1 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:10,680 Speaker 1: As a guide and hunter, I've spent thousands of days 2 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: in the field. This show is about translating my hard 3 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,599 Speaker 1: won experiences into tips and tactics they'll get you closer 4 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:21,360 Speaker 1: to your ultimate goal success in the field. I'm Remy Warren. 5 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 1: This is Cutting the Distance. Welcome back everyone. This week 6 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:36,920 Speaker 1: we're kicking off our elk series and we're starting with 7 00:00:36,960 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 1: what I'm dubbing Elk Wallows one oh one. Now, this 8 00:00:40,159 --> 00:00:42,239 Speaker 1: podcast is going to be everything you need to know 9 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 1: for locating and hunting elk wollos during the rut during September, 10 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:50,600 Speaker 1: one thing comes to mind and just rutting bowl elk. 11 00:00:51,280 --> 00:00:53,880 Speaker 1: The cool thing about that is there's so many behaviors 12 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 1: that you can key in on, and wallowing is one 13 00:00:56,400 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 1: of them. They roll in the mud, they get stinky, 14 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 1: they get fired up to gather up their cows, and 15 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:04,600 Speaker 1: that's a tactic that you can exploit. So I'm going 16 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:06,920 Speaker 1: to talk about how to use them for scouting and 17 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:09,840 Speaker 1: how they changed throughout the season. But first I want 18 00:01:09,880 --> 00:01:12,200 Speaker 1: to share a funny story of when I was guiding 19 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:25,240 Speaker 1: a hunter and set them up on a wallow. This 20 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:27,959 Speaker 1: hunt takes place in the mountains of northern New Mexico 21 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 1: and that late September early October time frame. Now I 22 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 1: really enjoyed hunting this particular area because the elk tended 23 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:38,400 Speaker 1: to rut there a little bit later than other places 24 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:40,640 Speaker 1: in the country. So I'd be hunting and guiding in 25 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 1: Montana and then I could go down to the spot 26 00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:44,960 Speaker 1: in New Mexico and guide down there and still kind 27 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: of extend that rut season get into some awesome elk 28 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:51,360 Speaker 1: hunting action. There was a pretty good bowled of cow 29 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 1: ratio there, but the area was could be very difficult 30 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:57,400 Speaker 1: to hunt as well if the elk weren't being vocal 31 00:01:57,480 --> 00:01:59,760 Speaker 1: or if they weren't running well, because it was just 32 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 1: like a lot of timber, a lot of oak brush. 33 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 1: Many of the parks and openings were buried in the trees, 34 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:08,919 Speaker 1: so they'd be like big pine forests around these kind 35 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:12,079 Speaker 1: of flatter meadows on the ridges, and you couldn't really 36 00:02:12,120 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 1: glass them from anywhere. So the long range glassing and 37 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 1: kind of figuring out where the elk were was difficult 38 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 1: because there's so much timber, so you had to you 39 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 1: had to hike around a lot, you had to move 40 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:22,959 Speaker 1: around a lot, you had to kind of judge sign 41 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 1: and and find where the elk were, and then if 42 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:28,239 Speaker 1: they were vocal man, that just made it so much easier. 43 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:31,240 Speaker 1: But you know, as as the rut progressed and got 44 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 1: a little bit later in the season, most of the 45 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:35,399 Speaker 1: bulls had their cows and they weren't making as much 46 00:02:35,440 --> 00:02:37,840 Speaker 1: noise or for not as long. So I really had 47 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 1: to employ a lot of other tactics just trying to 48 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:43,639 Speaker 1: locate where the elk we're at. On this particular week, 49 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 1: I had a hunter that he hunted, but he was 50 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:48,600 Speaker 1: there with his family. He probably, i would say, out 51 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 1: of the group of guys, he was the guy that 52 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 1: was leased into it, not like the rest of us 53 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 1: we're just consumed with hunting, thinking about it all the time. 54 00:02:56,120 --> 00:02:58,280 Speaker 1: But you know, as a guide, you're used to that. 55 00:02:58,320 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 1: There might be a couple of people that are there 56 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 1: for different reasons. He was there to enjoy some time 57 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:05,360 Speaker 1: with his family and go on a hunt, and me, 58 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:09,360 Speaker 1: you know, I'm just on hunt, go hunt, go, go, 59 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:11,799 Speaker 1: go go go, which is fine. You know, you get 60 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: used to that, and that's part of the fun of 61 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:16,320 Speaker 1: guiding is being able to take out different hunters and 62 00:03:16,320 --> 00:03:19,280 Speaker 1: and everything like that. So I'm taking him out and 63 00:03:19,400 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 1: we're hunting, and you know, we're chasing the elk and 64 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:24,919 Speaker 1: trying to get into position, and about midway through the hunt, 65 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:27,000 Speaker 1: he's like, hey man, you know this is great. You 66 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 1: know we're getting on more elk than anyone else. But 67 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:32,320 Speaker 1: he's like, I'm getting pretty tired. Is there any other options? 68 00:03:32,520 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: And I'm like, yeah, I've got an idea because earlier 69 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 1: that season, a couple of weeks prior, the bulls were 70 00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:41,720 Speaker 1: bugling really well and they led us into this big 71 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 1: timbered basin. It was like almost like I called it 72 00:03:44,440 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 1: the Amphitheater. Just the shape of this hill is just 73 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 1: you could hear the bulls in there and they would 74 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 1: just be sounding off and it was echoing, and it 75 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 1: was just one of those perfect spots to hear and 76 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:57,040 Speaker 1: chase elk when you can't get eyes on him. And 77 00:03:57,160 --> 00:03:59,680 Speaker 1: during the course of chasing a bull in there, I 78 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 1: found on this perfect wall. It was like the hill 79 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:05,880 Speaker 1: came down, it flattened out into this one little bench 80 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:09,160 Speaker 1: on a point, and for some reason, somehow collected water 81 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 1: right on this flat spot and it was a perfectly 82 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:15,160 Speaker 1: tore up wallow right in the timber, and then it 83 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 1: dropped down on both sides. On one side more pine forest, 84 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:20,480 Speaker 1: and then on the other side it was a pine 85 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 1: forest mixed with this big aspens and a ton of 86 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:26,760 Speaker 1: trails going right to this wall. Is the perfect spot. 87 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:29,599 Speaker 1: So I just I, you know, I mentally made a 88 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:31,280 Speaker 1: note of that. I was like, this is this is 89 00:04:31,320 --> 00:04:33,640 Speaker 1: a pretty hot spot. I feel like there was good 90 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:37,040 Speaker 1: amounts of elk in there a few weeks earlier. I figured, Okay, yep, 91 00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:39,640 Speaker 1: I'll just set him on that wall the next day. 92 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 1: So the next morning, I make a plan and I'm like, okay, 93 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:45,840 Speaker 1: we actually hunted in there the day before, and I 94 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 1: saw the sign that was going in there, and I 95 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:51,279 Speaker 1: could tell, like you know, most of the water in 96 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:54,040 Speaker 1: there was pretty clean and this one was still murky. 97 00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:56,880 Speaker 1: So I'm thinking, okay, the elk we're hitting this in 98 00:04:56,920 --> 00:04:59,360 Speaker 1: the morning, we'd be pretty much just missed them. They 99 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 1: weren't making an noise, but definitely a bull was coming 100 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 1: in here hammering this thing and then moved off. Maybe 101 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 1: it was a lone bull or whatever. Based on the tracks, 102 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:10,159 Speaker 1: I knew for a fact if we went back in 103 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 1: there the next morning and sat it, a bull would 104 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,039 Speaker 1: come in. So make that play tomorrow morning. I'm gonna 105 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:18,239 Speaker 1: set you. So I cut a bunch of branches down 106 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:20,760 Speaker 1: and it was pretty tight in there where you could 107 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:22,440 Speaker 1: you could see the wallow, and then it kind of 108 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:26,000 Speaker 1: ducked down off both ridges on either side, so about 109 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:29,480 Speaker 1: fifty yards away or maybe even closer. I started cutting 110 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:31,720 Speaker 1: branches that I could find him built like this really 111 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 1: nice blind out of the branches where he'd have a 112 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 1: good shot. And this was actually a rifle season, so 113 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:42,159 Speaker 1: there plenty close, good opportunity, good lane right there, just 114 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 1: had to stay hidden. And I figured, all right, tomorrow, 115 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:46,680 Speaker 1: I'll just bring in a chair and make it comfortable 116 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 1: and this will be a good spot. So we go 117 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:51,520 Speaker 1: back the next morning. I bring one of those folding 118 00:05:51,640 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 1: like collapsible camp chairs or whatever it, carry it all 119 00:05:55,240 --> 00:05:58,360 Speaker 1: the way in there, get him set up, and I'm thinking, 120 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:01,279 Speaker 1: like I'm looking around and it's just it's a little 121 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 1: too tight for two people. But I also figured, all right, 122 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 1: I'm pretty sure and Elk's gonna come in here. But 123 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 1: I also want to go around on this other side, 124 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 1: the more open side, maybe try to glass in there, 125 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:14,240 Speaker 1: see if I can see elk, Like they're coming from somewhere, 126 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 1: and the tracks came from that way the day before. 127 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:18,560 Speaker 1: So I'm thinking, maybe I can get eyes on this bowl, 128 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:21,120 Speaker 1: and if he doesn't come to this wallow, maybe I 129 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:22,919 Speaker 1: can see where he goes and we can figure it 130 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:25,080 Speaker 1: out that way. So I tell the hunter, I'm like, 131 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:27,560 Speaker 1: all right, I'm gonna set you here and I'm just 132 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 1: gonna go a couple of miles around the mountain, get 133 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:32,320 Speaker 1: a goodvantage of where I'm thinking they're going to come from, 134 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:34,640 Speaker 1: and see if I can scout that out. But I'm like, 135 00:06:34,680 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 1: I'm pretty positive. I said, if I had to bet money, 136 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 1: I would bet that an Elk is gonna come hit 137 00:06:40,279 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 1: this wallow this morning. And he's like, okay, really, I 138 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:45,360 Speaker 1: was like yeah, I was like, just I told him. 139 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 1: He's like, well, you know, is there anything I should do? 140 00:06:47,839 --> 00:06:50,360 Speaker 1: Tips whatever? And I said, my my only thing, just 141 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:52,960 Speaker 1: do not fall asleep. It's like, I will be back 142 00:06:52,960 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 1: here at eleven thirty am. It's not that long. You know, 143 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:58,839 Speaker 1: you weren't gonna sit here all day. Just don't fall 144 00:06:58,839 --> 00:07:01,200 Speaker 1: asleep right off the back because he's you know, based 145 00:07:01,240 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 1: on the time we came in yesterday, he's probably gonna 146 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 1: come in around that nine to ten thirty in the morning, 147 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 1: probably earlier. And you know, just watch this wall He's like, okay, cool, 148 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 1: and so I walk off and I'm thinking, okay, this 149 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 1: is this is perfect. I get to my point over 150 00:07:19,880 --> 00:07:22,760 Speaker 1: on the other side and start glassing in and I 151 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:25,440 Speaker 1: see a few cows going through and a good bull, 152 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 1: and I'm like, oh man, this is this is awesome. 153 00:07:27,640 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 1: So I'm watching him, watching him, and they go and 154 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 1: then kind of disappear, but they're taking a trail that 155 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 1: leads right to that wallow. I'm like, this is like 156 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:40,960 Speaker 1: a first sure deal. So I'm waiting and I'm like 157 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 1: just kind of glassing in there and seeing if anything 158 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:47,520 Speaker 1: comes back, and like looking and I can see I'm 159 00:07:47,520 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 1: thinking to myself, man, that bowl has to be in 160 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 1: there somewhere. I saw the cows kind of come out, 161 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 1: and then the bull never came back out. So I 162 00:07:57,120 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: was like, man, I wonder if that bull just went 163 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 1: to wall and the cows came back out to go 164 00:08:01,280 --> 00:08:04,400 Speaker 1: bed somewhere else. You know, You're sitting there by yourself 165 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 1: thinking of all the potential scenarios going on. But I'm like, well, 166 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 1: he clearly didn't go to that wallow. So I'm waiting, 167 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:15,360 Speaker 1: and then a while longer I hear boom gun goes off. 168 00:08:16,080 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 1: So I'm like, sweet, okay, dead bull. This is awesome. 169 00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 1: So I make my way around into the hunter and 170 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 1: I get down to him and he's sitting there and 171 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 1: I'm like, okay, where's the bull. He's like, well, he 172 00:08:29,480 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 1: was right here and I shot and I don't know 173 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:34,120 Speaker 1: if I'm pretty sure I hit him and he probably 174 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:36,280 Speaker 1: just went over the edge here. He's like I had 175 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:38,880 Speaker 1: to have hit him. I'm thinking. I'm like okay, and 176 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 1: I'm looking at where he shot, at the elk at 177 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 1: and where he was sitting. So he's sitting like facing 178 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:49,199 Speaker 1: downhill and there's like one good open lane and then 179 00:08:49,200 --> 00:08:52,320 Speaker 1: the trail that goes to the wallow, and then there's 180 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:53,880 Speaker 1: kind of like a trail that goes away from the 181 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 1: wallow and then it drops down into this big, thick 182 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:02,800 Speaker 1: valley and just like really thick and nasty down there. 183 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:05,760 Speaker 1: And I'm like okay. I'm like, well, just before we 184 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:08,040 Speaker 1: go proceed, you know, like I want to know, like 185 00:09:08,040 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 1: where'd you hit him. He's like, well, like right behind 186 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:14,280 Speaker 1: the shoulder, okay, so you should just be dead right here. Yeah. 187 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:15,760 Speaker 1: And I was like, okay, well, where was the elk 188 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:18,120 Speaker 1: standing because I'm looking around, I don't see any blood. 189 00:09:18,120 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 1: He's like, oh, he's standing over here, and I and 190 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 1: where he's pointing over. It's like not a real good shot. 191 00:09:25,520 --> 00:09:27,440 Speaker 1: And just I'm trying to figure out. I'm like, I 192 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:30,640 Speaker 1: see some tracks. And so I asked him, like, okay, 193 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:34,840 Speaker 1: so like what happened? Did the elk just like cruise by? 194 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:38,040 Speaker 1: Did he come in? Did he wallow? He's like no, no, 195 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 1: she just like the elk was just like right there 196 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:43,840 Speaker 1: and I shot him, and I'm thinking, I'm like, just 197 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 1: the story is not adding up because he should have 198 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:50,920 Speaker 1: had like an easy close shot. So I was like, 199 00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 1: so he didn't wal you guys like, no, he didn't walk. Okay, 200 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 1: So did you have a broadside shot? Yeah? Yeah, I 201 00:09:57,400 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 1: had a broadside shot. But I was like, well, how 202 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 1: did you get a broadside show over here through the trees? 203 00:10:03,600 --> 00:10:06,440 Speaker 1: I just couldn't put two and two together. And I 204 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 1: started thinking about it and I was like, I don't 205 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:11,480 Speaker 1: really care, but I'm just trying to like piece things 206 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:13,840 Speaker 1: together so we so we know how to proceed because 207 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:16,000 Speaker 1: I'm not really finding good evidence, Like if you hit 208 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 1: him where you said, then you'd just be right down here. 209 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:20,040 Speaker 1: But if you maybe made a bad shot. I don't 210 00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:22,600 Speaker 1: want to push him, like I just I'm trying to 211 00:10:22,640 --> 00:10:26,520 Speaker 1: build this out so we don't leave a potentially wounded 212 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:29,600 Speaker 1: elk on the mountain or do something wrong. And so 213 00:10:29,679 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 1: I was like, so he didn't come to the wall, 214 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:34,320 Speaker 1: he was here, was he moving? Well? No, he wasn't. Well, yeah, 215 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:37,000 Speaker 1: he was kind of moving okay. And so I'm trying 216 00:10:37,040 --> 00:10:39,160 Speaker 1: to piece this together. And I was like, hey, just 217 00:10:39,240 --> 00:10:41,720 Speaker 1: so I know, did you fall asleep? It's like, no, 218 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:44,680 Speaker 1: I did not fall asleep. Because I'm looking and I 219 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:47,559 Speaker 1: see some tracks and I see like the wallow looks 220 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 1: pretty freshly used. I was like, I don't care. But 221 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:52,800 Speaker 1: I was like, I just I'm just trying to figure 222 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:55,079 Speaker 1: out the whole story here so I can piece it together, 223 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:57,600 Speaker 1: so I can see as I what's going on to 224 00:10:57,720 --> 00:11:00,599 Speaker 1: make the right move to find this bowl. And he's like, no, 225 00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:03,880 Speaker 1: I did not fall asleep. I'm my gosh, just it 226 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,480 Speaker 1: just seemed weird way to stand on a trail for 227 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:10,040 Speaker 1: an olk to be broadside there. I'm like, you sure 228 00:11:10,080 --> 00:11:12,120 Speaker 1: you didn't fall asleep? Yeah, I swear. He's like, I 229 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:15,920 Speaker 1: swear to god, I didn't fall asleep. I was like okay, 230 00:11:16,160 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: So I go and I look, and he didn't know. 231 00:11:20,160 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 1: But I had a trail cam set up on that 232 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 1: wallow on a tree out of you, and I guess 233 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:28,320 Speaker 1: I just forgot to tell him that it was there. 234 00:11:29,120 --> 00:11:31,680 Speaker 1: So I'm like, okay. So I walk over to the 235 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:35,320 Speaker 1: trail camera and I go to review the pictures, and 236 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:39,200 Speaker 1: sure enough, the elk had come in. It actually came in, 237 00:11:39,480 --> 00:11:42,200 Speaker 1: got a drink, and then bedded down right next to 238 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:45,680 Speaker 1: the wallow. Then it got up, got another drink, got 239 00:11:45,679 --> 00:11:49,000 Speaker 1: in the wallow, rolled around like milled around the thing, 240 00:11:49,360 --> 00:11:51,640 Speaker 1: and then wallowed again. The elk was there for like 241 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:56,000 Speaker 1: ten or fifteen minutes, maybe even more, like doing its thing, 242 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:59,319 Speaker 1: and then it's like the elk like wallowed again a 243 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:02,319 Speaker 1: last time and then got up. In the last picture 244 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:04,800 Speaker 1: I see is like this elk moving. It looked like 245 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:08,200 Speaker 1: I was moving pretty quick after that. So my assumption 246 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:11,480 Speaker 1: was he had fallen asleep. I would have been there 247 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 1: sleeping for a very long time while this elk is 248 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:18,440 Speaker 1: like rolling around in the wallow maybe forty five yards 249 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:22,679 Speaker 1: away doing its thing, like bedded down right next to him, 250 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:24,880 Speaker 1: and he was in the blind must have fallen asleep. 251 00:12:25,280 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 1: Woke up, probably scared him to see this elk there. 252 00:12:28,280 --> 00:12:30,320 Speaker 1: Then the elk saw him, you know, he probably rushed, 253 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:33,200 Speaker 1: grabbed his gun, through his gun up shot. And then 254 00:12:33,240 --> 00:12:36,120 Speaker 1: I started like looking around. I was like, okay, now 255 00:12:36,280 --> 00:12:40,360 Speaker 1: I understand the picture of what potentially happened. You know, 256 00:12:40,400 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 1: it's like this rush probably surprised this elks real close, 257 00:12:43,679 --> 00:12:46,960 Speaker 1: freaks out, grabs the gun, throws the gun up, shoots. 258 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:50,480 Speaker 1: I started looking around, and now with that knowledge in mind, 259 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 1: I start looking in different places, and sure enough, like 260 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 1: right after where I lost the picture of the elk 261 00:12:58,120 --> 00:13:00,160 Speaker 1: and it looked like it was running, I look and 262 00:13:00,200 --> 00:13:02,440 Speaker 1: there's like some a bunch of trees right there. I 263 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:06,000 Speaker 1: look closer to where the blind was and I see 264 00:13:06,240 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 1: the bullet hole like in a tree. So the guy 265 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:13,200 Speaker 1: had missed the elk, which was good. He'd just thrown 266 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:15,800 Speaker 1: the gun up and shot and hit a tree fairly 267 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:18,280 Speaker 1: close to where, you know, I think out of panic, 268 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:21,199 Speaker 1: probably wasn't even looking down the scope. But it completely 269 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 1: didn't line up with the story I was given. Now, 270 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 1: if we're gonna talk about wallow hunting, we should first 271 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:42,160 Speaker 1: just kind of define what a wallow is. So a wallow, 272 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:45,040 Speaker 1: I mean by definition really is just an area of 273 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:47,880 Speaker 1: mud or shallow water where there's a depression that's been 274 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:52,040 Speaker 1: made from you know, large mammals using it over time. 275 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:55,760 Speaker 1: A lot of different species use wallows. Water buffaloes use them. 276 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 1: You see them out in the floodplains of Australia asiatic 277 00:13:59,120 --> 00:14:01,880 Speaker 1: water buffaloes or in Africa. A lot of animals use 278 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:05,320 Speaker 1: wallows to cool down to get wet, you know, like 279 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:08,760 Speaker 1: even during the summer. Bears will use wallows to cool down, 280 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:11,880 Speaker 1: to just lay in, to relax and moose um. A 281 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 1: lot of different animals will use these wallows. Now, the 282 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 1: way elk use wallows changes over time, so let's kind 283 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 1: of dive into first how elk use wallows, because it 284 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:29,240 Speaker 1: changes from right now in August through the end of 285 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 1: September beginning of October. That wallow is going to go 286 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:35,240 Speaker 1: through some life cycles. Now, you can think of it 287 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:37,160 Speaker 1: like this. You go into the woods and let's say 288 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 1: you find a wallow today. You'll know it because it's 289 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 1: it's probably in this round or oval shape. It's in 290 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 1: an area that it's holding maybe a few inches of water, 291 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:49,720 Speaker 1: kind of got like a silty, muddy bottom, and you 292 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 1: look at it and you go, okay, this is definitely 293 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:54,600 Speaker 1: somewhere where elk of wallow. Maybe there's even like some 294 00:14:54,680 --> 00:14:59,000 Speaker 1: small conifer trees, some small pines that have been ripped up. Whatever. 295 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 1: You go, okay, this is definitely a wallow. But at 296 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:05,560 Speaker 1: that time of year, that wall is probably more used 297 00:15:05,680 --> 00:15:10,240 Speaker 1: as either for cooling down or primarily drinking water hole. 298 00:15:10,880 --> 00:15:13,360 Speaker 1: The difference between a water hole and a wallow is 299 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 1: what goes on in the water. So a water hole, 300 00:15:16,320 --> 00:15:18,960 Speaker 1: you know, you wouldn't call a stream a wallow, even 301 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:22,280 Speaker 1: though it's a water source, because it's primarily used for drinking, 302 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:25,040 Speaker 1: whereas a small even like a wallow other times a 303 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: year you'd probably call a water hole because it's not 304 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:32,160 Speaker 1: necessarily used for laying in, cooling off, what have you. Now, 305 00:15:32,200 --> 00:15:34,600 Speaker 1: what I like to do is, you know, over the 306 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:37,360 Speaker 1: course of scouting or whatever, I'll actually put trail cameras 307 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:40,680 Speaker 1: or if it's legal, on these wallows and see what's 308 00:15:40,680 --> 00:15:42,520 Speaker 1: coming to them. And for the most part, what you 309 00:15:42,560 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 1: see is you see elk drinking out of them. Uh, 310 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:49,240 Speaker 1: maybe a few you know, younger elk whatever laying in it, 311 00:15:49,360 --> 00:15:51,920 Speaker 1: maybe some muse ling in, lots of bears laying in it, 312 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:55,680 Speaker 1: and then primarily elk using it to drink. Now, how's 313 00:15:55,720 --> 00:16:00,440 Speaker 1: that change over the course of September. Well, what happens 314 00:16:00,520 --> 00:16:03,720 Speaker 1: is the way bull elk wallow is they use the 315 00:16:03,760 --> 00:16:07,640 Speaker 1: wallow not as a drinking source or not as cooling off, 316 00:16:07,680 --> 00:16:11,160 Speaker 1: but as a perfume station. So as the rut starts 317 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 1: to progress, as we move from summer into fall, you know, 318 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:17,320 Speaker 1: the elk are gonna start gathering up harems. The cows 319 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:20,320 Speaker 1: are normally in groups. They could be in large groups, 320 00:16:20,320 --> 00:16:23,760 Speaker 1: but probably in smaller little groups, and the bulls will 321 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:26,200 Speaker 1: start to gather those up in a mass. More cows 322 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 1: in these groups that will create this harem. Now the 323 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:33,800 Speaker 1: bulls find these harems, oftentimes vocally, so they'll start bugling. 324 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:37,360 Speaker 1: It will primarily be the smaller, younger bulls that will 325 00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:40,880 Speaker 1: bugle first. Then they'll start rounding up cows, whereas the bigger, 326 00:16:40,920 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: mature bulls are going to use that conserve that energy 327 00:16:44,320 --> 00:16:46,160 Speaker 1: from when that rut kicks off, they're gonna go in there. 328 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:48,440 Speaker 1: They're gonna let the little ones round everything up, and 329 00:16:48,480 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 1: they're just gonna go in there and probably take them. 330 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 1: But elk also use scents and pheromones to attract cows 331 00:16:56,840 --> 00:17:01,160 Speaker 1: to tract mates, to gather harems to identify their location. 332 00:17:01,240 --> 00:17:05,200 Speaker 1: They also do things like markings raking trees. I mean, 333 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:07,240 Speaker 1: if you're a white tail hunter, you'll understand this because 334 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:11,320 Speaker 1: you've got your scrapes, which are really just dear buck 335 00:17:11,440 --> 00:17:14,760 Speaker 1: pheromone stations, and bucks set those out as like traps 336 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:17,159 Speaker 1: to attract females, and they have their kind of routes 337 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:20,960 Speaker 1: and they can find females that way. Whereas a bull elk, 338 00:17:21,720 --> 00:17:26,200 Speaker 1: it's pheromone station is on its body, so the elk 339 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:29,480 Speaker 1: will use the wallow to essentially hold its scent, to 340 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:32,440 Speaker 1: hold its perfume, to hold its pheromones. So when it's 341 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:35,040 Speaker 1: out walking through the woods, the cows can smell it. 342 00:17:35,080 --> 00:17:38,080 Speaker 1: When it's bugling and trying to assert dominance, the other 343 00:17:38,119 --> 00:17:42,000 Speaker 1: elk can smell it. It's got it's scraper, it's it's pheromone, 344 00:17:42,040 --> 00:17:46,439 Speaker 1: it's male masculine perfume all over it, and the wallow 345 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:50,480 Speaker 1: helps hold and disperse that scent. So as the rep progresses, 346 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:55,960 Speaker 1: these water holes become bull elk wallows by elk rolling 347 00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:59,199 Speaker 1: in them, urinating in them, spreading their scent, and then 348 00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:01,240 Speaker 1: they'll rule in that mud and that mud is gonna 349 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:04,320 Speaker 1: stick to their hair, and then that's gonna hold whatever 350 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:07,280 Speaker 1: scents and pheromones they're trying to keep on them. So 351 00:18:07,280 --> 00:18:10,280 Speaker 1: when they're walking through the woods, they're the loudest, stinkiest, 352 00:18:10,359 --> 00:18:14,719 Speaker 1: nastiest creature they can be, which in turn attracts the ladies. 353 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:18,560 Speaker 1: The wallow is the elks axe body spray, if you 354 00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:22,080 Speaker 1: can believe it or not. So once they've got all 355 00:18:22,119 --> 00:18:25,000 Speaker 1: wallowed up, then they'll go around, they'll do their displays, 356 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:28,280 Speaker 1: they'll call, maybe they'll challengeable. Maybe they've got a harem 357 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:31,000 Speaker 1: and their hare UM's bedded down the walk over, they'll wallow. 358 00:18:31,320 --> 00:18:34,120 Speaker 1: They'll get all perfumed up to let them know, hey, 359 00:18:34,119 --> 00:18:37,119 Speaker 1: I'm still here, I'm still the man. I'm in charge 360 00:18:37,119 --> 00:18:40,880 Speaker 1: of this group. And that's how Elk used these wallows 361 00:18:40,960 --> 00:18:44,159 Speaker 1: during the rut. Now, after the rut gets over, you know, 362 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:47,360 Speaker 1: you start getting into later fall, and those wallows start 363 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:50,840 Speaker 1: to clear out, they'll stop using them. Maybe some will 364 00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:53,920 Speaker 1: use them in in arid areas as water sources again. 365 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:57,800 Speaker 1: But during that rut period, during that I would say 366 00:18:58,280 --> 00:19:01,720 Speaker 1: beginning of September through maybe the first week of October, 367 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 1: those are being used as scent stations. For bulls. Identifying 368 00:19:11,040 --> 00:19:14,160 Speaker 1: and finding wallows can be a little tricky because there's 369 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:16,360 Speaker 1: certain things you need to look for, and they can 370 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:18,520 Speaker 1: be kind of pinpointed on a map, and some of 371 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:21,240 Speaker 1: them you'll just find. The best wallows I found are 372 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:23,840 Speaker 1: just ones that you kind of randomly find while you're 373 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:27,200 Speaker 1: out there scouting looking around, that are in places mid mountain, 374 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 1: places near bedding areas that you think, man, that's crazy 375 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:33,040 Speaker 1: that there's just this little water source right here. But 376 00:19:33,080 --> 00:19:35,320 Speaker 1: when you really start to analyze it, you can kind 377 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:38,359 Speaker 1: of figure out a basis of where these wallows are 378 00:19:38,359 --> 00:19:41,000 Speaker 1: going to be. So what makes a perfect wallow is 379 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:44,320 Speaker 1: something that has a sandy or muddy bottom, not necessarily sandy, 380 00:19:44,359 --> 00:19:48,000 Speaker 1: but like a more muddy bottom, silty bottom, shallow, and 381 00:19:48,200 --> 00:19:51,200 Speaker 1: it's probably gonna be in a flat spot where it 382 00:19:51,280 --> 00:19:55,159 Speaker 1: has less rock because rocky doesn't really hold that silt. 383 00:19:55,640 --> 00:19:59,560 Speaker 1: It's just not as good. So places that contain walls regularly, 384 00:19:59,560 --> 00:20:03,479 Speaker 1: it would be parks and meadows, like any riparian area. 385 00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:08,320 Speaker 1: You could even follow streams and around beaver dams or 386 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:11,120 Speaker 1: where areas where they flatten out. Another good spot where 387 00:20:11,119 --> 00:20:12,960 Speaker 1: you find my favorite kind of walls, just like these 388 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:15,760 Speaker 1: little pockets. It's just a perfect wallow. On the hillside. 389 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:19,720 Speaker 1: It's generally off the side of a catchment or toward 390 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:22,840 Speaker 1: the top of let's say a basin. So you've got 391 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:25,800 Speaker 1: like this basin maybe where the snow melts gonna come 392 00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:28,320 Speaker 1: down and it forms a creek. So I look off 393 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:31,560 Speaker 1: the creeks in any places where the hill starts to flat. Now, 394 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 1: so up on the hillside above a creek where it 395 00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:37,560 Speaker 1: might be steep, and then you get this sharp flat spot. 396 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:40,720 Speaker 1: What that happens to do is the water traveling underground 397 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:44,680 Speaker 1: kind of settles there before moving fully down to the creek. 398 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:47,639 Speaker 1: It catches it. And those are really good spots as well. 399 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:49,560 Speaker 1: So you can look on your topo map you start 400 00:20:49,560 --> 00:20:52,480 Speaker 1: looking for riparian areas. I kind of think of wallows 401 00:20:52,520 --> 00:20:54,840 Speaker 1: in two ways. They're either kind of high or they're low. 402 00:20:54,960 --> 00:20:57,920 Speaker 1: So in the bottoms of the creeks where maybe it's 403 00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:00,440 Speaker 1: steep all around, it starts to flatten out. Maybe you've 404 00:21:00,440 --> 00:21:03,680 Speaker 1: got a meadow with a creek going into it. That'll 405 00:21:03,720 --> 00:21:06,880 Speaker 1: start getting some muddy spots where elk will create these wallows. 406 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:09,680 Speaker 1: And then my favorite ones would be, you know, finding 407 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:13,399 Speaker 1: maybe a river catchment where a stream's coming down, not 408 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:15,880 Speaker 1: necessarily a river, but just a mountain stream where there's 409 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:18,239 Speaker 1: definitely run off in the middle. And then looking at 410 00:21:18,240 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 1: the topography lines on your map, and while you're out 411 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:24,160 Speaker 1: there and finding somewhere where maybe that flattens out up 412 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:27,520 Speaker 1: on the hill above or in that same catchment, anywhere 413 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:30,080 Speaker 1: where you go from steep to flat to then steep again, 414 00:21:30,119 --> 00:21:33,639 Speaker 1: you're probably going to find water pooling in those places, 415 00:21:33,640 --> 00:21:36,439 Speaker 1: and elk will utilize that as well as kind of 416 00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:39,200 Speaker 1: the heads of some of these smaller streams and creeks. 417 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:41,919 Speaker 1: Once you've identified that, you know, when I'm out there, 418 00:21:41,960 --> 00:21:45,119 Speaker 1: I I look for potential wallow spots. When I'm scouting 419 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:47,320 Speaker 1: a new area, I look for potential wallow spots on 420 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:50,159 Speaker 1: my onyx. I start marking potential wallows. Then when I 421 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:52,960 Speaker 1: go out there and proof it, you know, finding the 422 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:56,760 Speaker 1: exact wallow is a little bit more difficult when you're 423 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:58,679 Speaker 1: out there, but then you know, I'll market on the 424 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:01,400 Speaker 1: onyx while I'm in the field and just keep those 425 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:04,360 Speaker 1: wallows in mind. Now, if I'm doing that earlier, it's 426 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:06,199 Speaker 1: hard to say which one is going to be the 427 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 1: wallow during the season, because not every water hole becomes 428 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:14,040 Speaker 1: a wallow, and not every wallow is a good water 429 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:15,920 Speaker 1: hole earlier in season, so you have to kind of 430 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:18,439 Speaker 1: start marking a bunch of them and then start checking 431 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:21,440 Speaker 1: as that September starts to progress, which one's going to 432 00:22:21,480 --> 00:22:23,080 Speaker 1: be used, because you might be in one area that 433 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:26,680 Speaker 1: will have ten fifteen little water holes, springs, other things 434 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:28,840 Speaker 1: that could be used a wallow. I guess I forgot 435 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:31,840 Speaker 1: to mention that identifying springs on the map a really 436 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:34,160 Speaker 1: good way to find wall as many of those springs 437 00:22:34,160 --> 00:22:37,840 Speaker 1: may become wallows as the season progresses, so those are 438 00:22:37,880 --> 00:22:39,800 Speaker 1: also areas that I key on. So I'm just looking 439 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:43,399 Speaker 1: for potential wallows in the summertime or you know, in 440 00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 1: this August period if you have time, and then as 441 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:49,639 Speaker 1: the rut starts to kick off, I'll go back to 442 00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:53,399 Speaker 1: those and I'll start checking those wallows again, really using 443 00:22:53,440 --> 00:22:56,440 Speaker 1: my nose to identify and looking for ones that look 444 00:22:56,480 --> 00:22:59,600 Speaker 1: like they've had use, ones that maybe a lot of them. 445 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:01,679 Speaker 1: In that air. You're clear in one's muddy, so that 446 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:03,920 Speaker 1: really tells me, Okay, something was rolling around in here. 447 00:23:04,119 --> 00:23:06,280 Speaker 1: You'll start to smell in the heat of the day, 448 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:09,160 Speaker 1: ones that are getting hit and used more will start 449 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:11,399 Speaker 1: to reek like elk. Those are the ones that I 450 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:14,119 Speaker 1: key on during the season. If you can place the 451 00:23:14,200 --> 00:23:16,240 Speaker 1: trail camera there or whatever, that's a great way to 452 00:23:16,280 --> 00:23:18,720 Speaker 1: just say, okay, is this one being used? How often 453 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:21,879 Speaker 1: is it being used? The ones that smell the worst 454 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 1: are going to be the ones that are getting hit 455 00:23:24,119 --> 00:23:28,080 Speaker 1: the hardest. Now, I will say understanding wallows is really 456 00:23:28,080 --> 00:23:32,240 Speaker 1: important to understanding how to hunt them later on. Once 457 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:36,680 Speaker 1: you've identified wallows in an area during the seasons during September, 458 00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:40,439 Speaker 1: you're you're probably gonna see certain things happen. The bigger 459 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:43,159 Speaker 1: bulls will start to hit those wallows harder as the 460 00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:46,160 Speaker 1: rep progresses. You'll probably be smaller, i would say, more 461 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:49,320 Speaker 1: immature bulls hitting them real early in the season, and 462 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,160 Speaker 1: then the bigger bulls really hammering them and taking them 463 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:55,200 Speaker 1: over later in the season. So you know, it could 464 00:23:55,240 --> 00:23:57,480 Speaker 1: also be a factor of maybe some of those bigger 465 00:23:57,480 --> 00:23:59,880 Speaker 1: bulls are just going to use them as water hole 466 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:03,879 Speaker 1: until they really start to wallow and really get into 467 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:06,439 Speaker 1: that act of trying to attract to the females. But 468 00:24:07,119 --> 00:24:10,199 Speaker 1: either way, they can be a really valuable resource on 469 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:15,080 Speaker 1: where to pinpoint, locate and maybe start your hunt from 470 00:24:15,119 --> 00:24:19,000 Speaker 1: so now let's get to ways to hunt wallows. I 471 00:24:19,040 --> 00:24:21,159 Speaker 1: think of it two ways. You can either ambush on 472 00:24:21,160 --> 00:24:24,640 Speaker 1: a wallow, or you can use an area with lots 473 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:28,040 Speaker 1: of wallows to start your approach, to start your hunt, 474 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:33,000 Speaker 1: to focus in on a particular area. Using the ambush method, 475 00:24:33,040 --> 00:24:35,480 Speaker 1: what I do is I preseason like to scout a 476 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 1: lot of different wallows and if it's legal, set up 477 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:41,040 Speaker 1: some cameras and understand, okay, what's using these wallows when 478 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:44,480 Speaker 1: then as the season progresses, maybe starting the first couple 479 00:24:44,920 --> 00:24:47,960 Speaker 1: week in September, whatever, I'll recheck those walls and see 480 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:50,359 Speaker 1: which ones are getting hit year after year. There's some 481 00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:53,119 Speaker 1: that always get hit, and then there's some that go dry. 482 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 1: There's some that maybe it's a perfect wallow, but they're 483 00:24:56,680 --> 00:24:59,879 Speaker 1: using one three yards down the valley, down the rid, 484 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:02,640 Speaker 1: maybe on the other side of the meadow. That one 485 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:05,080 Speaker 1: seems to be getting hit more. I find the one 486 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:07,720 Speaker 1: that seems to be getting the most use, and that's 487 00:25:07,720 --> 00:25:11,919 Speaker 1: where all set up either tree stand, ground blind like 488 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:14,399 Speaker 1: a pop up ground blind, or just a makeshift blind. 489 00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:16,760 Speaker 1: If you've got an area where you can use a 490 00:25:16,800 --> 00:25:18,600 Speaker 1: tree stand, I think that that's probably one of the 491 00:25:18,640 --> 00:25:22,920 Speaker 1: better options. I've I've done everything, ground blinds, homemade blinds, 492 00:25:23,200 --> 00:25:26,320 Speaker 1: tree stands. You know, sometimes you're just so far back 493 00:25:26,359 --> 00:25:29,240 Speaker 1: there and it's just not practical to carry a tree stand. 494 00:25:29,320 --> 00:25:31,919 Speaker 1: So I generally, in that in that instance go with 495 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:34,959 Speaker 1: cutting and making my own ground blind I mean a 496 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:37,160 Speaker 1: lot of it with elk is just being very still 497 00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:39,639 Speaker 1: in having the wind right and those wallows. Even if 498 00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:41,960 Speaker 1: the wind starts to swirl a little bit, the scent 499 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:45,480 Speaker 1: from the wall sometimes overpowers your own scent. This is 500 00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:48,160 Speaker 1: where you know, I talked about elk hunting and scent control, 501 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:50,920 Speaker 1: and you in the Mountain West, you know you'ren't really 502 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:53,320 Speaker 1: so concerned about scent control. But if you're gonna be sitting, 503 00:25:53,920 --> 00:25:57,040 Speaker 1: you know, bringing some kind of scent control spray or 504 00:25:57,040 --> 00:25:59,479 Speaker 1: whatever isn't a bad option. I don't like to use 505 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:02,320 Speaker 1: cover some because I think it disrupts my nose from 506 00:26:02,359 --> 00:26:04,719 Speaker 1: smelling things that I need to smell when I'm out 507 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:06,680 Speaker 1: there hunting. If I can smell an elk before I 508 00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 1: see them, that's good. So if you're gonna sit, think 509 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:11,000 Speaker 1: of it like white tail hunting. A lot of the 510 00:26:11,040 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 1: tactics once you're in that tree sitting are very similar 511 00:26:14,080 --> 00:26:16,119 Speaker 1: to white tail hunting, and then at that point it's 512 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:18,920 Speaker 1: just a patience game, and the key is to try 513 00:26:18,960 --> 00:26:21,159 Speaker 1: to stay away and not fall asleep while in elk's 514 00:26:21,280 --> 00:26:23,520 Speaker 1: rolling around in the meadow in front of you. But 515 00:26:23,840 --> 00:26:27,320 Speaker 1: that's not always easy to do, so for me, I 516 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:29,720 Speaker 1: I do a combination that I've sat wallows and had 517 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:32,280 Speaker 1: a lot of success. I've used wallows a lot, especially 518 00:26:32,359 --> 00:26:36,000 Speaker 1: for guiding where it's just a more controlled environment. I 519 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:39,840 Speaker 1: wouldn't say that they're guaranteed, but it's very likely that 520 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:41,840 Speaker 1: if you put in the time and you find the 521 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:44,679 Speaker 1: right wallow, you're gonna find success because the elk are 522 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:47,600 Speaker 1: coming to you and you may get actually a better 523 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:52,639 Speaker 1: opportunity at those bigger mature bulls, especially like peak rut 524 00:26:52,800 --> 00:26:55,680 Speaker 1: the third week in September to maybe the last week 525 00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:58,359 Speaker 1: in September, maybe they aren't going to be moving away 526 00:26:58,359 --> 00:27:00,560 Speaker 1: from those harems as much. So if you can hindpoint 527 00:27:00,640 --> 00:27:03,720 Speaker 1: that wallow, that's a really good way to target a 528 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:06,159 Speaker 1: herd bowl, And if that's what you're looking for, that 529 00:27:06,240 --> 00:27:10,440 Speaker 1: might be your best opportunity to targeting a specific bowl 530 00:27:10,480 --> 00:27:13,119 Speaker 1: in a specific area. There's places that I hunt a 531 00:27:13,119 --> 00:27:15,360 Speaker 1: lot that trail cameras you aren't allowed to use during 532 00:27:15,359 --> 00:27:18,960 Speaker 1: the season. So what I do to identify wallows then 533 00:27:19,119 --> 00:27:21,879 Speaker 1: is I try to take a stick or something and 534 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:23,360 Speaker 1: I'll place it in the wall, and then I'll take 535 00:27:23,359 --> 00:27:26,480 Speaker 1: a picture on my phone and I'll go back and 536 00:27:26,480 --> 00:27:29,080 Speaker 1: recheck that and see if that area was disturbed. If 537 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:32,480 Speaker 1: it was disturbed or there's new mud around, then I 538 00:27:32,520 --> 00:27:34,760 Speaker 1: know that that wall is being used. The thing about 539 00:27:34,960 --> 00:27:37,640 Speaker 1: sitting a wallow is can really use them any time 540 00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:38,960 Speaker 1: of day. They might use them in the middle of 541 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:41,919 Speaker 1: the day. Sometimes they're most likely to use them first 542 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:45,240 Speaker 1: thing in the morning or or before the evening really 543 00:27:45,320 --> 00:27:48,520 Speaker 1: kicks off. But I also find them using wallows a 544 00:27:48,560 --> 00:27:51,960 Speaker 1: lot during that midday where they push the cows to bed. 545 00:27:52,280 --> 00:27:54,160 Speaker 1: Once that bull gets up from his bed, he'll walk 546 00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:56,800 Speaker 1: straight to that wallow, wallow around, then go back in 547 00:27:56,880 --> 00:27:59,360 Speaker 1: the cows and stir him up for a little bit 548 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:02,920 Speaker 1: of ace around, a little bit of grab bass, like 549 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:05,920 Speaker 1: right before the evening when they start pushing him out again. 550 00:28:05,960 --> 00:28:08,520 Speaker 1: So if you decide, hey, I want to sit a wallow, 551 00:28:08,880 --> 00:28:10,680 Speaker 1: you know, think of it as an all day investment 552 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:14,239 Speaker 1: unless you have proof of when they're using it a 553 00:28:14,280 --> 00:28:18,119 Speaker 1: lot via trail camera or other intel. Another way to 554 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:20,040 Speaker 1: tell if a wall has been used a lot. It 555 00:28:20,160 --> 00:28:22,199 Speaker 1: is just like going in and seeing, Okay, what's the 556 00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:24,960 Speaker 1: water coloration. Is this normally a clear wallow and it's 557 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:27,600 Speaker 1: muddy right now? Well, now I know that an elk 558 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:30,879 Speaker 1: has been in here, and understanding that is what I 559 00:28:30,920 --> 00:28:33,479 Speaker 1: do when I'm just in an area and I decide 560 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:35,600 Speaker 1: not to do an ambush tactic, but I use the 561 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:39,240 Speaker 1: wallows as a jump off point. So I'll just break 562 00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:41,920 Speaker 1: down one particular area that I hunt a lot. There's 563 00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:44,680 Speaker 1: a good amount of wallows that you know, over the years, 564 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:47,479 Speaker 1: I've done many things with I've Sadam, I've you know, 565 00:28:47,680 --> 00:28:50,400 Speaker 1: done this tactic where I go in and I just 566 00:28:50,480 --> 00:28:52,440 Speaker 1: kind of use those wallows as a start off point. 567 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:54,680 Speaker 1: I start off calling into the area and maybe I 568 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:56,560 Speaker 1: get a bowl going whatever, then I'm going to go 569 00:28:56,720 --> 00:29:01,480 Speaker 1: with that option of calling. Now, if I don't get 570 00:29:01,480 --> 00:29:03,960 Speaker 1: that bowl, the call, maybe they're they're quiet, but I 571 00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:06,680 Speaker 1: know I've seen elk in there, maybe I've spotted them 572 00:29:06,720 --> 00:29:10,880 Speaker 1: before or whatever. It's thicker timber. I'm gonna now still 573 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:13,640 Speaker 1: hunt to each of those wallows, and I'm gonna I'm 574 00:29:13,640 --> 00:29:15,920 Speaker 1: gonna slowly move into the wallows. I'm gonna use some 575 00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:18,160 Speaker 1: cow calls and other things. I'm gonna be glassing and 576 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:21,480 Speaker 1: moving slow and anticipating, looking around like there's an elk 577 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:25,000 Speaker 1: on the wallow, and then looking around four elk as well. 578 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:27,840 Speaker 1: I'll have the kind of a route where I've pinpointed 579 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:30,680 Speaker 1: multiple wallows on this what I call my walk or 580 00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:33,840 Speaker 1: my hunt. I go to that first wallow, I look 581 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:36,320 Speaker 1: no elk at that wall I'm gonna analyze the wallot 582 00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:39,400 Speaker 1: wasn't used today? Isn't muddy? Maybe I placed a stick 583 00:29:39,440 --> 00:29:42,760 Speaker 1: on it or something to decipher whether it's been used. 584 00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:44,680 Speaker 1: Maybe it could have been used at night. Does it 585 00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:48,800 Speaker 1: look fresh? Does it smell strong? What are the cues here? 586 00:29:48,960 --> 00:29:51,239 Speaker 1: Is there an elk around here? If there is, then 587 00:29:51,280 --> 00:29:54,280 Speaker 1: I can kind of continue to still hunt calls set up. Maybe. 588 00:29:54,720 --> 00:29:57,240 Speaker 1: If not, then I slowly still hunt to the next one. 589 00:29:57,680 --> 00:30:00,640 Speaker 1: Doing this, I've found elk. Like I've called elk in 590 00:30:00,720 --> 00:30:03,520 Speaker 1: the wallows, I've also caught elk in between in these 591 00:30:03,600 --> 00:30:07,040 Speaker 1: routes and areas around. It's also a good place to 592 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:09,920 Speaker 1: start my calling from. It can be a really good 593 00:30:09,960 --> 00:30:13,240 Speaker 1: tactic as well, when you know there's elk there, but 594 00:30:13,280 --> 00:30:16,520 Speaker 1: it's just maybe the conditions got hot and they aren't 595 00:30:16,520 --> 00:30:18,880 Speaker 1: really making a lot of noise during the day. That 596 00:30:18,920 --> 00:30:21,040 Speaker 1: doesn't mean that these elk have stopped running. You might 597 00:30:21,080 --> 00:30:22,960 Speaker 1: be figuring out, okay, well, they're hitting a lot of 598 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:26,560 Speaker 1: these wallows at night, they're running a lot at night, 599 00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:29,400 Speaker 1: they're being quiet in the daytime, But that still tells 600 00:30:29,400 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 1: me that they're around here somewhere. They're using this as 601 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:34,960 Speaker 1: a jump off point, and they probably aren't going real far. 602 00:30:35,520 --> 00:30:37,600 Speaker 1: It gives me an area at a pinpoint where I 603 00:30:37,640 --> 00:30:39,920 Speaker 1: can still hunt, and then I can also set up 604 00:30:39,960 --> 00:30:43,920 Speaker 1: and do some calling tactics where I'm calling to a 605 00:30:44,080 --> 00:30:46,400 Speaker 1: quiet bowl. Where I might be calling to a bull 606 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:50,120 Speaker 1: that's cruising between cows. He's using these walls to perfume up. 607 00:30:50,600 --> 00:30:53,000 Speaker 1: I can set up and throw out little cow calls, 608 00:30:53,400 --> 00:30:56,680 Speaker 1: maybe a few bugles, and draw him to my location, 609 00:30:57,400 --> 00:30:59,800 Speaker 1: even if he doesn't want to bugle back, or even 610 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:02,880 Speaker 1: if he's not being super responsive. It's also a good 611 00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:05,960 Speaker 1: way to maybe move through the woods using col calls. 612 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:09,200 Speaker 1: Sometimes you can get those cows to respond to you 613 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:12,600 Speaker 1: and identify locations of where the bulls are going to be, 614 00:31:12,760 --> 00:31:16,080 Speaker 1: even if the bulls aren't being vocal just by locating 615 00:31:16,080 --> 00:31:19,200 Speaker 1: these areas where there's lots of wallows, understanding that these 616 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:22,360 Speaker 1: wallows are being used, and then hunting those areas and 617 00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:25,840 Speaker 1: using that to kind of refine the places that you're 618 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:30,600 Speaker 1: searching for elk. If I were to give you some 619 00:31:30,680 --> 00:31:33,160 Speaker 1: elk homework for the week, I think what you should 620 00:31:33,160 --> 00:31:35,280 Speaker 1: start doing a good use of time. Let's say you 621 00:31:35,320 --> 00:31:37,440 Speaker 1: don't have any time to scout. If you if you've 622 00:31:37,440 --> 00:31:40,160 Speaker 1: got an elk hunt plant, start looking in those areas 623 00:31:40,200 --> 00:31:45,600 Speaker 1: for potential riparian areas, springs, basins where there's creeks coming down, 624 00:31:45,640 --> 00:31:48,520 Speaker 1: and it could even be side creeks where they flow 625 00:31:48,560 --> 00:31:51,280 Speaker 1: into main creek. That's where up a little bit higher, 626 00:31:51,280 --> 00:31:54,680 Speaker 1: look for those topographical lines where it's it's steep and 627 00:31:54,680 --> 00:31:57,040 Speaker 1: flattens out, maybe the top of a little base and 628 00:31:57,080 --> 00:32:02,320 Speaker 1: there's maybe some more flat areas, and start pinpointing potential wallows. 629 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:05,160 Speaker 1: You know, you could use your whatever you're mapping software 630 00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:08,640 Speaker 1: on X or whatever and start marking those for when 631 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:10,600 Speaker 1: you get into the field if you have time to scout, 632 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:13,960 Speaker 1: check out and start locating verifying some walls, because it's 633 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:16,800 Speaker 1: really going to be a good position to be in, 634 00:32:17,320 --> 00:32:20,160 Speaker 1: especially during in September. Maybe the elk aren't doing what 635 00:32:20,280 --> 00:32:22,320 Speaker 1: you want, or maybe you find a big bull in 636 00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:24,280 Speaker 1: an area and you're like, okay, I can't call him in. 637 00:32:24,640 --> 00:32:27,480 Speaker 1: How do I pinpoint and focus on this animal? Hunting 638 00:32:27,480 --> 00:32:30,200 Speaker 1: wallows is a huge tactic that you can keep in 639 00:32:30,240 --> 00:32:33,560 Speaker 1: your back pocket and helps you be successful. So next 640 00:32:33,640 --> 00:32:37,040 Speaker 1: week we're gonna continue with this elk stuff. Bust out 641 00:32:37,080 --> 00:32:39,800 Speaker 1: your calls. If you've got an elk call, break it 642 00:32:39,800 --> 00:32:43,040 Speaker 1: out next week. If you don't, well, order one this week. 643 00:32:43,120 --> 00:32:45,960 Speaker 1: So I'm gonna go over. I'm actually gonna be I'm 644 00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:49,840 Speaker 1: gonna try it. Hopefully I don't blow my microphone apart 645 00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:51,840 Speaker 1: while bugling. I'm gonna have to kind of set up 646 00:32:51,840 --> 00:32:54,680 Speaker 1: a room somehow where it sounds all right and don't 647 00:32:54,720 --> 00:32:57,800 Speaker 1: get like two blown out or two echo e. My 648 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:00,200 Speaker 1: homework is to get a new microphone where I can 649 00:33:00,200 --> 00:33:03,280 Speaker 1: do this with. But I'm gonna go over bugl ing 650 00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:06,680 Speaker 1: and the escalation. How timing to fire up a bull 651 00:33:07,160 --> 00:33:10,080 Speaker 1: really works because there's there as much to the sound 652 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:13,240 Speaker 1: as there is to the cadence and the timing. And 653 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:14,880 Speaker 1: I think you hear a lot of turkey hunters talk 654 00:33:14,920 --> 00:33:17,360 Speaker 1: about that. Now, one thing I'm going to dispel is 655 00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:19,680 Speaker 1: elk hunting is not like turkey hunting. When we start 656 00:33:19,960 --> 00:33:22,720 Speaker 1: to call elk, we're not going to relate it to 657 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:26,560 Speaker 1: turkey hunting. Do you guys understand? Is everyone okay with that? Okay, 658 00:33:26,560 --> 00:33:29,120 Speaker 1: it's just my rule. So when we talk elk, we're 659 00:33:29,160 --> 00:33:34,520 Speaker 1: talking elk, weren't talking turkeys. No talking turkey. Um wow, 660 00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:37,440 Speaker 1: that was just that was a massive side track to 661 00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:40,120 Speaker 1: what I really wanted to say. I'm fired up and 662 00:33:40,120 --> 00:33:42,040 Speaker 1: I'm gonna teach you how to fire up those bulls. 663 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:46,600 Speaker 1: So until next week now talking turkey. Bust those bugles out. 664 00:33:46,960 --> 00:33:47,520 Speaker 1: See you later.