scrape line hunting

[stevewills]

i have always been a set on a trail in the morning thats going to bedding,and evening to feeding,find preffered food.does anyone hunt scrape lines and how do you do it,these deer are hitting them in daylight,as i have looked at the scrapes going in and were not touched and come out and they are fresh...

[LongStick64]

I came across a set of scrapes this morning, fresh. After scouting a bit I found a set of tracks in the sandy soil, 75 yards away. No doubt this buck made the scrapes and was using the wind to check in on them. I never crossed paths with him but I think he is a keeper.

 

[ny state land]

Alot of the bigger scraps where i used to hunt were getting hit in the middle of the night. but as the rut gets closer anything can happen and there no better place to be.imho

[RedShaft]

around last week of October will be your best bet. as this is the lead up to the seeking phase. esp after a fresh snow or rain. they will go around and re freshen them up.

[Hoyt]

I've spent a whole lot of hrs. in trees where I could keep my eye on a scrape. Vast majority of them without seeing any deer.

That being said, the next time I go in the woods..hopefully this afternoon or in the morning if the rain stops..I'll be sitting over a scrape.

I don't hunt scrapes nearly as much as I used to, but when I run across one that is has been tended freshly after a rain or between my passings, I'll hunt it.

If it's got big, fresh, rubs around, I can't help myself. The one I'm going to hunt now has and even gobs of white oak acorns falling on top of it.

[Panzer]

It probably wouldn't hurt to hunt them, especially if they lead through a funnel.

[huskyarcher]

If you believe in stats, 72-74% of scrape activity is nocturnal, according to D&DH i believe.

That being said, IMO you will be much better off finding a funnel and putting in your time.

Good luck in whatever you do!

[stevewills]

where i found these new scrapes is coming off two ridges into a flat 4 trails come together and i found a secoundary trail that comes off the scrape that only has heavy hoof prints and has a new big rub lines.this is our farm and i have killed some dandys off of it,but i have never seen a scrape or rub in this area before and the only place for a stand was near a scrape and still have good backcover.i have killed two big bucks within 100 yards of this spot,but as i stated earlier i have never hunted near a scrape...oh well i guess i will find out when i hunt it....

[Bow-n-Head]

Put a trail cam on one & find out!!

[stevewills]

i dont do the whole trail camera thing,i like to be suprised

[Hopewell Tom]

I'm usually surprised, trail cam or no.

I have one camera only that I put out for a week at a time. Just moved it to a fresh scrape yesterday (one in a line along a ridge). I want to see WHEN it's hit. I've seen the data on nocturnal use, but have more than once come back around to a scrape seen in the morning that was freshened during my absence. That's upsetting. Big rain forecast for tomorrow, so we'll see.
To my mind hunting a particular scrape probably needs several days straight of all day sitting. And a very good entrance and exit route. And the wind perfect. You're trying for a good buck after all.
This rut thingy is always interesting...

[Jerry Jeffer]

Don't bother. Follow the does, the bucks will be along soon after.

[rolltidehunter]

i have shot several bucks over scrape lines.  i love hunting them. usually the bucks will be following does to the scrapes. does pee and leave sent in scrapes and licking branches just like the bucks do... now if i find a bunch of rubs in a area and no scrapes i tend not to hunt over them but i will hunt in that area.