When I was checking my camera on Tuesday I saw 2 scrapes within 25-30 yards of one of my stands. I have never seen scrapes this early. Has anyone else seen scrapes this early? Season hasn't even started yet.

Deer will use scrapes all year round. Not of all them will be worked outside of the prime scraping time of yr but some will. Looks like a good sign for you and good luck.

I have noticed once Bucks start breaking out of their bachelor groups they will start making territorial scrapes. Most of the activity on these scrapes are at night but every so after you can catch one checking it out during the day. They are good to setup a trialcam on for pictures.

A lot of people see turkey scratchings and assume they are deer scrapes. Deer do indeed make scrapes periodically throughout the year though. Check for a licking branch above the scrape to assure you that it's deer making these scrapes and not turkey.

Yeah, I know what you are saying there Ridge. But I have been around for awhile and this is definitely a scrape and a pretty good one at that. Overhead licking branches, yes, quite a few of the twigs snapped there as well.

I seen the first rub of the fall the other day when i was walking in to check game cams.. I have quite a few bucks on game cam last week fighting already.

I havent seen any in IL yet.

I haven't noticed any scrapes yet but, have seen rubs popping up all over in the last week...

I had small bucks chasing full out a doe last weekend already,,, dam early for Long Island!!

I saw my first scrapes last week, 5 of them actually, all in the same area. They are within 75yrds of one of my stand sites. I went in on Wednesday and saw that one of them had been updated to twice it's original size. Can't wait until the Rut!