Water Hole Ethics

[azmisfitfiend]

I'm sure this topic has been discussed before but I would like some fresh opinions on water hole ethics. I drew a unit 9 late bull tag this year and I have never hunted elk in 9. I have been up there for mullies and crowded water holes were never an issue. I know that people go to extreme lengths to try and "claim'' a water hole, i.e. setting up tree stands that are unmanned, posting signs (which I believe is illegal), camping in a blind (also illegal). I know the outfitters in units like 9 and 10 tend to think they own these places. Some of you are probably reading this post. It seems that "first come, first served" isn't as black and white as it sounds anymore. I'm not a push over in any sense of the word but i'm going up solo and getting into constant pissing matches doesn't sound like the best way to spend valuable hunting time. Any thoughts on this loaded topic would be appreciated.

[452b264]

The best way to avoid waterhole issues for myself, is I don't hunt on water. My son and I have hunted an early season unit many times and when we pull up to a water hole there are 1 to 4 trucks parked within 30 yards of a water source I always get out check for sign, and then we begin to hunt for an ambush site. This were many fail due to an inability to read game sign and terrain. The stand may be a mile away from the water source, but we never sit on water. My son has been very successful using this tactic. His first deer was taken about 3/4 of a mile from a trick tank that had several trucks (I think they were parked 24/7) on it daily, plus ATV traffic, and while I was sitting in camp waiting to hear him shoot (I didn't have a tag), I never heard a single shot fired from that water hole. Problem solved.

[azmisfitfiend]

I agree. Sitting on water isn't my first choice. Especially if it is snowing, which is very possible for my hunt. But I don't agree that completely counting it out is realistic. Sitting on water has proven success. I just plan to find some out of the way water holes that most of the truck hunters are too lazy to hike to. Also, the last half of the week should see far less foot traffic.

[452b264]

Oh yes remote water sources are much different than those within driving distance. I have found at about the 1 to 2 mile range ( or more) may get rid of 90% or more of the hunters depending on terrain. If there is another hunter sitting a water source we move on, or set up an ambush far from the source, we always avoid a conflict. Good luck.

[Red Sparky]

The other thing is to act like adults. Last year I was sitting in a saddle about 3PM on a road that dead ended. I was in a good ambush spot and a hunter on a 4 wheeler didn't know I was there. The four wheeler went by and stopped about 200 yards from me over the crest of the saddle. The parked four wheeler in my mind just messed up my saddle ambush. I waited about 20 minutes then went looking for the other hunter since there was plenty of time before sundown. I met the other hunter at the end of the road by a guzzler. It was about 1/2 mile from where he left the four wheeler. We talked and I found out he was leaving before the hunt ended. He gave me good directions to find a place for elk and I let him sit the guzzler until he left. I was in elk each day and even saw some coues at 30 yards. Then I hunted the guzzler a few times and saw three cow elk and a bear. He would stop by camp briefly and we would exchange information about what we had seen each day.

 

Now we each could have been trying to beat each other to the water source. I think we both had a much more enjoyable hunt by not having to do that. There were about 4 game cams on that water source but we were the only two hunting it during that hunt, and neither of us had put up a game cam.

[azmisfitfiend]

That's a good point Red Sparky and it is definitely the route I would try to take as well.

[muledeer#1]

Some guides are real bad about water holes and drinkers I had many issues so I don't sit water near roads anymore .

[Sneaker]

Putting a sign/note up stating your intention to hunt there doesn't do very much for you in my opinion. It just shows others that you think it's a great place to hunt, and depending on how it is worded, that you think the note gives you some upper hand on hunting it, when it doesn't.

[5guyshunting]

Follow the trails to the water and killem before or after the drink.

[Explorer]

I have found that the animals are going to search out the cleanest water they can. And its not always a tank or drinker on the map. I killed my last elk coming into a crystal clear puddle in the creek bottom that was within a half mile of more than one crusty old cattle tank.

[elkaholic]

cut the trails coming into the tanks- like stated above

 

we've seen group after group basically hold up .

kind of like staging areas - within earshot of tanks

bull bugles 6-8 times from same spot then 20 minutes later here they come on the run

 

 

spend a few evenings scouting at the tanks - but do not sit the tanks but find these little spots -

 

the majority of the time - elk wait till the last minutes of shoot able light before swarming the tanks

 

finding these little staging spots gives you first come first serve and better shooting light

[lancetkenyon]

I have noticed game animals are far more on edge at water holes than on the trails to and from. Much easier to ambush game before they get to the water where they are expecting predators.

[308Nut]

I'm not sure why first come first serve is so gray or complicated. Early bird gets the worm. Tree stands and blinds placed preseason does not automatically give any one hunter the sole rights to sit near that water hole. Now for a hunter to sit in said tree stand or blind who didn't place it there is another matter.

 

IMHO, first come first served. That said, everybody has the legal right to sit there. 4 hunters could sit there but a respectful hunter would go somewhere else if another hunter was there first.

[azmisfitfiend]

I couldn't agree with you guys more. All really good info. Thanks guys.

[AZLance]

Water Hole and Ethics don't belong in the same sentence in AZ...