How I "renewed" a popular scrape spot in the woods. Got the bucks to come back...
 

For as long as I could remember, the deer always had a ground scrape under a branch that hung over the trail under this tree. Finally they broke off the branch that hung out over the trail, and that was the first fall in YEARS that I didn’t have a scrape opened up under that tree!

I figured why not cut another branch off that tree, zip tie it onto the remaining part of the branch and give them something to rub their glands on and “re-mark” this spot. I kicked the leaves around opening a small spot, and bam – they started using the scrape again.


With it working so well that year, I now do this every year – remake their “spot” for them by zip-tieing a branch to the tree to overhang on the trail and open a small patch of dirt, and they always come back and open it up even more.


I can’t say this will work for everyone…or everywhere – but if you watched the video, you’ll see that the deer did visit this faux-scrape that I made.


Here's a video that shows not only me "fixing" the tree branch, but also the deer that visited after I started using a zip-tie to put a new branch to overhang this spot.

Cool Video.
What trailcam are you useing.

That is so cool.

Thanks!!

I have two Bushnell Trophy Cameras that I use.

deer scrape
 

What a lucky but a great idea

Never knew the deer communicated through a licking branch. Very interesting. Would tarsal gland scent attractant work on a licking branch or scrape?

I've seen reference to this idea several times in various magazine articles. Makes sense, but I'd imagine deer would find a suitable scrape location on their own, very near the original one, if possible.

Done this lots of times using a drill and deck screws. Put a branch where YOU want it, and the deer will come to that spot. Using a fresh-cut branch helps, keep the tip of it 4-5 feet off the ground. Using a tarsal gland or similar can help but not needed. make a scrape under the branch (just kick away all the leaves and brush) create a depression in the middle with the heel of your boot or a stick (this will help urine scent collect there). Lastly, pee in the scrape and walk away. The deer will find it if it's close to a trail. Pee in it each time you are in the woods. Every year I have photos of bucks and doe using my home made scrapes.

That's an awesome idea. I'm will have to try it.

It works. Promise. I never use deer urine anymore (used to) my own does the trick just as well, and once a couple deer start using it, then it becomes a regular stop for more of them.

So deer cannot distinguish between human urine and deer urine?