Hunt the Scrapes or the Does

[BackWoods Hunter]

Since I keep getting such great replies to my threads I'm just going to keep posting. I hope you guys don't mind.

I Have an area with literally 20 scrapes. I know because I counted them. It is a little bit further from the bedding area. If I hunt those scrapes I may or may not see the does. If I hunt closer to the bedding area, I am much more likely to see the does.

Which area would you guys recommend I hunt?

[WNYBuckHunter]

The scrapes have gne pretty much dead in my neck of the woods in the last few days.

[BackWoods Hunter]

Here in 5g they're still getting hit regular. Obviously not all twenty but several anyway. We had that tremendous wind a few days ago and a few have already been cleaned again.

[BackWoods Hunter]

I haven't taken any pictures over the last few days but here's one from last Friday.

[UpstateNomad90]

I would be sitting where I see doe; only because I feel that the fresh smell for a buck in rut will keep him thinking more about breeding and less about rubs which are good to hunt at the start of the season. Right now focus on runways that the deer are following. 

[First-light]

8P all the deer were using the scrapes over the weekend. I read an article about a trickle rut in place this year. I think the scrapes stay active for a couple more weeks.

[TeeBugg]

Been seeing scrapes getting hit here in 8f. They were covered for a few days now they are clear and even new ones popped up. New rubs near them too. Im hunting in between the scrapes and where ive seen does.

[BackWoods Hunter]

Im hunting in between the scrapes and where ive seen does.

This proved to be great advice...

I have been hunting and the Adirondacks now for five years. Neither my friends nor my family hunt so I've had to go at it alone. I saw my first buck in the woods two or three years ago while in a stand hunting a swamp. I had dozed off when I heard a crunch in the woods that woke me up. I looked up and he emerged from the trees from the right side of the lane. As he passed through the Lane, I was able to get my rifle up and the scope on him. As soon as I saw brown in the scope, he had moved into the woods off to the left side of the lane. He stopped to rub a tree about 10 yards into the tree line. At this point he was over my left shoulder. Being that he was inside the tree line and I was in a stand and unable to move much, I decided to let him walk. I haven't seen a buck since.

Over last few years I've had plenty of time to contemplate that day in the swamp. Long ago I realized that if I was going to shoot a buck here, I was going to need to get much faster on the trigger. I decided that if I saw one again, I would not hesitate.

Tonight I decided to set up on the southern end of the scrape line. The scrape line is on the west side of a mountain that runs north and south. From where I was sitting it was only about 100 yards north and over a knoll from where I knew most of the deer in my area bedded down. I was sitting on a rock about a third of the way up the side of the ridge. I had an old skid trail 10 yards beneath me that ran north and south. I was sitting 10 feet away from a scrape. I had a lane that extended west up the mountain 30 yards that ended in a Rocky bench. I didn't realize it at that the time, but there was a scrape on that bench. From experience, I know that most of the deer travel from South to north the majority of the way up the ridge. I was below them. There was no wind and the thermals were carrying my sent down below me.

About 45 minutes into my sit, a doe began to work her way towards me from the north. I watched as she ate some branches above her head and roamed in a low-lying grassy area just below where I was sitting. She slowly started to work her way east up the mountain that was across from the mountainside that I was hunting. She got about a quarter of the way up the mountain and stopped cold for about five minutes. I thought she may have winded me however at this point she was at least 100 yards from my rock. She then took a few bounds and stomped once. It wasn't long before I realized that it wasn't me that she winded.

I heard the slow and steady crunching of leaves coming from just north of my rock. It was coming from behind a blow down and 20 yards of 5 foot tall beech saplings. It took probably 30 seconds before I would find out exactly what was stomping through the woods. Whatever was walking, was doing so at a deliberate pace. I thought for sure it was either a buck or a person.

I was able to hear it walking as it approached the far side of the saplings. It turned to the west and moved up the ridge. By now, I was hoping it did exactly that. I had already turned away from the doe that was feeding on the opposite side of the valley to the east and was now facing the lane towards the bench to my west.

That's when I first caught sight of the muted white ivory coming from my right. I could see he was at least a six pointer, possibly eight not including the brow tiines. He had a medium-sized body. This buck was going to move south directly into the lane I was facing. The lane was only about 15 feet wide. Because the buck had not stopped since the moment I first heard him, I knew I was going to have to react quickly. I was on one knee when I lifted the rifle to my shoulder and aimed 25 yards up the hill at the only available area I had to aim at. Before I could think twice, he moved directly into the path of my gun. I saw brown in the scope and without hesitation let the lead fly. Through the scope, I could see his fur was ruffed up above his shoulder. I immediately bolted another one into the chamber. He jumped up on his back legs and made a U-turn. He then ran about 25 yards before I could no longer hear the sound of his hooves crunching on the leaves. This is the first time I've shot my gun in the woods.

To say the least, I was excited. My first instinct was to run after him however I knew that I should wait. I looked down and picked up the shell casing that was from the first Adirondack buck that I had killed (and only the second I've seen). I got off my rock and stood in front of the game camera that I had set up on a tree facing the scrape that was 10 feet away from my rock. I knew it was on video so I held up the empty shell casing and whispered something about the buck being dead on the rocky bench above me.

As I stood there waiting for time to pass, I reviewed what my eyes had seen through my scope and that was now forever burned into my memory. I saw that I might have hit him a little high, but definitely hit him all the same.

It was now 4:45 PM and had been 30 minutes since I shot him. It was getting dark and so I thought I shouldn't wait much longer if I was going to find the blood trail. I walked up the 15 foot wide Lane 25 yards to where I had shot buck.

I found no blood. I followed a few trails in the direction he had been heading after I shot him. I found no blood. I circled around to verify The location he had been hit. I thought he could have possibly been 10 yards further than where I had initially thought. Still, I found no blood. I walked back to my rock, looked up the lane, and located the only area that was possible that I would have seen him that. I traveled back up the lane to that exact location. Still, I found no blood. I searched the trails leading out of that area in the direction he was heading. Even then, I found no blood. By now it was 5:30 and pitch black. Even though I was so certain that I had hit him, I have started to come to the realization that I may have missed. I am on vacation until December 6. After that, it will be next season before I get another chance at an Adirondack buck. The saga will continue...

[UpstateNomad90]

This proved to be great advice...

I have been hunting and the Adirondacks now for five years. Neither my friends nor my family hunt so I've had to go at it alone. I saw my first buck in the woods two or three years ago while in a stand hunting a swamp. I had dozed off when I heard a crunch in the woods that woke me up. I looked up and he emerged from the trees from the right side of the lane. As he passed through the Lane, I was able to get my rifle up and the scope on him. As soon as I saw brown in the scope, he had moved into the woods off to the left side of the lane. He stopped to rub a tree about 10 yards into the tree line. At this point he was over my left shoulder. Being that he was inside the tree line and I was in a stand and unable to move much, I decided to let him walk. I haven't seen a buck since.

Over last few years I've had plenty of time to contemplate that day in the swamp. Long ago I realized that if I was going to shoot a buck here, I was going to need to get much faster on the trigger. I decided that if I saw one again, I would not hesitate.

Tonight I decided to set up on the southern end of the scrape line. The scrape line is on the west side of a mountain that runs north and south. From where I was sitting it was only about 100 yards north and over a knoll from where I knew most of the deer in my area bedded down. I was sitting on a rock about a third of the way up the side of the ridge. I had an old skid trail 10 yards beneath me that ran north and south. I was sitting 10 feet away from a scrape. I had a lane that extended west up the mountain 30 yards that ended in a Rocky bench. I didn't realize it at that the time, but there was a scrape on that bench. From experience, I know that most of the deer travel from South to north the majority of the way up the ridge. I was below them. There was no wind and the thermals were carrying my sent down below me.

About 45 minutes into my sit, a doe began to work her way towards me from the north. I watched as she ate some branches above her head and roamed in a low-lying grassy area just below where I was sitting. She slowly started to work her way east up the mountain that was across from the mountainside that I was hunting. She got about a quarter of the way up the mountain and stopped cold for about five minutes. I thought she may have winded me however at this point she was at least 100 yards from my rock. She then took a few bounds and stomped once. It wasn't long before I realized that it wasn't me that she winded.

I heard the slow and steady crunching of leaves coming from just north of my rock. It was coming from behind a blow down and 20 yards of 5 foot tall beech saplings. It took probably 30 seconds before I would find out exactly what was stomping through the woods. Whatever was walking, was doing so at a deliberate pace. I thought for sure it was either a buck or a person.

I was able to hear it walking as it approached the far side of the saplings. It turned to the west and moved up the ridge. By now, I was hoping it did exactly that. I had already turned away from the doe that was feeding on the opposite side of the valley to the east and was now facing the lane towards the bench to my west.

That's when I first caught sight of the muted white ivory coming from my right. I could see he was at least a six pointer, possibly eight not including the brow tiines. He had a medium-sized body. This buck was going to move south directly into the lane I was facing. The lane was only about 15 feet wide. Because the buck had not stopped since the moment I first heard him, I knew I was going to have to react quickly. I was on one knee when I lifted the rifle to my shoulder and aimed 25 yards up the hill at the only available area I had to aim at. Before I could think twice, he moved directly into the path of my gun. I saw brown in the scope and without hesitation let the lead fly. Through the scope, I could see his fur was ruffed up above his shoulder. I immediately bolted another one into the chamber. He jumped up on his back legs and made a U-turn. He then ran about 25 yards before I could no longer hear the sound of his hooves crunching on the leaves. This is the first time I've shot my gun in the woods.

To say the least, I was excited. My first instinct was to run after him however I knew that I should wait. I looked down and picked up the shell casing that was from the first Adirondack buck that I had killed (and only the second I've seen). I got off my rock and stood in front of the game camera that I had set up on a tree facing the scrape that was 10 feet away from my rock. I knew it was on video so I held up the empty shell casing and whispered something about the buck being dead on the rocky bench above me.

As I stood there waiting for time to pass, I reviewed what my eyes had seen through my scope and that was now forever burned into my memory. I saw that I might have hit him a little high, but definitely hit him all the same.

It was now 4:45 PM and had been 30 minutes since I shot him. It was getting dark and so I thought I shouldn't wait much longer if I was going to find the blood trail. I walked up the 15 foot wide Lane 25 yards to where I had shot buck.

I found no blood. I followed a few trails in the direction he had been heading after I shot him. I found no blood. I circled around to verify The location he had been hit. I thought he could have possibly been 10 yards further than where I had initially thought. Still, I found no blood. I walked back to my rock, looked up the lane, and located the only area that was possible that I would have seen him that. I traveled back up the lane to that exact location. Still, I found no blood. I searched the trails leading out of that area in the direction he was heading. Even then, I found no blood. By now it was 5:30 and pitch black. Even though I was so certain that I had hit him, I have started to come to the realization that I may have missed. I am on vacation until December 6. After that, it will be next season before I get another chance at an Adirondack buck. The saga will continue...

Backwoods hunter, Tomorrow morning go back to your spot you shot him at, I have heard that some heart shots can pump so much adrenaline through the deer that they run upto 250 yards with barely any blood. I would go back tomorrow and do large circles marking the area hoping you can catch a drop here or there. Best of luck and don't give up until you are sure it is a miss!  

[BackWoods Hunter]

I missed at 28 yards.

Edited November 21, 2013 by BackWoods Hunter

[skeets716]

I shot the 8 Pointer in my profile on 11/3.  Shot about 75 yds away from a tree stand.  Went to the spot he was hit and there was no blood, no hair, nothing.  Started down the route I saw him bound away, tail up (supposedly when shot they should be tail down) and he was leaping 5+feet in the air over logs, evergreens, etc.  When I was lucky enough to find him about 40 - 50 yards from where he was it, there was still no blood, only a little coming out of his mouth and nose with no blood trail to speak of.  I wish you luck in the future, hope you find that one!

Edited November 21, 2013 by skeets716

[UpstateNomad90]

I missed at 28 yards.

Well if it makes you feel any better, the first time I saw my first buck alone hunting I was shaking like a leaf on a tree and barely got my safety off before it ran ha, But hunting has its ups and downs,  You are lucky you're not hunting with the party I hunt with because you would be missing a shirt tail ha 

[BUCKANDAQUARTER]

Well Backwoods you are on the right track. Keep it up. Did you recheck your sighting?
I missed one last year at 60 yards. My scope crapped the bed on me. Still hurts to talk about it!

[BackWoods Hunter]

I just checked. It was missing to the right 2 inches. I adjusted it and shot again. First shot was dead center. The next shot was an inch to the right. The third shot was an inch to the right of the one before it. There may be something wrong with it.

Either way though, I just missed. Still can't believe it. I could swear I hit the freakin thing. He was moving and I did have to wait for him to come into the scope. Plus there were a few twigs around although not that many and I thought I was clear of them.

For the first time since I began, I feel really good about the area I'm hunting and how I'm hunting it. I feel like I'm putting myself in an excellent position to go home with one.

[BackWoods Hunter]

I shot the 8 Pointer in my profile on 11/3. Shot about 75 yds away from a tree stand. Went to the spot he was hit and there was no blood, no hair, nothing. Started down the route I saw him bound away, tail up (supposedly when shot they should be tail down) and he was leaping 5+feet in the air over logs, evergreens, etc. When I was lucky enough to find him about 40 - 50 yards from where he was it, there was still no blood, only a little coming out of his mouth and nose with no blood trail to speak of. I wish you luck in the future, hope you find that one!

Thanks. The other thing is, he didn't go barreling through the woods like a deer that was shot. He ran back down the trail, then I could hear him stop and get quiet and then run a little bit further. He wasn't crashing his way through the trees. He was picking his way through the trail.

I also came home this afternoon and tried to shoot a target at 60 yards freehand like I did last night. I am embarrassed to say that I had horrible groupings and one of my shots was high. I left to have lunch and came back to try again. My first two shots weren't even on paper. I will be going out tonight to pick up new shooting stick from Dicks.

Considering that, and not finding him or any blood today, I'm now very confident that I missed. With less then one buck per square mile in my area, I am really hoping I didn't scare him away for good.

Edited November 21, 2013 by BackWoods Hunter

[shawnhu]

Thanks. The other thing is, he didn't go barreling through the woods like a deer that was shot. He ran back down the trail, then I could hear him stop and get quiet and then run a little bit further. He wasn't crashing his way through the trees. He was picking his way through the trail. I also came home this afternoon and tried to shoot a target at 60 yards freehand like I did last night. I am embarrassed to say that I had horrible groupings and one of my shots was high. I left to have lunch and came back to try again. My first two shots weren't even on paper. I will be going out tonight to pick up new shooting stick from Dicks.Considering that, and not finding him or any blood today, I'm now very confident that I missed. With less then one buck per square mile in my area, I am really hoping I didn't scare him away for good.

Hope you find the issue and correct it. Check the scope mounts if you didn't use any loctite.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BackWoods Hunter]

I will. The scope came with a gun and I have never taken it off. And actually to say that I wasn't on paper isn't exactly fair. The targets I was using were 8x8. On a larger target I likely would've been on paper.

[NFA-ADK]

One thing I realized a long time ago(Due to missing deer.) is that if you have very few opportunities, make the most of them by being a marksmen with your weapon.  It will make that part of hunting second nature and increase your success rate.  I have a friend who will only bench shoot his 30-06 and will not shoot off hand.  Drives me crazy!  Know where your bullet will hit from 5 ft out to as far as you are capable and know your limits.  (I can't shoot past 80 yards with my open sight 44 Mag.)  .

 

It sounds like you hit him high, might have passed through without hitting any vitals or missed.  I would look for any close cover and check water sources, make sure you REALLY check the thick stuff and any bedding areas.  Offhand shooting is not easy, if you can when still hunting, stop where you can sit or lean up against a tree.  One knee works and helps steady your arm in a quick situation.  A shooting stick could make the difference.  Make sure you check the entire gun and scope mounts for tightness or have a gunsmith check it.  If the gun is not shooting consistent on the bench then something is wrong. 

 

Good luck Back Woods Hunter and thanks for sharing.  I loved your story! 

 

 

 

 

 

[BUCKANDAQUARTER]

Just curious and not trying to get off your topic buuuttt, were you using your Model 70? I noticed in one of your pics you had one leaning up against a tree for a comparison to a rub. Also, what caliber is it? I have a Model 70 XTS .25-06. Best 400 bucks I ever spent. The guy I bought it from put a crappy BSA scope on it and that is why I missed my deer last year at 60 yards. I can't believe he put a $100 scope on a $1000 gun. Anyway, best of luck to you, I too like hearing your story.

[UpstateNomad90]

Also I would pull the scope off the gun and make sure all your screws are tight, I once had a loose base screw and didn't know it. Couldn't figure out for the life of me why I couldn't shoot a group. Before you take the scope off, Mark the scope with chalk or something you can erase that way you get the scope back on exactly where you had it. Give everything a little tighten and just relax yourself for your first group and after I feel comfortable I always do like 15-25 jumping jacks to get my heart pumping and then take a free hand shot to see how I do. Get comfortable with you gun and don't be afraid of the recoil. The more comfortable you are with the gun, the more you can focus on the deer and be a natural motion without thinking about your gun technique. 

[BackWoods Hunter]

The scope is fine. I put 40 rounds through the gun today at 60 yards. Here's the last five shots using the stick.

Each ring is a quarter inch.

It's a 270 model 70 classic featherweight with Leopold scope.

Edited November 22, 2013 by BackWoods Hunter

[BUCKANDAQUARTER]

Did you have to adjust the scope at all?

[BackWoods Hunter]

Left 2 inches and down 1 inch I think.

[shawnhu]

The scope is fine. I put 40 rounds through the gun today at 60 yards. Here's the last five shots using the stick. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1385155378.196141.jpgEach ring is a quarter inch.It's a 270 model 70 classic featherweight with Leopold scope.

I don't see how each ring can possibly be 1/4" if you are shooting a .270.

Either way, sticks improve accuracy.

X-Calibur Lighting Systems

http://facebook.com/XCaliburLightingSystems

[BackWoods Hunter]

Yup. You're right. They're a little bigger than a quarter.