Sitting wallows/water

[Southern Elk]

What's everyone's opinion on sitting over wallows or water during early archery season? I found a couple of really nice wallows and I'm considering sitting there, if there's not any bugling action. I haven't had much success with this method in the past, but I'm also very impatient and haven't sat very long. If you've had success, what do you do? Sit quietly? Do some cow calling while you sit?

 

[BigHornRam]

Find it boring and am impatient like you, Southern Elk.

 

[Ridge Ghost]

It can be boring... but effective if you are in a good spot. I've had much more action sitting water in areas where water is scarce and only available in a few locations. If water is abundant in your area, they have many other spots to choose from and you are playing the lottery hoping they choose your location that day.

Yes, sit quietly. No need to cow call. The water is the reason they will come in, not the calls, and your calling may alert them. Just let them come in to the water naturally.

Be patient if you are going to sit water. I once sat on a spring when the morning action had died down and the elk were bedded, probably around 10. I stayed there until about 4:00, then started getting antsy. I stood up to start hiking, only to spook a herd of elk (including a herd bull) that had been coming in to drink. They could drink at any time, but a good time for them to come in is late afternoon after leaving their beds.

 

[BDH]

Sitting water or wallows is one of my favorite things to do, I am lucky and can sit for long periods of time and be completely fine. Sitting wallows or water allows you get to pick your shooting lanes, and the shot distances are some what predictable. You also aren't gonna burn yourself out as fast if you are sitting water instead of busting draws. Just make sure you bring a piss bottle and shit bag, nature always calls at the worst times.

RLTW

 

[hank4elk]

I could never hang in a stand or a blind.........way to antsy. Or I'd be pinned & not able to move closer.
Now I have a water hole/wallow on my place & that is gold. Only problem is the openness around it. I stalk down thru the trees into the wind at o'darkthirty,get enough light to spot where they are & guess where they will leave & ambush......worked so far.
I have sat in the trees all day long & had nothing show til after dark. That is when they usually show,after dark.
I have also had a herd of elk run in to a water source when I was waiting for a deer to show late afternoon.....with no elk tag,lol.
I have also been just sitting in the shade at home & had bulls walk quietly to the tank mid day solo.

 

[Southern Elk]

Here's a few pictures of what I found. It's an isolated spring fed wallow on an otherwise dry ridge. I'm not sure if they are coming there to drink or just wallow. I hung a trail camera, so I will know more after I check it. What are y'all's thoughts on whether its being used as a water source or just a wallow? It's actually 2 different holes.

 

[Griztrax]

I'm guessing they visit it for both drinking and wallowing. I had a camera up on a similar looking spring most of the summer and documented 4 species drinking from it including a local family group of elk who visited the spring numerous times. I went in last Wednesday to pull the camera (so it doesn't get stolen once season opens) and decided to sit across the draw from the camera and it wasn't two minutes after I sat down that the elk came running in to water. Picked them up on my trail camera and my phone - so cool! They were within bow range for almost 15 minutes before the wind shifted. That is very important to understand - the local wind currents around that spring and chose your sitting location wisely. Also remember that in early bow season, mosquitos could be out still and will eat you alive. They tore me up for the 15 minutes I filmed last week. The elk came in so quick I didn't have time to get jacket and gloves on to cover up. Good luck!

 

[BigHornRam]

Here's a few pictures of what I found. It's an isolated spring fed wallow on an otherwise dry ridge. I'm not sure if they are coming there to drink or just wallow. I hung a trail camera, so I will know more after I check it. What are y'all's thoughts on whether its being used as a water source or just a wallow? It's actually 2 different holes.
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Top looks more like a water hole and bottom looks like a wallow. Only one way to make sure though. Take a drink and if it tastes like elk piss, it's a wallow.

 

[EYJONAS!]

I always have these ideas to sit whether it be in a blind or a tree or in the brush. I got over 6 tree stands on our place and 2 ground blinds. Set them every year. When it comes time it never happens, hell I can't even sit for an hr when we're spring bear hunting. If something doesn't show in 20 i'm over it. However I have some friends that do really well at it.

Its probably the reason why I haven't killed a sheep yet to. Haha good luck to ya @Southern Elk. May the force be with you.

 

[Southern Elk]

Top looks more like a water hole and bottom looks like a wallow. Only one way to make sure though. Take a drink and if it tastes like elk piss, it's a wallow.

I put a camera up so I wouldn't have to do that.

 

[Sytes]

I'm learning to slow down however I'm typically trying to get to the next point to glass or other significant location. I think age is slowing me down more so.
Tree stand is a good plan on a wallow, water source or a healthy used bottleneck / trail.
I'll sit on a water source or wallow if that's the game plan though usually a couple hours at the most sunrise or sunset. Tree stands are pretty restrictive though I get burned often moving due to wind or shooting lane.
All preference.

 

[Hilljackoutlaw]

I'm on that like stink on shite this time of year!!

 

[Brian in Montana]

I know people have success at it, but I'm certainly not one of them. I haven't done it a lot, but I've never had one show up.

I know a guy that shoots elk ever year at the same spring. That's all he does. He says that it actually makes them cautious if you call from a water hole. He says when they're coming in he hears the herd talk and mewing, but as they approach the water they get very quiet and don't make a peep while they're there.

 

[Southern Elk]

I know people have success at it, but I'm certainly not one of them. I haven't done it a lot, but I've never had one show up.

I know a guy that shoots elk ever year at the same spring. That's all he does. He says that it actually makes them cautious if you call from a water hole. He says when they're coming in he hears the herd talk and mewing, but as they approach the water they get very quiet and don't make a peep while they're there.

That's good to know. I would have probably done some cow calling thinking it would bring them in.

 

[BigHornRam]

I put a camera up so I wouldn't have to do that.

Cheater.

 

[JLS]

It's not a bad idea to just go down and slash the water a bit, rake a tree, then circle back upwind.

 

[Sytes]

It's not a bad idea to just go down and slash the water a bit, rake a tree, then circle back upwind.

Tips and tricks... Good one.

 

[3855WIN]

It was the evening before the Colorado archery opener and I had slipped down towards a water hole to check it. I was about 200 yards away and had just picked up my binos. Three bulls walked into the picture! I watched for a bit, then slipped out. This was gonna be too easy.
Then it rained that night and the next afternoon. Water pooled up everywhere. I sat it several times, but they never came back.