Bucks still scraping

[Emmons]

We had about two inches of snow last night.  Had buck a 30 yards while climbing into my stand and before shooting light.  He must have seen or heard me as the wind was good.  Any ways after sitting morning I picked up his track in the snow and found three scrapes that he hit after 4 am when the snow stopped.  I was thinking the rut was over, but I think this guy is still looking for does.  Anyone else still seeing scrape activity.

[Zbone]

Deer are individuals and some will scrape into February in my area. Late scrapes may not be  productive to hunt, but have seen fresh scrapes in snow during January and early February.

Depends upon the area's herd structure, but as long as does (such as button does) are coming into estrus, there'll likely be rutting activity. May not be peak rut, but breeding continues throughout the winter in some areas.


Watched and filmed a big midwestern buck breed a doe on November 30th a few years ago. Most of the whole day laying and breeding with her all while keeping a couple basketracks at bay.

[Rob W.]

I saw multiple fresh scrapes in 2 different areas this morning.

[centaur]

I saw a fresh scrape this morning, too.

[Jerry Jeffer]

Have not seen new scrapes, had new rubs tha were green this morning. Probably bumped him on my way in.

[americanhunter7]

Fresh rub and scrape here too this morning.

[Knawbone]

I have an older Doe that is just now coming into estrus. I believe it was her that left droppings on a Buck scrap that wasn't there yesterday. Her yearling I believe is the one I saw this afternoon in the neighbors field. These are all connect the dot conjectures, but I found were one of my local Does made a scrap ( no licking branch } and pooped in it last year. Two days later I watched a fork horn trying to corral her in my woods at the same location. Has anyone seen this type of behavior in Does before?

[Zbone]

Personally have never seen a doe make a scrape. They paw around in leaves or dig snow for  morsels, but scraping as a signpost, haven't seen it, but learned a long time ago to never say never when it goes to whitetails...8-)

[Jack Rehacek]

I am hunting a area thats has a least 5 srapes I can see from my tree.They just popped up 2 days ago.I sat there tonight seen nothing.Probablly still nocturnal,since gun season just ended.

[Knawbone]

Zbone, I have read were Does have and will make scraps. Twice now i have found droppings in scraps. The one i found last year was a very small scrap on my woods road which had no licking branch what so ever. The scrap also had droppings in it. Also again this year, on the same road, again droppings were there today which were not there yesterday. this scrap is a Buck scrap made during the pre-rut.The scrap had not been reworked by any buck.A doe was bedded some 50 yds. from this scrap. She was a mature deer not a yearling. All this activity has been during the late season. I have never seen were a buck has left droppings in a scrap that I can remember.

[Knawbone]

[Zbone]

As said, learned never say never when it goes to whitetails... but bucks poop a lot while at scrapes in my area.

[Zbone]

Wanted to add - Just because I personally haven't witnessed a doe making a scrape doesn't mean it doesn't happen around here, only means I never seen it...8^) Heck half the scrapes out there could have been made by does for all I know...8^)

[Knawbone]

I know they make community scrapes or at least contribute to a community scrap, but further study suggests that they will scape or paw at a buck scrape, but do not make their own. A Buck also will make a scrape with no licking branch. So to sum it up, it was in all likelihood, a Buck that made the scrape with no licking branch. Although, like you said Zbone, anything is possible.As far as the droppings are concerned, I do believe it was a Doe in both instances= just a hunch!  

[Liquid Amber]

I have bucks, does, grey fox, coons, rabbit and armadillo visiting this scrape.  From what I've found, most critters are curious and will stop and sniff around when walking by one.

A nice series during daylight.  

[BOHO]

rut is just fixing to start here in a couple weeks

[bowtough]

Killed a nice buck on Dec.26 one time, he was chaseing a young doe at the time. Never over till its over. I see a lot of good bucks late season cruseing for does. I think best time to be out there as it is cold and most have given it up.

[tradgreenhorn]

No new scraps here,its been a bad year so far,as our deer numbers are way down. I have not even seen a deer in two weeks of hard hunting,between four of us. Still enjoying time in the woods.    Don

[perry f.]

Got pictures of 3 different bucks working the same scrape last week, all during daylight hours

[refugerambler]

Hadn't really started good here yet