Scrape hunting question?

[woodslinger]

I have three areas where scrapes appear in the exact same spot and have done so for the last 5 years. These scrapes are not huge by any means but they do appear in the same spot every year usually sometime during the end of September  and first of October. All these scrapes are deep in the woods far from any type of hunting pressure and located along travel funnels around swamps. I have never hunted over them with my bow but am considering doing so this year. Does anyone have any experience hunting these "annual scrapes"?

I have considered buying a few trail cams and seeing just what type of buck is making them.

[Stumpkiller]

My favorite stand is in a spot where three deer trails converge.  There are several old apple trees and beside one of the craggy, 'ol apple trees is a spot that has had a half-hearted scrape since I bought the property in 2006.  May have been there for 30 years for all I know.  It's never been worked too hard - it seems to be more a waypoint tha a destination.

I don't hunt the scrape, per se, but I certainly hunt the travel lanes.  I did take one buck while he was sniffing the branches.

Here you can see the scraggy little apple tree and my stand.  When I first put my stand there I didn't notice the scrape - if it were a "real" one I'd have set up too close.  The main travel route is actually off to the left of the second image.

   

   

[LimBender]

I agree with Charlie, not always best to hunt right on the hot scrape area.  If you can find where they are coming from and line it up with bedding and feeding, that could be the ticket.  A swamp can help some because they will try to find a way through where it is not as deep and it may be easier to find (like skirting a swampy area).

Most scrape activity is at night.  Of course in some blessed states, I have seen a lot of daytime scrape activity - but don't think Maine or Louisiana are hotbeds of daytime scrape activity.

[bowtough]

I hunt scrapes a lot, although I have read about big bucks being killed at scrapes, I myself have never killed a really mature buck over a scrape. Now that being said, I have killed smaller bucks years ago over scrapes. [ I don't shoot younger bucks anymore], and still kill does over scrapes that come into them to investigate. Make sure the scrape has a licking branch. I always pee in my own scrapes and the deer can't seem to tell the difference. Scrape hunting is fun just keep the wind in your face. Good huntin, Gary.  

[jhg]

My best luck was taking position somewhat away to the side of the scrape line. The time of day was important- the buck will check them after he has made a "round" of his area during the night and morning and wants to see if a hot doe has left her card on the scrape.
I found after 10 AM and the afternoon to be good times to be there. Never saw a buck on a scrape in the early or late times of day when his time (and yours) would be better spent elsewhere.

In my experience the window for sittting the scrape was very narrow- a few days at best early in the rut or pre-rut-before the buck starts to find some interesting possibilities amoung the girls.
The younger bucks will check the scrape longer- they are not the ones in charge, its not really their scrape, and they do whatever they must to hook up.

Joshua

[Butchie]

Primary scrapes made early in the season (Sept) often indicate a more mature buck and your trail cam could verify that but  keep your visits to a minimum.  Don't hunt over the scrape itself but 50-100 yards downwind of it.  Many bucks will scent check the scrape from afar without ever actually coming in to it especially during daylight hours.  If you're too close to the scrape you may never see some of the bucks checking it but they sure will know you are there.  This has worked well for me.  Best of luck!

[woodslinger]

Thanks guys. I may actually break down and purchase a trail cam or two to see what caliber bucks are around.

[varmint101]

A trail cam over a scrape is something to behold!  Wonderful pics and lots of them!

I have had bucks come into scrapes, but have only taken one shot and missed.  I will add I rattled in the one I missed, but he stopped at the scrape.  The others were bucks I weren't interested in at the time.  You will find 99% of the pictures you get on a seasonal scrape are at night, but sometimes they are during shooting light!

Here is one if I'd have hunted the scrape that morning things may have been different.  Unfortunately I hunted just around the corner from there and heard chasing/grunting going up and down the logging trail 75yds away all morning.(time change it was 715) sigh.

 

Get that camera!
 

[Sawpilot 75]

I have had very good luck scrape hunting over the last 25 years or so. It has only been the last 10-15 that I have really known what I was doing. I think I just got lucky a few times when I was just discovering scrape hunting but since have shot some mature bucks on their way to them and one buck right over the scrape. I have captured thousands of trail cam pics over scrapes, day and night but very few mature bucks. Of the few that I have gotten pictures of have never visited the scrape more than a couple times. As someone here said there is a small window during the season but it can be very rewarding with some good strategy and attention to detail. Good luck!

[1kwikstik]

A camera on a scrape can show you deer you didn't know existed.