Buckstopshere

My own personal belief is that one of the reasons why bucks and does use the overhanging branch at the scrape is that it is nature's way for them to set...or synchronize their internal breeding clocks, so they can metabolically get on the same page with each other. Rut timing. Kind of like the way sheep breeders put a melatonin-laced suppository up into the ewes so that they can time the lamb drop. I believe that in an analgous way, whitetails and other short-day breeders use the overhanging branch as a timing instrument. And sometimes, they really seem to enjoy it. Wide-racked 7 pt. 10:21:13 .AVI

Right, I agree it is not just the urine in the soil. I think it is mainly the drool and saliva that falls off the branch which they will smell once in a while on a visit. I believe that when they defecate in the scrape, and sometimes when they urinate, it is just because they are there at the licking branch, and they don't want to move. They are not adding attractant or message scent to the scrape. Some bucks in the peak of the rut have strings of drool and saliva run in streams down on the ground scrape. The saliva is what is full of pheromones and chemical messages, not urine.

Cool. Can't wait to see the bucks and does you have. The licking branch set up is a great way to access not only the resident deer, but also those "floaters" that hit our properties every once in a while. These travelers can't resist leaving their "two scents" at the community message board.

Really, that is a good idea. But how could it be done, practically?

The only thing I take for medicinal purposes only is that sudsy stuff that comes in bottles and cans and is made with hops.

I've tried it over and over for years and set up cameras on the scrapes, and not just any scrapes, but smokin' hot scrapes with the overhanging branch. They all, each and every one went dead. Maybe it is just the individual because other guys swear by it. Something to do with my chemistry, hormones, whatever. I find that the best thing I can do to a scrape is don't get near it, walk around to check the camera. It would be great if it worked. What a deal, relieve yourself and attract bucks at the same time. I never pee near my stands either.

Here is a couple photos I took of a nice 10 pt. shagging a hot doe with a couple satellite bucks around. He kept them at bay, and moved off. I hoped they would come by my stand, but instead four does ran by and I killed the biggest with a high chest shot that spined her. Sorry, the photos are a bit grainy, but I took them at the edge of the woods, then got back up in my stand. When the rut is on like that, doesn't get much better.

I've seen bucks with their tongues out, chasing does with their tongues out in 70+ degree days. But it seems that on hot days, most of the movement is just at dusk and dawn or in the night when it is coldest. When there is a hot doe moving, whether she gets spooked out of her bed, or driven out by pestering bucks, the bucks will be after her. But when she beds down, usually where a dominant buck has control, she won't move and neither will he as he won't leave her. And there will usually be a few satellite bucks milling around, not ready to challenge the big boy, but they just can't seem to stay away. When the rut is on and we wonder where the bucks are, they usually are bunched up around a hot doe or two.

I'm expecting an early "first rut" during the third week of October this year. And Halloween to be on the quiet side. Then early November will be quiet, ramping up to the real peak of the rut (observed rut) around Nov. 15. http://www.wellsvilledaily.com/article/20160223/SPORTS/160229941

Bows: Bear Kodiak magnum recurve, Browning recurve, Howard Hill long bow, XI compound, two Bowtech: Extreme solo and Carbon. Shotguns: LeFever double barrel, Rem. 870, Ithaca deer slayer, Browning A-5. Rifles: Ruger 7mm, 35 Rem., Rem. 30.06 BDL Muzzleloaders: 54. cal. CVA flintlock kit, Heritage .54 cal. inline.

Like most things, in my experience with decoys, it can be good once in a while, but often it spooks deer. I remember fondly once I had a bedded decoy, a fork horn buck. A smallish 8 pt. came in and stared and stared at the decoy, finally moving around behind it to see what it was looking at so intently. LOL. I cracked up. Wish I had it on film. But often old does spook in my experience. But it can work at the peak of the rut. But a decoy is a pain to haul around the woods. But under the right conditions, especially in a protected property, fine. One caution if you decide. Make sure you spray paint the ears florescent orange. If you are hunting in an open hunting area somebody might take a shot at your decoy! And be careful carrying it through the woods if you are in full camo. Somebody might think it is a deer. Stranger things have happened.

I always clear a path to my stands, carefully. A quiet entrance and exit to the stand can be all important because the deer might not be too far away. And I try to walk softly and not pound my feet. I think they can "hear" or sense heavy boot stomping. That is one reason why they stamp their feet in alarm. It is another of their ways to communicate a warning or danger.

Kicking up a little dirt under the branch won't hurt a thing. But in my opinion, it won't do much either. Thing about mock scrapes, there are almost as many ways to go about making a mock scrape as there are scrapes in the woods. But that is what makes it interesting. Just that down through time all the emphasis has been on the ground part of the scrape and by far the branch is the most important part in my opinion. There is so much more to learn. We are just beginning to figure it out.

It is tough to make deer hit a scrape sometimes. Certain conditions really stack the odds, and others no matter how popular they seem, don't do much, at least in my experience. First of all, try making a set up at a dynamite trail juncture. You know, where there is obviously two main trails crossing. Second, nail, wire, or zip-tie a two inch diameter green hardwood branch so that the tip extends out over the center of the trail crossing. Take the last leaves off the branch so that the bare tips are over the center of the trail. And make sure the attachment is strong enough so that the deer activity won't break it. Forget about the ground part of the scrape. Deer rarely even scent-check the ground. The overhanging branch is the all important part of the scrape. I never pee in the scrape. After hundreds, if not thousands of photos and vids of bucks and does at scrapes, they almost never even smell the ground. Make sure the location is flat. Bucks don's scrape on a steep slope. Now find a hot scrape. They should be starting to pop up now. Go to a park, a neighbors property, etc. Find a scrape and snip the overhanging branch. Put it in a plastic bag. Transport it to your scrape set up and zip-tie the real branch in the bag to your trail crossing scrape. Set your camera up and give it a few days. They'll start hitting it. Don't fool with it. Leave as little scent as possible. Stay away except to check the camera. Remember the all important thing is the overhanging branch to the deer. We see the scrape on the ground and think it is big so it is important because we are visually based humans.

Zag: I've been taking branches off scrapes and zip-tying them now for quite a few years and have hundreds of photos and video clips of bucks and does working the all important overhanging branch. Lots of experiments...some good results and some disasters. Disaster when the scrape goes dead. You have a great spot there. But it is easy to screw it up. Trust me. I would replicate the branch as close as possible with height and shape of the end being the most critical. Cut the same species, nail it, wire it, or zip-tie it on the tree. I do not use ground lures or pee in the scrape as others do. (Best way for me to kill a scrape is for me to pee in it.) When working on a scrape that takes some time (like putting up the whole branch) use gloves and minimize your time there. If you are enhancing it down the road, by zip-tying a mobile licking branch, you do not need to use gloves because our scent evidently dissipates quickly while the pheromones and saliva are truly the gift that keeps giving. But I transport the branches in a plastic bag. Hope this helps . Got these two the other night at two branches.

Double droptines too!

That is the same buck in all four photos. I like the last photo. If you click on it and blow it up, you can clearly see his left G2 is bone white. I think he might be itching the velvet with his back foot, because it is falling down on his face. Looks like a clump there.

It is called the Primos Truth Cam 46. Still takes decent photos. I have a couple of them and put them up where it is a bit risky, figuring if I lose them I won't be out an arm and a leg. I use my more expensive cams deeper in the woods in more obscure spots.

Just an old Primos. Problem is it takes or eats D batteries. I use all rechargeable and change them out every few days with that one. Or it goes dead.

He's a nice buck. But there are some bigger ones in the same neck of woods. It should be a good season. Good luck to you.

About half the bucks I have on camera are still in velvet, the other half are hard horn. This guy is half in and half out. If you look carefully, you can see the hunks of velvet coming off the antlers.

Yep, with as hot as it has been every day, I'm surprised they move at all! They seem to prefer to move at the coolest times. Once we start getting some decent temps, I expect to see more diurnal action at the mobile branches.

A few bucks at the zip-tied mobile licking branch. Some in velvet, some hard-horn. One still has velvet on its antlers. I started this overhanging branch last winter. They have been pounding it. I plan on sniping the end with all the saliva and pheromones off, transporting it in a plastic bag, miles away to another mobile licking branch, and zip-tying there. I move the branches around all season. It makes the resident bucks think invaders...alien bucks are moving into their range. It's the most effective way to keep bucks around IMO.

You are a lucky girl! Bon appetit!