Alright, let me preface everything with saying that this is my first year hunting and I'm pretty much ignorant of everything.
The setup: I'm only hunting from the ground without a blind (No real room for blinds), don't have a stand or the funds to purchase one. Though I think in this instance it would probably work better, just not gonna happen this year. Currently wearing a leafy suit. Spot and stalk isn't much of an option: 1) I have the stealth of a buffalo in a bubble wrap factory and 2) There's a whole bunch of leaf litter and branches that make being quiet...well, see #1.
Environment: ~30yd square shaped clearing with a 6' reed section in the middle. Western edge is light woods and heavy thorn vines for 20' and then a lake with a path on northwest corner from clearing to lake. Southwest corner has a path that runs parallel to lake running south. Northern edge is heavy vines and light wood. Two small paths run out to the northeast that opens up to a lightly wooded area with negligible undergrowth (someone else has a tree-stand setup in this area). Southeast has a wide path that runs up to the edge of the woods with a 6' grass clearing leading to chain link fencing/civilization. Wind is normally some variation of west to east (from lake to land).
Scrape #1: Roughly 2ft x 1ft. Northwest corner path just off clearing, light scrape maybe few days old. Had rain last week and doesn't seem to show sign of being rained on but not fresh looking.
Scrape #2: Roughly 2ft x 2ft. Southwest corner path just inside clearing. Looks much fresher than #1. Visible drag marks and white-ish roots.
Scrape #3: Roughly 1ft x 1ft. Northeast corner just inside clearing. At least a week or so old, can see where the rain got to it and formed puddle.
Scrape #4: Roughly 2ft x 2ft. Northeast corner just off clearing on the most eastern of the two trails in this area. Very fresh looking, could see hoof prints and tell direction of scrape was deer heading towards clearing (i.e. dirt/leaves were flung away from clearing).
Scrape #5: Roughly 1ft x 6". Same trail as #4 and roughly 3-5ft away. Another very fresh scrape pointing towards clearing.
In order from freshest to oldest I would say 5, 4, 2, 1, 3.
Normally I sit up in some light brush just off the western edge of the southeast corner giving me a view of the northeast and southwest trails with the northwest trail being obscured by the reeds. I'm assuming that the deer are taking a route roughly northeast heading towards southwest. Am I sitting a good spot in the clearing or should I move to the woods on the northeast where the other guy has a stand or do something else entirely?
The southwest running trail that parallels the lake, I have found scat this morning and I've watched a doe come swimming past me.
PS. It's not public land so I'm not infringing on someone else's spot/territory. This is on-base with hunting areas checked out on first come/first served.
Topic: Help on a Scrape Hunt (Read 409 times)
