SteveO KanevO

I agree but where Im hunting that is a rare sight. Thats why Im trying to manage the property Im hunting. I hope it will get good a couple years from now. However I wouldnt trade my time in the woods for anything.

deertale

This is a sizable scrape. It's in an area that is probably a travel route close to a bedding area. Its not very accessible because its between two ravines (but a large area between these two ravines 10-20 acres). There are apple trees on the other side of one ravine and a clear cut on the other ravine. The trees are mixed hardwoods with heavy spruce in areas.

I've always thought the biggest bucks scrape first and are moving more during the scrape phase than during the rut phase. In N. Wis. this is the beginning of the scrape phase (pre-rut). I think additional scouting would be good of course, but I'm going to hunt this spot tonight putting out some scent. I could post a topo of the area if your interested and want to give advice....

Its a sizable scrape so I don't think its random. Maybe near this bucks core area, because the land is so inaccessible.

SteveO KanevO

If it is very large then it could be a community scrape, I've found several of these and they are about as large as a car hood. Sounds like you have a good spot on your hands. Definatly hunt it sometime this year.

wis_bow_huntr

There was a recent article in this months Deer & Deer Hunting magazine which posed the question:
Is Scrape Hunting Worth It?
In this article they went over all the different types of scrpaes and when they are made and what they mean to other deer. The conclusion was:
Yes scrape hunting is worth it.

Hunt a scrape that is active. If you want to know for sure, take a stick and move a leaf or two onto the scrape and check it everyday. make sure to not contaminate the area with your scent. You can also get a mock scrape kit as well and make some of your own, forcing the buck to be more agressive on his scrape.

goherd1111

I don't understand why some of you would not hunt in an area where a scrape is found. A scrape is a form of buck sign as we are all aware. Deertale has found some buck sign and now knows a buck is in his area. I took this deer as he was checkin a scrape 12 yards from my stand on sunday evening in Illinois. The scrape was on the edge of a soy bean field. My advice would be to get in there and hunt it.

tschammel

Alot of people think these scrapes are made only during the middle of the night. I have done a few experiments and during the pre-rut/rut alot of these are made in the middle of the day. Look at the record books at most of the big bucks and the times they are shot, I think the best times are bestween 11:00 and 2:00. I have spent the last 5-7 years hunting all day or during the pre rut/rut and have seen more big deer during this mid day time and have seen alot of them making scrapes at this time.

So what Im trying to get at is if you find a good scrape that is being hit alot and that has alot of action, siton it all day because these bucks get back up at 10:30am and go searching and check bedding areas and check there scrapes. Just be carefull because they usually come in on the down wind side of it so give them some room. ( Throw a little doe in heat in it in the morning before you sit or hang some neer by, he might come in excited)

deertale

Awsome deer goherd1111! Way to go. I'm heading out to scout and sit this afternoon. I'm going to grab my camera. Maybe I'll try a longer sit this Sat. I'll keep this thread updated if you want - or if I have any good news

Dubbya

HUNT THE SCRAPE or find others near!!! One thing that I've learned over the years is that whether you are trying to kill a buck or a doe, a scrape(ornear one)can be an excellent place to be. Not hunting it doesn't make sense to me either.

I mean... it's kind of like looking for a lost kid in the mall and notchecking for him at the toy/candy stores... "that just don't make no sense."

deertale

I hunted the scrape line last night. I found the trail the scrapes are on. I did not see or hear any deer, but will scout this area out this weekend. I sprayed some bowhunters set up in the scrape. Disappointingly I don't think a deer had visited the scrape in the last two days. The camera recorded no events, but took a pic of me spraying the scent.

2footroper

Hunt the scrapes. I have taken most of my deer over scrapes. I arrowed a doe on Saturday morning 8 yards from the base of my tree. the arrow shot was a pass thru taking out the right lung and the top of the heart. Lots of blood!! She only went 20 yards and died. Prior to this I only had trail cam photos of bucks as evidence of their being there. Sunday morning I found a scrape 5 yards from where I shot the doe. Licking branch and all. Sunday afternoon I found a good rub not 10 yards from the new scrape. This rub was not there in the morning. The smell of the blood must have gotten this buck all worked up. It's rained for the last 2 days now and I can't tell if the scrape has been reworked but I know where I'll be the first chance I get to hunt. All of this is taking place in my front yard along a tree line.