Early season mock scrapes

[Slagiatt]

I started a thread on this a while back, but think it got kind of buried. Figure with only 3 months left before go time i would try again, get a bit more advice to make my decision before the deadline.
Has anybody tried mock scrapes or anything similar around early september when the bucks are just getting hard horned? Ive had great results from scrapes during the rut, but this year im changing it up and ill be hunting starting september 1st. Thinking of making a mock scrape or two using straight buck urine and preorbital gland scent, obviously not doing any estrous scent so early. The area ill be hunting is miles and miles of heavily timbered mountainous public land. No agriculture anywhere, and no clearly defined bedding and feeding areas like there is in traditional midwest whitetail ag land. Just curious if anybody else has tried scrapes early, and what youve found. Im half way thinking it would do more harm than good. Thoughts?

 

[Mennoniteman]

The thread got buried again. I say what have you got to lose? Try it and see what happens. Just be careful with scent control when you go in to make it, the worst thing that can happen is the bucks will just ignore it, it's not going to make them leave the area.

 

[dogghr]

I've got one year round man made scrape on a field edge, another deep in the woods that I put cameras on at times. They are both used year round by buck and doe. I do no maintenance except to make sure licking branch is within reach and I pee sometime in there if walking by to freshen them since I am the dominant buck on my land. In Sept I make a couple of scrape lines with scrapes 50 yds apart for half dozen scrapes. Have had good luck with those especially if rut is condensed. I have done these for years on private and public land. I've tried all kinds of scents and drippers and all not needed. Just get licking branch 4-5 feet from ground ( you can zip tie one or break down existing limb along travel route), scrape 3-4 feet circle in dirt, pee in said dirt. Deer will begin to freshen that night. As you know, they like to scrape in travel lanes, in an area not filled with roots or rock, and pinch points, and fairly flat . I like logging roads and side hill points where they flatten the best. I shot a nice buck 2 years ago as it worked a new scrape I made as I went to stand. Good luck.

 

[catscratch]

Been doing early season scrapes for many yrs. It works just as well as it does during the rut. The licking branch is IMPORTANT. The scrape will come and go, the licking branch will get used all yr.
Here is a pic of a buck in velvet using the licking branch. He won't work the scrape under it and won't rub on the post, but he will visit the lick on a regular basis.

 

[Slagiatt]

Thanks for the responses. If i get a chance to go set up a couple scrapes in early august or so ill do it. If i cant get back up there until the opener ill just wait. Went in today and hung a stand. Checked my cam while i was there. The whitetail have only started moving back up to this elevation in the last week or so, but have a couple promising bucks showing up already.

 

[Mennoniteman]

Thanks for the responses. If i get a chance to go set up a couple scrapes in early august or so ill do it. If i cant get back up there until the opener ill just wait. Went in today and hung a stand. Checked my cam while i was there. The whitetail have only started moving back up to this elevation in the last week or so, but have a couple promising bucks showing up already.View attachment 7484

A couple of nice looking bachelors! It looks like they need a good food plot to fatten them up a little.

 

[dogghr]

Thanks for the responses. If i get a chance to go set up a couple scrapes in early august or so ill do it. If i cant get back up there until the opener ill just wait. Went in today and hung a stand. Checked my cam while i was there. The whitetail have only started moving back up to this elevation in the last week or so, but have a couple promising bucks showing up already.View attachment 7484

Nice bucks. In that country since your deer are more migratory than east, do the deer use scrapes as much as here? Also what are their non ag food preferences in that country? Would love to hunt there some day.

 

[Slagiatt]

Nice bucks. In that country since your deer are more migratory than east, do the deer use scrapes as much as here? Also what are their non ag food preferences in that country? Would love to hunt there some day.

They use scrapes a good deal for sure. I watched 4 bucks, 3.5-4.5 years old, basically line up and politely take turns using one of my mock scrapes in mid november, it was unreal. When i get into areas with good buck numbers ill find quite a few scrapes. The deer eat pretty much everything here. Service berry, red stem, nine bark, wax leaf, etc etc, basically whatever is green. They also eat a lot of the long stringy moss that blows off of tge trees. The sound of a falling tree around here is like ringing a dinner bell.

 

[Brow_Tine]

Does human urine really work in scrape?

 

[Drycreek]

Does human urine really work in scrape?

Yes ! I've done it several times. In fact, I made a scrape a couple days ago near one of my bow blinds. I have no doubt that some buck (or more) will take it over, but mostly at night in my experience. I have a game cam nearby, but the scrape was an afterthought, so I don't know if it will capture the "action".

 

[Tap]

Does human urine really work in scrape?

It most definitely does. There has been quite a few threads with pics on this and other forums that prove it works.

 

[j-bird]

This is sort of a mock scrape. I simply cut a piece of grave vine and hung it from a branch with 550 cord. I take a pee on the ground right there every time I check the cam. I get does, young bucks and this is the biggest so far.... I have others where the vine is lashed to a sapling and I think it may actually work better because it will be more rigid and not move some much, but it doesn't really seem to bother them either. I think location is the big aspect of use.

 

[Elkaddict]

I created a number of mock scrapes this last week. You don't need anything but your pee to start them. In fact, I try to avoid early use of doe in estrous scents until a few weeks before things seriously heat up. I'm aware of several mature bucks killed visiting mock scrapes started this way last year.

 

[Chainsaw]

I make them along the food plot edges by just dragging the tractor bucket backwards on the ground under an overhanging branch. No scent or anything is added;the deer take care of that for me. Took a heavy 3 1/2 year old eight on one during an afternoon/evening hunt a few years ago. It was around Nov. 6 and was the only deer seen that day. It was located in a narrow sort of lane way with small groups of alders separating it from the plot. The lane was bordered on the other side by a swamp which the deer crossed to access the food plot. The stand location offered good visibility of the scrape but little else;It was just enough though.

 

[Chainsaw]

This is sort of a mock scrape. I simply cut a piece of grave vine and hung it from a branch with 550 cord. I take a pee on the ground right there every time I check the cam. I get does, young bucks and this is the biggest so far.... I have others where the vine is lashed to a sapling and I think it may actually work better because it will be more rigid and not move some much, but it doesn't really seem to bother them either. I think location is the big aspect of use.
View attachment 9732

J-bird, the height of your grape vine is just right. We routinely cut grape vines in apple tree areas and cut them at that exact height. Many of them get used as scrapes and as you say though they just swing when touched it doesn't seem to discourage their use. We also cut the vine down near the ground as well but not for scrape enhancement but just to set back the grape vine.

 

[j-bird]

J-bird, the height of your grape vine is just right. We routinely cut grape vines in apple tree areas and cut them at that exact height. Many of them get used as scrapes and as you say though they just swing when touched it doesn't seem to discourage their use. We also cut the vine down near the ground as well but not for scrape enhancement but just to set back the grape vine.

Only bad thing about mine is it's only about a 3' piece and I assume it will dry out at some point. I would love to find one where I can "train" it and have it remain alive in a situation like this.....that I think would be just awesome. But if I have to replace the vine once a year or so that is fine....I have plenty.

 

[mattpatt]

I’ve had one of my cell phone cams on this scrape for about a month now with no activity at all except for the occasional deer walking by. Was just about to move it to better utilize my cam then the above happened last night. This scrape was started by a Buck I ended up shooting four years ago. I have kept it going by refreshing it with my pee off and on starting in the fall every year. I was just about convinced that day weren’t going to use it this year.

Matt


Sent from my iPhone using Deer Hunter Forum

 

[Elkaddict]

I started a scrape in our mountain top plot a month ago. Had a 21/2 year old buck in it last night for an hour. He refreshed it twice then bedded down 20 yds away staring towards the bedding areas with a “come on I’m ready ladies” look on his face. Very satisfying to watch a mock scrape get hit!

 

[Brushpile]

I made a line of mock scrapes and had three does and their fawns on them all at once before dark. Later I shot two old bucks off them! I created a breeding area!

 

[herdman]

I am honestly mind blown right now guys. I've heard of people making mock scrapes and such, but I honestly never thought it would work like this. I'm definitely going to try this in the spring. Any tips for a first timer?