Elk scrape?

[troutremble]

Last year I ran into something new. I found an area where a herd bull regularly bedded with a small herd, I caught them coming and going from this one spot multiple times. When I cruised through looking for sign or a place to set up I found a spot where he had made a scrape kinda like a whitetail except this scrape was 20 yards across. The dirt had been plowed and was powder to about 8 or 10 inches, not a thing growing in it and boy did it smell of elk! It was on a very small bench on a fairly steep hill in timber but no water. This was not a wallow, closest water is 1/2 mile away. I hunt this area regularly and have never seen anything like it. I plan on trying to ambush them here this year, above is a saddle going to north facing timber and just below is several meadows with good feed leading down to that water I mentioned. Anyone else have experiance with elk creating this type of scrape or maybe know why they would? The best I can come up with is
perhaps someone salted this spot at some point. I think I will be back there and hopefully it is a yearly thing.

[Blackhawk]

I believe you have a "dry wallow".  Elk tend to do this during the rut before gathering their harem and when not so close to water.  

They will tear up the ground by pawing and using their antlers and then urinate.  Wallowing in this just makes them smell good to the cows.  

It may get re-visited during the season, but I think it is seldom used in subsequent years.  However, a camera there next season would confirm one way or the other, huh?

[monterey]

Could also have been the scene of a shoving match betwen your bull and another bull.

[durp]

it's a dust wallow...may or may not be used again...ive found them within 10 yards of water...cow's and calves will pee in it too...not sure of what it's all about but ive never seen one used after the first good fall rain...hope this helps

[skilonbw]

I have seen something very similar in a small valley. In that it is a dry wallow that probably held snowmelt as long as possible and once it dries they still stop their and scrape out of habit and then continue on down to water at night. A friend of mine killed a cow on this same dry spot I am talking about so it can be productive.

[eflanders]

Might also have been a mineral scrape site...

[Tree Killer]

Here's a dry wallow a bull made on a ridgetop...

 

Some areas I hunt have more dry wallows then mud wallows...depends on the area.

[Hummer3T]

Originally posted by Blackhawk:
I believe you have a "dry wallow".  Elk tend to do this during the rut before gathering their harem and when not so close to water.  

They will tear up the ground by pawing and using their antlers and then urinate.  Wallowing in this just makes them smell good to the cows.  

It may get re-visited during the season, but I think it is seldom used in subsequent years.  However, a camera there next season would confirm one way or the other, huh?

sound to me as described above, seen it many times here, due to dry fall conditions, if you find them within that year they are made they work good, but do not carry over into the next unless a really hot area and then by luck more than anything.  dust wallow are just for dusting for insects and are made throughout the year, if it is used for scenting then a dry wallow, should be used with or without being wet.