Early Season Scrapes
Pennsylvania
I have this nice 8 Point on camera, this past week he began scraping and rubbing alot. I haven't had much success on hunting early season scrapes, what is everyones opinion on hunting early season scrapes?
Sometimes it works. It's worth doing.
I just hunted it last evening and it looks like he revisited and opened up the scrapes, also added a few more, I counted 7 scrapes in a 30yd area. I did put my camera back in the area to see when he is visiting. However I do not want to over hunt the spot, and bump him out of there. He is on my list though.
anyone use scrape drippers??
I use 'em. In the early season I use IC Light, but once the rut really gets going, I switch to regular Iron City.
Trail cam pics show it really brings in the big ol' bucks. Especially them ones with grey beards and grey hair. :^)
Seriously, I've had pretty good luck with "false scrapes", especially in early season. I try to make a scrape or two under a branch that would serve as a licking branch, and then "doctor it up" with some commercial scent. I try to fool the bucks who are making the real scrapes into thinking there's another in the area intruding.
But I only do this in the early season, sometimes in areas where scrapes have appeared in years past. I've found that once the does are coming into estrus, bucks are less concerned with scrapes and roam widely looking for the real thing.
We've hunted over them, but generally only if the are very fresh and clustered; it does work from time to time......I just pee in them myself and deer never know the difference. DaveG, I use Keystone Light.
A lot depends on hunting pressure. I don't pay much attention to fence row and field scrapes. Before videos and hunting shows it worked quite well for me. Not no more though, I've watched does tending scrapes from daylight to dark and never seen a buck. Hunting pressure I guess. Well worth hunting if its in a natural scrape area year after year complete with hair "licking branches".
I have mock scraps out for a month already.
I rarely hunt scrapes. My experience with them over the years is mature bucks rarely check them during the daylight. Cameras over scrapes have confirmed that to me also. Not saying it does not happen but odds are better to hunt funnels for mature bucks IMO.
Mike
But it gives you an idea what you have around.
During an in-season scouting/stillhunting outing, I found a line of several scrapes along a creekbottom that looked like they were VERY fresh... less than a few hours old. He crossed a powerline cut, followed the stream a short distance and made another small scrape, went a little farther, then a big one. I stopped following there because it was at the edge of a thicket and I thought it was possible the buck was laying in there.
I went home, ate lunch, grabbed my old MKM portable, and climbed a tree just downwind of the last and biggest scrape there by the thicket. About an hour and a half later that buck walked around the scrape to the downwind side, about 10-15 yards from it, which meant he was RIGHT in front of me :^) turned to face the scrape just slightly quartering away, and my osage selfbow 'Lucky' couldn't have put that ash arrow in a better place. Yeah, I hunt scrapes.
Davey G boy, just who might you be pointing the finger at son? :)
Ok, you talked me into it Jeff, I am going to spend more time on those scrapes. The area is a natural place where every year there are multiple scrapes there, so I am thinking closer to the rut I should be able to see him, I do have my camera on it now but not going to hunt that spot until the middle of next week.
Ron, you should be surprised by how many different bucks will pass by. Some will even stick their nose in.
Some years back I would see a nice buck make a scrape in the afternoon and shoot him the next day. Mind ya I'm not a trophy hunter. As far as trail cams go the neighbor puts them out and they 'walk off'. (I would take that way to personal and it would ruin my season.) Good Luck, Jeff
