DEAD ELK/WATER HOLE

FHMAN13 · Aug 28, 2009

My freind has a open bull tag on the Wasatch and we have been watching one water hole that has bulls coming into it. Well last weekend someone beat us to the water hole and set up on it. Well luck must have been on there side they killed a cow. My question is they took the meat and left the carcase behind right on the water hole. Will this effect the elk going to this water hole. Man the smell stinks really bad. Should we find another spot or keep trying. Thanks for any info.

muleymaniac · Aug 28, 2009

LAST EDITED ON Aug-28-09 AT 03:17PM (MST)[p]Id try to haul the carcass awy - quad what ever - long rope - most the stink will leave - I have seen elk sniffin at old bones so I dont think dead animals remains aproblem - other than breathin - hate inconciderate acehole slob hunters !-

the dead animal might contaminate the water - so take the time and drag it away - or possably bury it ! sorry

HornyMan · Aug 28, 2009

How is quartering out and animal and leaving the bones sloppy?

LRhunter · Aug 28, 2009

how is that sloppy? hope your kidding, nothing wrong with the leaving part but have some decency and drag it away from the water hole lol

Rodent_ID · Aug 28, 2009

nobody said it was, Hornyman still wants to hunt the h2o hole and was asking the games reaction to the dead elk.....

http:// t2k.info/scrat.jpg

browtine · Aug 28, 2009

cover it or hide it, but remember you will probably have predator company.

Later, Brandon

hornhunter247 · Aug 28, 2009

I don't really think it bothers them too much. I've seen bulls drinking out of a tank with a big stinking bull dead in the middle id keep after it!

Silentstalker · Aug 28, 2009

Keep after it. Especially if there is a good bull in the area. Drag the carcass away with a buddy and a rope. Do it more for your sake than the elk. I have seen elk water with the same type of a situation. Just get it down wind of you.

It will attract bears as well, but that is not that big of deal either. Bears and elk coexist pretty well. I have had them water at the same time I could hear bears feeding on a carcass just a few 100 yards from the water.

Good luck and keep after it. I just passed a guy 10 minutes ago with a great 6 point in the back of his truck. The bulls are starting to fall!!!

UThunting · Aug 28, 2009

Well atleast you wont need your scentlok when you hunt there.

How big is the water hole is it moving water or just standing water????

Both ways I would move the carcess..

Post pictures when you get that BIG bull down !!!

Elkkrzy · Aug 28, 2009

What general area of the wasatch was this on? LOL

dryflyelk · Aug 29, 2009

I've had situations in the past where elk either myself or others have shot have died close to a "good spot". Guess what? I can't haul off the carcass. I use the gutless method and that leaves the head and guts intact. I've tried dragging that thing, even with a friend, and let me tell you, it's a chore. I managed to move a spike elk gut pile sans legs and backstraps about 30 yards last time before we gave up.

So, I'm sorry if this happens to you, but it's part of hunting. Animals sometimes die in inconvenient places, and if they are big, like elk, sometimes you can't "hook up the atv and drag 'em".

FHMAN13 · Aug 29, 2009

Thanks for all the advice on my stinky situation. Ha Ha there is a little moving water by the water hole. It is a very good size water hole. We went out this morning and found another dead cow about 100 yards away from the other one. Looks like someone besides us is doing good in this spot. I will post pics when he gets one. Good luck to everyone for the last few weeks.

400bullelk · Aug 30, 2009

With the amount of predators on the Wasatch, I wouldn't think that the guts would be there long. Bears and 'yotes will probably have the guts gone in a couple days. I am surprised they made it over night. After it starts stinking the bears will be on it. Its probably gone now.