Why do bucks scrape

Brand Gear. New Arrivals. April 23, Mock Scrapes for Mature Bucks. If you have multiple mock scrape set-ups, some experts believe you should vary the scent used at different locations. Then, if a preference is shown before the spot is hunted, switch all of them over to the preferred smell.

This buck seems to love the smell emanating from the wick. The buck interacts with this branch by licking or chewing on it and scent marking it with his forehead and preorbital glands. Targeting the Best Areas While a dripper is a cool tool, hot scrape areas can be created without one. Simply opening up a scrape underneath the correct height licking branch by removing all the leaf-litter with a sturdy stick and then placing some scent in the scrape, or hanging a lure-soaked wick in the right place can be all it takes.

Let it Be Known! A heat—activated scent dripper can dramatically increase your odds at a scrape location. It drips scent during daytime hours, conditioning bucks into showing up during legal shooting light when the smell will be at its peak. The Best Times Location of a mock scrape is important. Look for areas that already have a scrape activity, target the largest scrapes, clusters of scrapes, or scrapes you know have been freshened again and again.

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Learn proper techniques for tracking deer blood with information on how and when to correct those near-fatal shots. Magna Carta of Wildlife Conservation. Waterfowl , Conservation , Mossy Oak. Glodo: Family of Duck Call Makers. If the buck scrapes are active, hunt them. Fruit tree scrape areas should be hunted only during evenings. On morning hunts, be on stand and settled in an absolute minimum of an hour and a half before dawn.

When hunting active scrape areas during pre-rut, try to remain on stand until at least noon and all day if possible. Why such an early arrival? Even during the rut phases, a pressured mature buck will generally continue to bed prior to first light. You should be set up and quiet before he passes through the area. Otherwise, without knowing it, you might spook him with a typical half hour prior to daylight entry.

These occurrences usually happen when the scrape areas are at their peak activity level, which is during pre-rut. In pressured areas, primetime mature buck rut phase activity takes place between 11 a. Twenty of my Michigan book bucks were taken between October 28 and November 14, and seven of the 20 were taken between 11 a. Bucks learn at an early age to either pattern normal hunter behavior and adjust their movements accordingly, or suffer the consequences. Twenty-eight of my 31 Michigan record book bucks carried old wounds while none of my 19 Pope and Young bucks from out of state had ever been touched.

Scrape area activity decreases and mature bucks will oftentimes be drawn away from their core living areas when picking their next estrous does that might have overlapping core areas. Also, since buck ranges expand during peak rut due to overlapping doe core areas, bucks from other areas will overlap into yours as well and will visit the local scrape areas to pick up their next partner.

Never forget that primary scrape areas are made in heavy doe traffic areas, making them the best place to intercept an amorous buck even during peak rut. During peak rut, estrous does lead males around on very unpredictable routes. This makes them vulnerable to hunters on uncharted routes. Skip to content. When the days get short and the air gets cold, Mother Nature devolves every mature whitetail buck into a teenager with uncontrollable raging hormones.

And like teenage boys, they have a lot of pent up angst and …urge. But to look at it from a biological standpoint, the rubs that shred the tree bark and the scrapes clearing the forest floor like crop circles, are actually useful tools in keeping the species moving forward.

Whether on the trunk of the tree or a low-hanging branch, during the rut and pre-rut bucks are looking for a place to mark their territory and scare off would-be suitors. Of course there are other bucks in the area doing the same, so often times multiple bucks are laying scent one on top of another.