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Deer scrape? #6644377
10/20/19 07:19 PM
10/20/19 07:19 PM
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 4,276
western pa
G
goldnut Offline OP
trapper
goldnut  Offline OP
trapper
G

Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 4,276
western pa
Since im quite possibly the worst deer hunter in PA if not the country, I have a question for ya all experts. I set up a new stand today in what I thought looked like a good location. several trails coming together along some very thick cover. After getting into the stand I noticed 2 scrapes about 15 yards away. Should I drip some Doe in heat on the scrapes and when is the best time of the day to hunt this area? Or should I hang one of the wicks in a tree? Any advice appreciated and if you need more info let me know. Thanks Ken



Re: Deer scrape? [Re: goldnut] #6644381
10/20/19 07:26 PM
10/20/19 07:26 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,835
Pa
W
Wright Brothers Offline
trapper
Wright Brothers  Offline
trapper
W

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,835
Pa
A big no to peeing on it.
Best time is when wind is from them to you.
Sounds like a good spot, good luck.





Re: Deer scrape? [Re: goldnut] #6644386
10/20/19 07:31 PM
10/20/19 07:31 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,295
Northern MN
O
Osky Online content
trapper
Osky  Online Content
trapper
O

Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,295
Northern MN
I'm a less is better guy. Sneaky looking trails along edges of changing bush like you describe, scrapes all the better, sit be patient, shoot deer.
In out unseen un scented.

Osky


"A womans heart is the hardest rock the Almighty has put on this earth, and I can find no sign on it"

Jabless in Minnesota

www.SureDockusa.com
Re: Deer scrape? [Re: goldnut] #6644415
10/20/19 08:11 PM
10/20/19 08:11 PM
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,852
meadowview, Virginia
E
EdP Offline
trapper
EdP  Offline
trapper
E

Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,852
meadowview, Virginia
By no means am I an expert deer hunter but I would consider all the key elements to already be in place. You have travel paths, cover, and an attractant. All you have to do now is get in undetected.

Re: Deer scrape? [Re: goldnut] #6644420
10/20/19 08:16 PM
10/20/19 08:16 PM
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 4,738
carolina, Alabama
The Possum Man Offline
trapper
The Possum Man  Offline
trapper

Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 4,738
carolina, Alabama
Put up some cams and see when the deer are moving through. I like to hunt within sight of a scrape but I have never seen a mature buck use one. Seen a few little spikes and such. The big ones seem to run them late at night or just randomly during the day. Never been able to pattern one enough to hunt over a scrape. But that is deer down here, yours may act different, a cam will tell the tale. I have noticed that after a good rain the scrapes are generally freshened up within 24hrs.


"If you're gonna be stupid you better be tough"
Re: Deer scrape? [Re: goldnut] #6644421
10/20/19 08:18 PM
10/20/19 08:18 PM
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 4,738
carolina, Alabama
The Possum Man Offline
trapper
The Possum Man  Offline
trapper

Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 4,738
carolina, Alabama
IMO leave the pee at the house, its a gimmick to sell to buck hunters. With the trail cams, the only ones i consider are the blackout versions that emit no visible light when they go off.


"If you're gonna be stupid you better be tough"
Re: Deer scrape? [Re: goldnut] #6644427
10/20/19 08:28 PM
10/20/19 08:28 PM
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 4,276
western pa
G
goldnut Offline OP
trapper
goldnut  Offline OP
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 4,276
western pa
Thank you for the input.



Re: Deer scrape? [Re: goldnut] #6644467
10/20/19 09:26 PM
10/20/19 09:26 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 953
Oswego, NY
C
crazy Eddy Offline
trapper
crazy Eddy  Offline
trapper
C

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 953
Oswego, NY
Your not the worst Deer hunter their is. From now on your the best in your area.
Patients killed more Deer and Turkeys, than any lure, or fancy tactics.
Practice patients watch what's happens."
How did you catch so many mink in one season?" "I set more more traps."
Johnny Thorpe.

Re: Deer scrape? [Re: goldnut] #6644476
10/20/19 09:38 PM
10/20/19 09:38 PM
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 10,063
Marion Kansas
Y
Yes sir Offline
"Callie's little brother"
Yes sir  Offline
"Callie's little brother"
Y

Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 10,063
Marion Kansas
As others have mentioned the best tactic for killing mature bucks is not to let them know they are being hunted. or at least not in that area. Which means you get into your stand undetected, you hunt undetected, and you leave your without alerting any deer. And that means small bucks and does also. Remember your scent can be detected several 100 yds away so dont let it blow into other trails or bedding areas. Mature bucks are better at patterning hunters than most hunters are at patterning deer.

Re: Deer scrape? [Re: goldnut] #6644484
10/20/19 09:41 PM
10/20/19 09:41 PM
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 5,214
Crivitz WI
Sprung & Rusty Offline
trapper
Sprung & Rusty  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 5,214
Crivitz WI
I would not go back and put a camera up. I would not go back to that spot again until the wind is in your favor and your hunting that spot. You were in there once. Don't stink it up anymore. There is a reason why lots of people have their best luck on first time sits in a spot. Put a camera up to soak after your tagged out or after the season.


No Jab.
Re: Deer scrape? [Re: goldnut] #6644488
10/20/19 09:46 PM
10/20/19 09:46 PM
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,308
MT
S
snowy Offline
trapper
snowy  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 10,308
MT
I'm in the same category as you when it comes to deer hunting. I set up to travels routes but I struggle with any success. I sat in a blind last night for the first time this year. I thought it might be a good spot but wasn't sure what to expect. Just before last legal light I seen a good deer coming down from the pines. I then heard something but couldn't see where it was coming from. I finally spotted what I heard and here was a 150 class walking 30 yards from me. I had time to range him but didn't have time to take a good archery shot at him.

If I were you I would sit there a few nights and see where the action spots are. I have never used any attraction scent/lure or what ever all those products that are on the market. We also can't use trail cameras either so scouting/patterns/routes/habits are what I use to help where to set up at. I have only harvested 3 Whitetail deer in my life.

Learning their patterns and habits is what works for me. I'm no expert just what I do.


Give me a fish, I will eat for a day. Teach me to fish, I will eat for a lifetime
Re: Deer scrape? [Re: goldnut] #6644553
10/20/19 11:18 PM
10/20/19 11:18 PM
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 1,781
Mi, Mecosta
A
ambush32 Offline
trapper
ambush32  Offline
trapper
A

Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 1,781
Mi, Mecosta
My go to is scrape hunting and has been for many years of bow hunting...
I don't hunt field edge scrapes unless there's standing corn and heavy cover...

Sounds like your in a good area heavy cover and runways intersecting...
Them scrapes are there for a reason communication and in that area because off doe traffic is congested..
It's easy if you have hunted scrapes that are productive, if there's many runways that intersect you'll most likely always find scrapes and if in good cover ya better hunt it..The home buck located the scrapes there because of high traffic..

I wouldn't put nothing in it it's doing its job by the deer anyways...its like putting apples under an apple tree that is producing apples its not needed..

I hunt scrapes in the morning just because I work 2nd shift most of the time..
I've learned to be in my tree 1-1.5 hours before daylight, around here a lot of the times bucks will enter these areas early and move on somewhere close by and enter the scrape area when does come through that's why I only hunt scrapes around heavy cover which allows deer to move in and out during daylight conditions..I've shot probably80% of my deer with a bow hunting over scrapes it's exciting when they heat up. Pre rut is the best time once full rut is in the scrapes get used very little...


Thought I was a good trapper until I started trapping coyotes......
Thought I was a good bowhunter until I targeted mature bucks....
Re: Deer scrape? [Re: goldnut] #6644591
10/21/19 12:14 AM
10/21/19 12:14 AM
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 862
western Pennsylvania
ducksnbucks36 Offline
trapper
ducksnbucks36  Offline
trapper

Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 862
western Pennsylvania
Doe in heat on the scrape this early is a big. NO. Give it a week. If anything put buck urine, pre orbital, or buck tarsal scent on it and if you do be extremely careful to not touch anything with your bare hand especially the licking branch and be scent free. I wouldn’t put a camera on the scrape. Also sounds like a place I wouldn’t hunt until the wind is right for me or I’m on the downwind side of that bedding mid next week till the end of season.



Re: Deer scrape? [Re: goldnut] #6644602
10/21/19 12:35 AM
10/21/19 12:35 AM
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 1,781
Mi, Mecosta
A
ambush32 Offline
trapper
ambush32  Offline
trapper
A

Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 1,781
Mi, Mecosta
Makes no sense to put anything in an active scrape..why?
If it has multiple licking branches it's getting used by several deer..

From my own experience if you wait for the right wind for get it, hunting down wind of the scrape is always good but I've had deer from all directions come in no matter the wind, it's a crap shoot...
So you get winded go to the next scrape area..on a given year I'll have a dozen scrape areas that I setup in the spring some are active some not...if you wait for the stars to line up its to late the pre rut is over and better focus on bedding areas or wait for the post rut and some scrapes will become active again...


Thought I was a good trapper until I started trapping coyotes......
Thought I was a good bowhunter until I targeted mature bucks....
Re: Deer scrape? [Re: goldnut] #6644609
10/21/19 01:18 AM
10/21/19 01:18 AM
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,575
N. Carolina
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Scout1 Offline
trapper
Scout1  Offline
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 3,575
N. Carolina
Do you all think the buck that made the scrape thinks to himself I'll come back to check THIS scrape. Or, if he passes back by on the same route the same buck checks the scrape and may freshen it up. My point being I think if you find several scrapes in the same area there is a good chance that buck will be back to THAT general area. I have watched bucks make scrapes, but I can't remember any deer coming up and checking one, buck or doe. Not saying deer don't check them occasionally.

Last edited by Scout1; 10/21/19 01:19 AM.

-------------------------------------
DJT & MTG in 2024!
Re: Deer scrape? [Re: goldnut] #6644635
10/21/19 05:32 AM
10/21/19 05:32 AM
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 2,665
PA
W
w side rd 151 Offline
trapper
w side rd 151  Offline
trapper
W

Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 2,665
PA
Scrape hunting can be productive .But as others have already said it is because you are in a good location .I have seen button bucks and does make scrapes .Many scrapes are made and never returned to. And studies have been done on people making a mock scrape and urinating on it themselves.I have tried that and returned to see that deer had been visiting that spot .As the rut heats up the buck travel more .Hunting a good travel way and not letting deer know you are there is as good as sitting on a single scrape

Re: Deer scrape? [Re: goldnut] #6644642
10/21/19 05:39 AM
10/21/19 05:39 AM
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 28,978
potter co. p.a.
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pcr2 Offline
"Twerker"
pcr2  Offline
"Twerker"
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 28,978
potter co. p.a.
another 10 days and you can crap in the middle of the scrape if ya want and wouldn't hurt.patience grasshopper-the rut is close-real close i think this year.









Re: Deer scrape? [Re: goldnut] #6644644
10/21/19 05:41 AM
10/21/19 05:41 AM
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 3,897
Wisconsin
E
Eagleye Offline
trapper
Eagleye  Offline
trapper
E

Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 3,897
Wisconsin
You hung your stand in a good location without any awareness of the scrapes, I think of a scrape as a travel route, the same as a rub line earlier in the season, you may have a better intercept point than where your currently at (based on cover, wind and location)? I'm a bowhunter and not a photographer but this is a perfect application for a camera, i a mature whitetail using the scrape, what is the frequency of use timing (often within an accuracy of 10-15 mins each day). The timing tells you when you can sneak in and when you need to be on high alert. If a mature buck is only using the scape at night I will add a drip scraper, usually not before Nov 4th. Once estrus starts the scape will most likely be abandoned and I switch to drag line. The scrapes and rubs on my field edges are usually territorial and mainly used for establishing dominance - I never hunt them.

Re: Deer scrape? [Re: goldnut] #6644805
10/21/19 09:20 AM
10/21/19 09:20 AM
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 5,214
Crivitz WI
Sprung & Rusty Offline
trapper
Sprung & Rusty  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 5,214
Crivitz WI
Three kind of scrapes. Field edge..don't waste your time......random middle of woods, don't waste your time. Near bedding by more scrapes and lots of rubs. Winner.


No Jab.
Re: Deer scrape? [Re: goldnut] #6644806
10/21/19 09:21 AM
10/21/19 09:21 AM
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 28,715
Eastern Shore of Maryland
HobbieTrapper Offline
"Chippendale Trapper"
HobbieTrapper  Offline
"Chippendale Trapper"

Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 28,715
Eastern Shore of Maryland
I am planning on heading back out to swap some cameras where I hunt. I will make a short video if you would be interested in that?


-Goofy-
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