it!

How about those places you've found in your travels through the woods?

Here is one that stands out in my mind. It was the early 90s and I drew an archery bull tag in AZ's north country. Well, my buddy and I decided to hike back into a remote area to scout and were following fresh sign, beds, rubs and trails leading up to a bench, until...BAM!! I'm standing at the edge of a 20 yard circle of three small water puddles that are just hammered. There's this one poor little juniper in the middle that has taken a thrashing on more than a couple occasions. After walking all around the area, I realized that the north side of every big juniper for about 100 yards out from the wallow was rubbed on. There were a ton of elk in there (wish I had a digi camera back then) and we ended up not getting back in there for the hunt. Killed elk in another part of the unit. And of course haven't drawn that tag since.

There have been many other cool places like this, but this one stands out as the "hottest" elk wallow of my hunting days.

[GEARHEAD]

I FOUND AN INCREDIBLE WALLOW AT A SMALL CREEK CROSSING SEVERAL YEARS AGO IN SW WASH, FOUR HEAVY INTERSECTING TRAILS. I HAD ONLY 3 HRS ON IT, AND SAW ELK THREE DIFFERENT TIMES WHILE THERE, ALL COWS.
I HAVE TWICE SINCE TRIED TO FIND IT AGAIN, AND COULDN'T, AUGHHHHHHH

[WAPITIHUNTER]

Well I never really have found any super duper wallows. Two years ago I had this little calling adventure with a bull a couple times by my place. I went back the day after the second encounter and found where he had wallowed and then he had come onto my little 5 acre parcel and made a rub right in the middle. That really got me freaking out hardcore.

If I found a wallow like that one in your picture I think I would have to camp out there for a solid week and wait for the big boys to show up. That is awesome. And yes that would really get me fired up hardcore.

[gasman]

I have found several in different areas but they were dryed up and or have not been visited for a while.

I did find a good one up Manashtash that had fresh sign, i was just to late every time i hunted it 

[bankwalker]

i found a little area of swamp land this last season. ive hunted all around it for the last 10 years and never once thought to check over that little hill. and i tell you this. there were 7 different wallows, every single one having fresh sign every morning. i had walked through one of them and returned 15minutes later (i left my release laying on a stump next to it) and sure as *censored* my footstep through the wallow were completely covered.

[WAPITIHUNTER]

Time for a treestand. Sounds like an Elk goldmine.

[bankwalker]

Time for a treestand. Sounds like an Elk goldmine.

the area i found sure was this season. usually everyone hunts the river. i stuck to the swamp/wallows and seen bulls every single day all day. 5 different bulls forsure. to bad i was in a spike only area.

[Elknut1]

 Nice! A good wallow is tough to beat! Find a great secluded one in deep dark timber not far from bedding grounds but near known breeding areas & you have a wallow for life! Wallows are hit the hardest from Aug 15 to Sept. 15 after that their use will dwindle down as the rut increases!

  ElkNut1

[MIKEXRAY]

I hunt the easterns slopes about a mile up the ridge. Last year I found a wallow but it is anothe 3/4 of a mile up the ridge. It was active and being used, I would give anything to hunt over it but it seems a little up there to hunt. Do you guys see them wallow during the day or is it a night time activity ? I would think a night time or maybe first light on thier way to bedding. Are they worth hunting over ? Mine was small, just a small spring. Maybe 15' x 15' and wet mud flung all over. I got to it about 9 am and was hit that morning or night before. Let me know, maybe I'll get my ass up there early. Mike

[bowhuntin]

I have found many wallows over the last couple years, but nothing looked like the picture above. I have put a trail cam on a wallow and it seemed that my pictures were in the late evening or right at dark. Might be worth it to put a treestand up on the edge and sit until dark if you have found a good wallow. That is if you know what time the elk use a particular wallow.

[BC CHASER]

@rcher were you in unit 23 when you took that picture?

[WAPITIHUNTER]

Time for a treestand. Sounds like an Elk goldmine.

the area i found sure was this season. usually everyone hunts the river. i stuck to the swamp/wallows and seen bulls every single day all day. 5 different bulls forsure. to bad i was in a spike only area.

I was going to scold you for not killing one of them bulls until I realised you were east side in Spike only. That really must suck rocks.

[Elknut1]

 Here's a small excerpt in the Wallows Chapter out of the PlayBook on wallows & usage!-------------------

  Which wallows/water sources are best---Active ones no doubt, but there's more to it than that. Normally wallows can be hit anytime of morning, midday, evening to just before dark! But during a full moon phase midday, evenings, and night are common times of use.
   The overall best time for sitting wallows are the last 2 1/2 hrs of light or evening. If you choose this time then sit the wallows closest to bedding areas, not the lower ones on the mountain where they may not get hit until near dark or at night. Each area may vary! Look for wallows that have several trails leading to them, your odds are better than single trails. Too, if you can find a well hidden wallow in thick cover where few to no one knows about it the better. Look for rub trails, some areas will show a resident bull is using this particular wallow regularly & you'll know this when you see various trees rubbed on for 100yd-200yd on the way to the wallow. This is rare but worth ones attention. So check your area closely. Always check the wind before using a wallow in your scouting or hunting ventures. It's the #-1 deal breaker. At times you'll find you need to back-off the wallow & setup on in-coming trails to them for best wind direction!
   Many water sources have no wallows there but can be very effective to sit on, I like the more hidden or remote ones to knock down other hunter influence when possible! Subtle calling here can be a plus! I use similar sounds as mentioned below. I never hunt the surrounding area that day or week if I plan on sitting a particular wallow or trail, I do not want to upset an elks routine if at all possible. The hotter the weather the better the chances of wallow use, cold rainy days are not ones best bets, but focusing on well used trails from bedding to feeding areas instead may reap better rewards.
   There will be days where the wind is really bad & swirling & you can't get to a great wallow without being winded on a bulls approach to the wallow or waterhole. So watching wallows from a distance can be effective. The next best thing if at all possible is to setup below or above this area even if you can't get a good view of it, if you can still see it, well, that's a bonus! A good set of optics can be useful here. Distance from wallow/waterhole to a setup will vary from area to area. Set up where you can get a view of the incoming trail or trails to this wallow/waterhole, most likely the wind will be in the bulls face as he walks on the trail that enters towards the wallow. A bull generally doesn't spend a lot of time there, generally 20 minutes or less & he's gone. In many instances the bull will leave the way he came in. If you're lucky, the wind will now be at his back & hold that way for you to get down there & setup off the trail in hopes of an ambush. Do not call, let him come your way naturally.  Too, if this bull bugles on his way to the wallow, do not call back leave him be, he will continue on in to his destination.

  ElkNut1

[Slider]

These are from 2 trail cams about 2 miles apart set up on Wallows.

[Elknut1]

 Slider, cool ! What elevation is that where it was freezing at night in early Sept.?

  ElkNut1