mobow

While out hunting yesterday, I found a scrape that had recently been freshened . It was being used heavily during the rut, but that's been over for, oh, about a month or so by now. I mean, here in MO, the bucks will start loosing their antlers like any day now.....It had fresh tracks, I could see where he had scraped the dirt, all fresh, and I smelled it before I saw it.
Doesn't this seem awfully late in the year?

MasonsRidge

There are three phases of the rut, pre rut, rut and post rut. The rut may start in Florida weeks before it starts in Ohio. The rut will last longer in the southern states. It can last as long as a month and a half. There are generally two ruts that occur in a season. The second starts around thirty days after the first rut. This is when doe that have not been bread yet come into their second estrus usually breed.
PRERUT - From the time a buck sheds the velvet from his
antlers he is he is ready to breed. At that time he is constantly checking out
the does, anticipating the rut. . The best way to hunt the pre rut is to find a Buck's Scrape line and hunt it with out disturbing it. Look for the buck's travel zone in fencerows and thickets and keep an eye out for buck signs like rubs, scrapes and droppings.
THE RUT - When hunting the rut, I like to hunt the feeding areas, this is
where the does will be and if the does are there then the bucks will not be
far.
THE POST RUT - During the late portion of the season deer begins to seek shelter from the elements. Cold weather definitely effects when, where and how much deer move. The majority of deer activity will be limited to the mid-day and late afternoon. The south slopes of ridges and draws that offer more warmth for the better portion of the day are great late season spots. Deer will bed and feed in such places throughout the day. During the last few minutes of daylight, they'll leave these daytime haunts and slip into the staging area on the outer fringes of a primary food source.

hatchet jack

The second late Rut I suppose

Angus74

Yes I d agree, it is a little late here for that, but Id say it might be a young buck just feeling his oats. He may have remembered it from earlier in the season, and decided to give one last hit, just a guess though. Ive seen them open up old scrapes late in the year, but have always just figured someone was feeling a little frisky.

MOhuntin

I live and hunt central MO. Yesterday I also noticed a fresh scrape where I hunt. Last Thurs a guy told me he saw a buck rubbing a tree the day before. Also thought it was weird activity for this time of year.

Leverdude

I found a rub yesterday that was made friday night. Kinda suprised but its the only rut type activity I'v seen in a while. Dunno what it means.

camo12

I hunt in missouri and arkansas. I found a fresh rub a week or so back in arkansas and couldnt believe it. My buddy found a bloody antler shed in Missouri today.

bob d

my nephew found a set from an eight point 12/27 about twenty yards into a field

BowHuntingFool

I don't think that scrapes are made and used only during the rut. I have seen them during all times of the year. I'll make mock scrapes late summer and the deer will hit them.

greg-dude

I was off the week between Xmass and New Year and found about a dozen scrapes that had recently been worked on here in Central MO. All of them were within about 200 acres. Never did see a buck.