scraps or rubs?
 

Hi guys and gals i was wondering just what other people do. If you guys see a new scrape or rub do you guys hunt that or do you hunt down wind or up wind from it. Or not hunt it at all??

how about if you have a rub and a scrape together?

thanks
mo

RE: scraps or rubs?
 

I tend not to focus my efforts on a singular bit of sign or even two signs in the same location. I try to look at the bigger picture in terms of why the animal may have utilized that particular location for that purpose. If you can identify that then you can determine when and/or if the animal is likely to return.

Sometimes a person can hunt over a scrape or rub for days and not see a single deer.

Hope this helps.

RE: scraps or rubs?
 

If you've located a scrape or rub early in the season (early Oct.) and you want to hunt over it I have a couple of suggestions. Most rublnes are made at night so you'll want to get near the bucks bedding area but not so close that you make him feel pressured. Buck Fever synthetics makes good scents IMO and a combination of pre/post rut scent in the scrape and f-gland scent on the rub will likely piss off a dominate buck. You don't want to hunt directly over the scrape. Mature bucks will scent check a scrape before they come in so if you put out a scent you'll want to hunt down wind of the scrape 75-100 yards because this is likely where the deer will approach from. He'll scent check and if he likes what he smells he'll investigate further. Also durring the early rut deer are more likely to respond to calling and rattleing. If you use this in conjunction with scents you may very well have some luck.

If you don't mind me asking, what county of Maine will you be hunting? A lot of the northern counties don't issue a lot of doe permits or any at all for that matter. This causes the buck/doe ratio to be out of wack and makes the bucks less likely to respond. But if you want to try it that is how I would go about setting up.