dirtpounder

There was another thread on here about mock scrapes and got me to wondering how early everybody will start making their mock scrapes? My season starts in a couple weeks but I usually don't start mine until at least mid october. How early do you start and what do you use? I've only used Wildlife research active scrape, but was going to try buck urine this year. I've heard James Valley is good?

the kidd

whats a mock scrape?

Booney160

Dirtpounder,
I've heard of people who start mock scrapes as early as the middle of August. I've started messing around with mock scrapes the past few years so I have a lot to learn but I've found some good results. Last season I started a mock scrape towards the end of October with a scrape dripper. I had good results with deer working the scrape each time I went out to check. In the area surrounding many rubs were made on fairly large trees. Unfortunately I hunted the area very little due to a knee injury but I'll be there this season. As for when to start mock scrapes, I feel it depends on how well you know your hunting area. In my hunting area in Wisconsin where I've lived for the past 23 years, I know where scrapes are made year after year and I feel those are the areas scrapes can be made in the early season. Where you know deer activity will continue through the rut. If you're hunting new areas like I am now that I've moved to the U.P. of Michigan last year, I feel waiting for deer to make scrapes, then either making mock scrapes in the area or putting a scrap dripper above a existing scrape may be more successful. I hope this works, let me know what you decide to do and what type of success you have.

Paul

dirtpounder

I've heard that it is useless making a scrape if you don't have a licking branch above it. I find it hard to believe that they wouldn't use it just because of that but mabye it's true. Anyone run into this problem?

Xtec Shooter

Your best scenario is to make that mock scrape so that they do have a licking branch. Very rarely will you see a scrape without one, so it really only makes sense to create that same environment.

A buddy of mine has some mock scrapes going now and the bucks are hitting them. I believe he took some buck urine and put that in there as an attractant.

engie

dirt pounder,
I learned from the late Ben Rogers Lee to make scrapes in early Sept. I use wire to double a tree over to about head height with pencil thick size branches overhanging, and I know this sounds crazy but then pee in it. I do get bucks that start working it right away. I'm doing mine tomorrow- I should drink a lot of water. I set them exactly where it looks like you'd find them during the "normal" scraping time. Make sure you rig your camera after you pee in the scrape- It really looks weird when others see your pictures if not.

titleist_03

I made a half dozen of them today. This is the earliest I've ever started them, but I've read alot about getting them going early september so the deer start to take them over early.