Well i dont know what part on the country you are hunting. But here in ohio and from my experience which is like 10yrs bowhunting and a totall of 15yrs of deer hunting, big bucks DO NOT have to visit a scrape on a regular basis, he can simply use the wind in his favor and smell if it has been used. If there is sighn there then they are using it at night, or maybe you are hunting there in the wrong wind. spikes will rub but only very small saplings, not like a big cedar tree like the bucks i have here in ohio. Hope this helps.