antlergetter

Today I carried out my usual routine of hiking in to my stand on an old logging road, then following a natural drainage to the ridge above it. After setting there half the day and seeing nothing, I packed up and headed back to my vehicle. Instead of taking the usual route, I descided to take a walk thru an area that I had hunted in the past but had went dry. WOW....this place is tore up with rut sign. I have killed many deer from this hollow, but it has been dry for 2 years. By the looks of things, they're back!! I followed a trail that runs all the way out of the woods filled with sign. About 50 yards from my explorer was 4 huge scrapes within 20 yards of each other. The land owners house is only 100 yards from all this!!
Why would the deer leave so much sign on the edge of the woods but not in the deep woods where I hunt??? With the rut mostly over would you try to hunt it or just watch out for next year?? Why would this spot just suddenly become active when practicly nowhere else is on this 330 acre lot??

MOTOWNHONKEY

What do you have to lose? I would find a good ground spot to hunt for the remainder of this year. You have to move with the deer. I move all thru the season. Stay as scent free as possible. I very seldom even make a ground blind. You can hide inbetween 2 trees or back yourself into a fur or pine tree. The trick is seeing them before they see you. Play the wind smart and go fot it!

Huntnsinme

Yeah you have to remember that the deer that used that spot before and were aware of your presence, may not be the same anilmals that are leaving all the sign, remember bucks travel great distances during the rut, after it they are gathering their strengths back so be ready late season for em. Good luck and Look for a funnel near those scrapes, the action usually doesnt happen right on top of the scrapes.....Just a hint for ya. I stopped hunting scrapes early this year and I have seen more action I ever have. You have to hu8nt the deer where they are going to be, not where they are.

JoshKeller

I'm not sure exactly where in West Virginia (I think you mentioned you hunted W V) you are hunting, but if its anything like the eastern panhandle, the rut is now in full swing. There was a flurry of activity a few weeks ago, but it seemed to drizzle out, and definitly picked up 10 fold the last week.