Mock Scrapes

[Five Seasons]

If you make mock scrapes or freshen up old ones, when do you usually start?

[phade]

I have active non mock scrapes now.

[First-light]

I have non active real scrapes that will become active mock scrapes soon.

[wooly]

They're already scraping on their own here too.

Are you just using it to hang a cam over, or are you planning on hunting over it if bucks take it over?

 

[Five Seasons]

I do both. Usually clip branches from last season and zip tie them above a scrape I want to keep active. Some are at cams and others are at lanes on runs where I can get them to stop for a shot.

I have a new place I'm hunting this year I want to set some up for the reasons I mentioned above.

[ATbuckhunter]

I start mid September. 

[wooly]

I always seemed to have my best luck with bucks taking over scrapes once the velvet started pealing off, but I always scratched up some earth in front of my cams just to draw them in out of curiosity even during summer and winter. These were usually the ones that required the most maintenance on my part, but most often abandoned.

I don't really mess with scrapes anymore once/if they get taken over. Those annual scrapes seem to pop up in the same spots every year and already have stands over them in anticipation that they will get re-opened and frequently re-visited throughout the rut.

IMO- these are the scrapes that that require little to no maintenance and are already in the most productive areas.

[Bone Seeker]

as soon as the deer start, I start. Usually an early scrape means a dominant buck from the previous year is still around. That is if you believe what your read.??

[phade]

First year hunting new parcel? Let it be and just observe. You'll learn more in the long run than trying to tinker with already established activity.

 

People make changes too fast sometimes.

[LI OUTDOORSMAN]

Regarding the making of these scrapes in your line of fire from your stand do any of you find the increased human activity to be detrimental to taking a big buck?

I know alot of guys put cams on the tree under or near their stand and I did the same for awhile.

Last year I had some really good bucks on cams and put up some scent drippers and mock scrapes in early Sept. being as careful as possible with scent control.None of these animals were ever observed during normal hunting hours after the setup of these extras.

Does and yearlings yes but none of the real nice shooters.

This year I'm going "activity free".

No drippers,mock scrapes,scent wicks,no wing a dings whatsoever around my stands.

Even my food plot cam is setup far away from stand area and only check it from the quad..no walking around..

All my stands were adjusted and shooting lanes cut in late May when turkey season was winding down.

Just relying on natural deer activity and stands placed along good travel routes between food plots and bedding areas

Want to enter my stands this year with the area well rested and scent free .ready to hunt

I'm interested in seeing how the season progresses.

Edited September 8, 2014 by LI OUTDOORSMAN

[Five Seasons]

I always seemed to have my best luck with bucks taking over scrapes once the velvet started pealing off, but I always scratched up some earth in front of my cams just to draw them in out of curiosity even during summer and winter. These were usually the ones that required the most maintenance on my part, but most often abandoned.

I don't really mess with scrapes anymore once/if they get taken over. Those annual scrapes seem to pop up in the same spots every year and already have stands over them in anticipation that they will get re-opened and frequently re-visited throughout the rut.

IMO- these are the scrapes that that require little to no maintenance and are already in the most productive areas.

 

I've never had to freshen a scrape more than once. Usually early just to get it going and then they get left alone.

 

 

 

First year hunting new parcel? Let it be and just observe. You'll learn more in the long run than trying to tinker with already established activity.

 

People make changes too fast sometimes.

 

and that's probably what i'm going to do, if anything i might just scratch it up a little. It's some public land so i'm really going in dark.

 

Regarding the making of these scrapes in your line of fire from your stand do any of you find the increased human activity to be detrimental to taking a big buck?

I know alot of guys put cams on the tree under or near their stand and I did the same for awhile.

 

see my first response. As far as cams go, I'm a once a month checker, not once a week. Helps reduce the scent and they're place in areas not too far from the approach trail and only checked with full scent control/during hunting. but it's a fair point.

[gjs4]

A good scrape sees action all yr.

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[genesee_mohican]

You can start them anytime of year, and now is as good as any. The licking branch is key, if one is not present you'd have to place one and it needs to be about 4'10 to 5-4' off the ground.   I place a licking branch in a spot where I want the buck to stop so I can get a shot, and make a scrape under it. Taking a good pee in the fresh dirt get's it going and you should soon see signs that bucks are using the scrape.