Scrape hunting question

[RedShaft]

The reason I asked TJ about the time that happened was spot on to what I figured he was going to say.

Read this closely. I have seen it time n time again. If you are interested in hunting scrapes or even a scrape line, mock scrapes. The last week of October ESP the end of that week is prime time in most areas to try and do it. It is the peak of use for them. After that it's onto the seeking phase.

[KentuckyTJ]

Redshaft, I think you are exactly right. Actually if I ran across this scenario I would hang a trail cam on it now and check it in a week or two.

[Zbone]

Not questioning bucks running scrapes especially late October, just stating I've personally never seen a buck purposely "scent check" a scrape 50 - 75 away. At that range can't be determined what he might be sniffing, might even be somebody's ground scent who is watching him.... Heck ya can't even see 75 yards away with the foliage in my woods right now...

[RedShaft]

Zbone,
Just for sake of things. I wasn't at all stating my last post to argue. I just said that to let others know who may be following along know what my findings are at that time of year having to do with scrapes. It was not directed in a response to what u posted

[xtrema312]

I would hunt it, but figure out not only the wind but also the travel line.  They may not check downwind if the travel route does not work for that. I have had spots where I could hunt right on the scrape and see way down wind.  Deer did not come down wind because of open ground or some other thing.   I had a real unique a little spot where I fretted how to hunt this big scrape on a small property.  The prevailing wind ran the cover line and I figured I would get busted on or downwind of the scrapes.  I hunted it with off winds a few years and figured out 90% of the time deer came from the prevailing wind direction.  It was just due to something about the way they traveled the areas due to something outside the properly.  Nothing that I could figure from an aerial, but something made them take the same line no matter the wind direction.  After I figured that out, I just sat down the line a little from the scrape so as not to stink up the area right at the scrape and put them off coming to it in day light.

I had a spot with big scrapes every year and pics of 12-14 different bucks hitting it the last couple of years. There was no scrape line or rub line I could find.  Just this pocket areas with a big scrape cluster.  They hit at night until the prerut kicks in end of October then they start showing in the light.  I hunted it off and on a few years and notice when they showed up.  I thought some must be coming in the daytime, and I was just not there when they did. A trail camera revealed that when I had been seeing them was about the only time they were there in the daytime. The last two years I didn’t hunt it at all until about the first of November and then hit it about 4 days in a row.   I now lean towards holding on the big scrapes until prime time, but I will hunt the smaller ones on lines to pick off does earlier and maybe a buck out for an early cruse.

[RedShaft]

Xtreme,
What time of day did you find the activity when they started showing up during daylight?

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Interesting Topic.

Good Luck,  I have not found a scrape like that in a few years.

[LookMomNoSights]

Originally posted by xtrema312:
I would hunt it, but figure out not only the wind but also the travel line.  They may not check downwind if the travel route does not work for that. I have had spots where I could hunt right on the scrape and see way down wind.  Deer did not come down wind because of open ground or some other thing.   I had a real unique a little spot where I fretted how to hunt this big scrape on a small property.  The prevailing wind ran the cover line and I figured I would get busted on or downwind of the scrapes.  I hunted it with off winds a few years and figured out 90% of the time deer came from the prevailing wind direction.  It was just due to something about the way they traveled the areas due to something outside the properly.  Nothing that I could figure from an aerial, but something made them take the same line no matter the wind direction.  After I figured that out, I just sat down the line a little from the scrape so as not to stink up the area right at the scrape and put them off coming to it in day light.

I had a spot with big scrapes every year and pics of 12-14 different bucks hitting it the last couple of years. There was no scrape line or rub line I could find.  Just this pocket areas with a big scrape cluster.  They hit at night until the prerut kicks in end of October then they start showing in the light.  I hunted it off and on a few years and notice when they showed up.  I thought some must be coming in the daytime, and I was just not there when they did. A trail camera revealed that when I had been seeing them was about the only time they were there in the daytime. The last two years I didn’t hunt it at all until about the first of November and then hit it about 4 days in a row.   I now lean towards holding on the big scrapes until prime time, but I will hunt the smaller ones on lines to pick off does earlier and maybe a buck out for an early cruse.

AH, READ THIS A FEW TIMES!!! LOTS OF GOOD INFO HERE AND SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT!  Thanks for posting Xtrema312  

[xtrema312]

Originally posted by RedShaft:
Xtreme,
What time of day did you find the activity when they started showing up during daylight?

At first it would be early morning, but then it became more and more 10-11 as the bucks checked cover and checked in on the scrapes looking for hot does. Being down on the  travel line helped not spook them of the scrape as they went from  dark to night visits.  That one spot was so easy to monitor and consistent I got to  where I would hunt early for a week and then just go in 1/2 hour after sun up so I didn't bump the  does and I would catch the buck movement.  In that spot I never saw bucks in the evening. While this spot was unique in some ways, I think there were some  things I saw that were very consistant with observations in general on how bucks use scrapes and when.

[JMG]

Interesting thread here with a lot of good information. To my surprise, there's one crucial piece of information that I have not seen mentioned which is "moon phase" and it's effects on deer during the pre-rut, rut and post-rut. My season has been cut short because of a shattered ankle but for the last week during the full moon, my 70 year old father has been hunting over a huge scrape with success! Last Monday evening while bowhunting he had a small 4 pointer come in under his stand and started making a scrape. But out of no where came a larger buck that literally barreled over the smaller buck!! He said it happened so fast that he couldn't get off a shot. Come early Thursday morning, (hour before day break), as he was putting out his scent, (James Valley's Scrape Gel), he heard a grunt followed by a snort wheeze. Then the buck come in on him as he was still on the ground. He said the buck knew he was there but didn't have a care. Made him a little nervous. Friday morning, he basically had the very same thing happen to him while putting out his scent. But after returning to his stand to hunt Friday afternoon he noticed that the scrape was tore up since he left that morning at 10AM. Saturday morning he hunted until about 9AM with plans to return around 11 to hunt the remainder of the day. After being in his stand for a couple hours he decided to refreshen his scent around 1PM. About forty minutes later he heard the distinctive sound of a grunt. My dad harvested a 2.5 year old 7 pointer in the middle of the day! Take in consideration that he was hunting about 30 yards down wind of the scrape and took in consideration his beliefs on how deer seem to move more during the middle of the day during the full moon phase. I, like my father believe that moon phases play a key role in scrape hunting and deer hunting in general.

[MCNSC]

I found one of the best scrapes I have seen in years. Hung a camera on it , had five different bucks and some does over a few days. The only on in the day time was a decent size eight at 9:59 am. I hunted it ( before checking the camera) last Thursday he came by at 9:45 but did not come to the large scrape. Instead he visited two other smaller scrapes but I could not get a shot in that direction. I approached from down wind thru the open hardwoods, I am hoping the openness of the hardwoods will keep them from scent checking from that direction.

[MCNSC]

Which of the James Vally gels are you guys using? Do any of the TG Spencer's carry it?
Thanks

[RedShaft]

Originally posted by JMG:
Interesting thread here with a lot of good information. To my surprise, there's one crucial piece of information that I have not seen mentioned which is "moon phase" and it's effects on deer during the pre-rut, rut and post-rut. My season has been cut short because of a shattered ankle but for the last week during the full moon, my 70 year old father has been hunting over a huge scrape with success! Last Monday evening while bowhunting he had a small 4 pointer come in under his stand and started making a scrape. But out of no where came a larger buck that literally barreled over the smaller buck!! He said it happened so fast that he couldn't get off a shot. Come early Thursday morning, (hour before day break), as he was putting out his scent, (James Valley's Scrape Gel), he heard a grunt followed by a snort wheeze. Then the buck come in on him as he was still on the ground. He said the buck knew he was there but didn't have a care. Made him a little nervous. Friday morning, he basically had the very same thing happen to him while putting out his scent. But after returning to his stand to hunt Friday afternoon he noticed that the scrape was tore up since he left that morning at 10AM. Saturday morning he hunted until about 9AM with plans to return around 11 to hunt the remainder of the day. After being in his stand for a couple hours he decided to refreshen his scent around 1PM. About forty minutes later he heard the distinctive sound of a grunt. My dad harvested a 2.5 year old 7 pointer in the middle of the day! Take in consideration that he was hunting about 30 yards down wind of the scrape and took in consideration his beliefs on how deer seem to move more during the middle of the day during the full moon phase. I, like my father believe that moon phases play a key role in scrape hunting and deer hunting in general.

thanks for that post! some great info there!

[RedShaft]

also i have always heard nothing but good about the james valley vs1.

[JMG]

Thanks Brad. My dad swears by James Valley as well as hunting the moon phases. I like trying new scents but for some reason I keep coming back to ole reliable James Valley.    

[RedShaft]

There is something exciting sitting amongst some fresh scrapes. I killed a doe who came in and checked a scrape two Tuesdays ago. i just doctored up a scrape this afternoon and put a trail cam there. i just enjoy getting pics. it the same ones i killed the doe over. i found 2 more fresh ones today. i be in there this week. i wish i was on vacation i would hunt it mid day and give it a shot. Stinking work, always gets in the way dont it!?

[JMG]

Work and shattered ankle always will screw up things!! LOL. And yes, there's something exciting about hunting scrapes, especially if you know if there is a big boy around. The buck in my avatar was shot 40 yards down wind of a scrape on a secondary trail that he was using to wind check his scrape line. And yes, I was using James Valleys "Lethal Weapon" when I shot him. He came basically running in.  

[RedShaft]

great buck!

[Robhood23]

For the guys who say not to set up a ways down wind I am guessing they are getting winded sitting the scrapes by bucks they never knew were there. I can only go off my experience and what I have seen in the woods. Maybe it is just our MN bucks!!