took a ride down to my hunting spot for the first time this season to move some stands around and check up on the area since i was last there, in may.

Well to my great pleasure, as soon as my Father and I entered the woods we were bombarded with rubs, probably 10-15 of them in a 100 x 100 area of hardwoods. We set up a stand in this area (moving it about 50 yards), and i noticed a real nice rub on a 3" thick tree, torn right up. Last year, a buddy of ours took a real nice 140" 10 point in this spot, while two years previousely he took a 135" nine pointer about 100 yards due east of the spot.

My main question deals with my location of the trail camera i have, i placed it on the closest tree facing that big rub, think i will get some pics of the buck or is it too late for them to still be rubbing on trees? There are a ton of acorns dropping in this particular area so im sure i will get pictures, just i hope its of that buck rubbing. What do you all think?

The season opens saturday for bow, and i am torn between this spot, and another that sits up in a thicket, I may just have to do a half day in each! thanks for your input!

I don't know if you want to try this or not, but it may help you get a picture of your buck. Make a mock scrape and set your camera about 10 - 15 feet from it. You'll definatly get some deer checking your scrape thus getting you some good pics. Keep us posted.

How exactly do i go about doing that? should i place it in the middle of all these rubs?

The area i hunt, the deer travel on highways, literately there are trails 2 -3 inches deep in the ground, it's amazing. I know i'll get pictures of turkeys, does/fawns and squirrels but i want bucks, like every other trophy hunter! I have only seen 4 Mature bucks in my 6 years of hunting here, one was wounded (tracking it), another was a glimpse during my first bow season, a third was about 300 yards away on the road going up to the place (dirt road) and the 4th was in the same area. I'm doing something wrong and I'd like to know whats frequeting the area and when. Thanks![&:]

The key is setting up the mock scrape in an area that these bucks will view as a territorial boundry! It soundsas though the bucks already view that area this way. The key is to set-up the mock scrape under a tree where the buck can stretch his neck upward and bite the branch! When setting up the scrape be entirely scent free. Use a stick to clear the ground and wear latex gloves so as not to leave any scent! A scrape dripper with some active scrape scent hanging from the limb will provide continous scent throughout the day light hours and in theory can change the deers pattern so they visiit the scrape during daylight hours! This will not only make for some great photo opportunities but will also possibly make for some great hunting!

Where can i get a dripper, what kind of scent should i use? do i simply find a tree with branches that are 5-6 foot off the ground to hang it from? thanks for the replies!

I picked mine up at a local sporting goods store. It comes with a bottle of active scrape scent in the package! H.S. Specialties also makes a mock scrape kit that you might be able to find at a local sporting goods store.

Any tree with limbs 5 feet off the ground or so will do, another good tip would be if you find a younger tree with low hanging branches to make the scrape under, make a fake rub on that very same tree, this will add a visual attractant for the deer as well. The H.S. Specialties kit includes orbital scent to apply to the tree when a fake rub is made!

Dude,
I tried one of them once and it never was running or dripping when it should have been.

????

I actually have two up and running right now and both have performed flawlessly! The big key is to fill the dripper up as the directions read, too much and the dripper will continously drip!

A Mock scrape will work - but a real one is better.

If you find a real scrape - but the spot isn't good for the Cam - Take a 3 lb coffee can of dirt from it - and make a mock scrape near your rub - (be sure to have an overhead branch!) - and put the transplanted dirt on the scrape you make.



FH

Now THAT'S a new one to me! Kewl!