nichols2

ive hunted deer for 25 years and always heard dominant bucks make scrapes in september, my son and i was scouting yesterday and came across a scrape that had the branches above it broken and a licking branch. I told 1 of my buddies bout it and he said 1 of his friends found the same thing earlier this week. I have never seen this at this time of year ever, im in central illinois. Anybody ever seen this so early? This is common in early november here but never have i seen it in september..

gbrownlee

I see it every year starting later in September, but I don't think I have found one this early. I set trailcams up on them every year at the end of September and it's usually a bunch of different bucks on the scrape, not just dominate bucks (although I do catch a few mature bucks on them early).

SJAdventures

The ones I have seen in Sept are usually along field edges and some do and some don't have licking branches. Usually they are not the attract a doe type scrapes but early territorial scrape and most do not get revisited.

Night Crawler

I agree with SJ Adv, I see this every year and it's usually as the boy's start getting unfriendly to each other and is a territorial marking.

noidurism

at least where i'm from, it's not unusual!!! could be comm. scrapes?!!!!...................