Advice
 

Yesterday I sat my stand up for this season. I found a coupld nice deer trails leading out of a huge thicket leading through a strip of timber and into a corn field. Along this path I found a cluster of scrapes and complimented by dozens of rubs. I decided to set my stand up off the trail about 15-20 yards over looking three of the scrapes. This morning was my first day, I was only able to sit for two hours because I had class at 10. I saw 4 bucks 2 4 pointers a six point and an eight point all looked younger then a 2 year old with alot of potential. Could these little deer be making all the scrapes?

RE: Advice
 

They sure could. My advice would be an inexpensive game cam. That would give you an idea of whats in there.

RE: Advice
 

Scrapes aren't made by one buck or even one deer. Some are actually used year round, when they have a licking branch, and bucks and does alike come to them. If you are seeing young bucks in the vicinity, be patient and the older calss will come--but, don't overhunt it, and be careful about how close you are to the scrape and your scent, wind directionand when you come and go from the stand.

RE: Advice
 

I have two entrances as well as exits into this stand site. The first being entering the woods behind a barn and walk a four wheeler path all the way to it, probaly about a mile and a half. The scrapes are right next to this quad path. OR I can walk along the corn field and there is an opening of a quad path I can walk to my stand which is only about 50 yards total once I get into the woods and out of the fields. I kicked up 2 does today walking out of the woods taking the first route. Also out of the four bucks I saw today 2 came out of the thicket to my left and were crazing on acorns or whatever else they could find and then the other 2 came from my right out of the field so they are coming from both directions. Wind is usually a west wind which is great keeping it in my face at all times and the deer are coming in from the front. However right before I left the wind began to swirl and one of the bucks tried circling me and picking some type of scent up but was unsucessful and came back about 15 yards from my stand to continue crazing. I would like to think the $500.00 or so I invested in scentblocker equipment hadsomething to do with that.

RE: Advice
 

Sounds like a good spot. Yes, it could be those bucks making all of it, but if there is that much deer activity there, a bigger one will show up eventually. It will just be a case of whether or not you are there when he is. Game cams are alright, but kind of worthless for the rut because the bucks move so often and so far. They are a great tool for early and late season hunting however. I will tell you one thing and save you the money (it sounds like you have spent enough)... the bucks will show up between now and Thanksgiving, but I bet you already knew that.

RE: Advice
 

I appreciate the advice guys. I am 19 and have only been bow hunting for 3 years. No one in my family hunts, so I am not sure why I have picked it up and love it so much but I do. I learn 50% of hunting on this website and the other 50 in my stand. Last year you guys helped me out with another property I was given permission to hunt and my third day out I shot my first buck with a compound and he went 164 inches so I appreciate EVERYONES help not just answering my post. Another question though if I don't want to over hunt it to keep my scent out and to keep from spooking deer how do I know what days to hunt and what days to move to another stand? This seems like a hot spot and I want to sit on it for hours haha but if thats not smart then I definitly want to choose days to hunt that will better my odds. This morning it was about 40 degrees, very light rain and a 6mph wind from the east and I ended up seeing everything I did in only the first two hours of the morning. Again I had to come out early to go to class. ( in college) I have heard that hunters should check the pressure but I don't know if you want to hunt when its higher or lower and why.

RE: Advice
 

Your first buck ever went 164"??? That's it I am not going to help you ever!!! :D:D:D

really, it is impossible to say what day is better than another. It is all the phase of the rut, what does are doing in your area, etc and no one can tell you what day anything is going to happen. I usually don't hunt the same stand more than twice in a week, but that is just me. I really have no concrete facts to back that up with. You will have to feel it out for yourself. Good luck.

RE: Advice
 

Absolutely, 3 bucks of any size can make up to 20 scrapes in one area. this is what they call random scrapes. Its when you can see a pattern to the scrapes and rubs, these are called teritorial scrapes.Almost all teritorial scrapes have a very attractive licking branch over them, thoes with out a licking branch are more than likely random or roaming scrapes.

RE: Advice
 

The three scrapes I am hunting over all have licking branches and twigs snapped and bent over the scrape. Two out of the three scrapes have doe droppings in them. I have seen plently of other scrapes without licking branches and alot of them look untouched after they were made.

RE: Advice
 

there ya go you have your answer, im gonna say youre setup in a pretty nice spot, although most scrapes are hit at night or early morning. good luck to you and be safe.