Originally Posted by
TheHardWoods913
I usually start my mock scrapes in late August early September. Deer use scrapes year round to be honest, but do not hit them hard like in the fall/rut.
I think you nailed it. I do a great deal of this sort of thing while evaluating efficacy of scents. The key is not the scrape. The key is the licking branch. If there is now suitable branch exactly where you need it, bring one to the location. The next key is the proper scent on the branch tips and leaves and to avoid any human scent. Don't worry about creating a scrape. The scrapes get formed naturally under the licking branch.
You want to attract both bucks and does (you really want to attract does during the rut so don't just focus on attracting bucks)
I just recently created a video of my first scent trial of 2014 with the new scent Ive been working on. It shows the branch and the deers reaction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRZCuODvbrA
I think people have unrealistic expectations when it comes to mock scrapes. Bucks (especially young bucks) make them all over the place. They cast a wide net and don’t always come back to revisit. Deer densities and buck-doe ratios play a huge factor in Scrape hunting. They do however (both bucks and does) utilize a licking branch to communicate more so than a scrape because the licking branch is a quadruple threat consisting of just about every scent gland the deer have.
The Preorbital gland and forehead gland and even saliva are deposited on the overhanging branch and then the interdigital gland secretions (Between their hooves) gets deposited while they are under the branch and then (but not always) they may urinate under the branch but whether they urinate of not, the scent on the overhead branch is the scent calling card that deer use and they can tell one deer from another but (and this is only my assumption) deer cant tell one deer’s identity from another by urine scent which is why Hunters peeing in scrapes also works. They just cant tell pee from pee but the scents deposited on the branch are unique.
Most scent sellers over hype and make bogus claims that don’t hold up in the real woods. I tell folks what my scent IS NOT. Its not magic. It cant make deer appear where there are no deer. It wont draw deer off your neighbor’s land and it wont call deer in from great distances. My lure is used where guys hunt because they are already seeing sign and then they want to direct the deer in the area to a specific spot for trail cam video/pics or for a shot with a bow. If you have low deer densities and little deer traffic, you’re going to be hard pressed to make any lure work.
What I do with my scent is get does and bucks to continually return to the social networking branch and a scrape naturally occurs (as well as rubs on nearby saplings) And yes, that's real deer hair in the product. Im working on uploading a large number of trail cam video footage of deer using the licking branches Im creating with my scent and at every branch site I get a natural scrape but to watch the videos, its clear both bucks and does spend 10 times more time on the branch than they do worrying about the ground below. The amount of time these does work the branch is amazing and attracting does is good news for hunters because she brings in the bucks. Smart hunters want to attract does because where the does are, the bucks will congregate trying to hook up.
I just uploaded the latest footage to youtube from last week. you can see last weeks deer (and bear) at the licking branch and the scraping they are starting. The first buck would make an great looking logo. LOL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmBZxq_HaIw