Dueling scrapes

[Grasshopper]

Yesterday while painting some trim my mind was wondering through past mature buck encounters, and I remembered an old one. I must have been about 13 or 14 and my dad set me up overlooking two scrapes side by side. The were on separate branches of the same tree within a few feet of each other. When I first saw the buck coming I thought it was a hunter carrying his bow sideways by his head. He got about 50 yards from me and started lip curling. I don't know what direction the wind was then, but I'm guessing he got my falling thermals. It was just after daybreak before the sun warms your back and he was down hill in a slight draw. While I was watching the big fellow a smaller yet still very respectable buck showed up in the scrapes. I didn't get a shot at either the big guy turned and walked out around me, and the other went to him before I could take a chance at him.
Last season I was doing some in season scouting on a rainy day and found a similar set of scrapes. I never got back in the area, but I'm wondering if this is sign of competition for dominance? The scrapes from last year were on the top of a ridge I believe that bucks were bedding down over the side in the thermal tunnel and does were up on top in a clear cut. The scrapes being a dot in between.
Have you any experience with duel or dueling scrapes?

[stash59]

I see multiple scrapes under the same tree all the time!!!

[Tufrthnails]

Yeah me too. Not sure if it is just coincidence or what but seems like If I find a magnolia tree here in FL it have a couple scrapes under it, could just be the tree shape and lower limbs that stretch good, but that's what I see.

[dan]

Thats what we call "bed scrapes" the fact that it had 2 branches is probably coincidental. Bucks bedding near each other with overlapping staging areas often have "bed scrapes" at the staging area very close to there beds. My biggest bow bucks have been shot at such scrapes. Sometimes its one small scrape and one branch, sometimes multiple. I personally think that just has to do with the number of branches available to work. When there are multiple branches I watch each buck work each branch, not one gets one branch an d the other gets the other...

[Tufrthnails]

I personally think that just has to do with the number of branches available to work. When there are multiple branches I watch each buck work each branch, not one gets one branch an d the other gets the other...

That's what I've seen as well. All the scrapes get hit unless they are interrupted by and arrow!!!

[Wetfoot]

In 1990 I shot a decent 8 pt that I hit in the shoulder and ended up tracking the deer over a mile in the dark. Every time I'd loose his track I found it again by getting back on his NW heading. Finally realized he was on a rub line. He led me right to his bedding area and something I've never seen since. It was a maple with branches reaching to about 5 feet off the ground with 9 scrapes under it. There were rub lines radiating out in several directions. I was never able to go back and hunt the spot as I later figured out that I had crossed onto private while tracking. I've never been able to find that many scrapes all together again. The most interesting part to me anyway, aside from the number of scrapes, was that it was Oct.1 way before I was expecting to see heavy scrape activity. Really would have liked to be able to dissect that particular spot to be able to understand all the elements involved.

[Grasshopper]

The scrapes from last year were definitely in the vicinity of bedding, but the ones from when I was a teen were likely not so much. I'd say they were closer to food than bedding. I think my dad found them while scouting for Turkey so our Turkey season opener is Halloween weekend. Making that encounter fall in late October or early November.

[Jhand]

My first year ever hunting I found a tree that had three separate scrapes under it, they were right next to one another. With a big one in the middle and two small ones on either side. I thought it was normal until I started telling people about it. Every year since then there has only been one scrape under it.

[stash59]

Often the trees with multiple scrapes early in the season. End up with 1 giant one by the time breeding starts. From all the different bucks working them so hard.

[Lockdown]

I had a solid line on a monster buck in the spring of 2016. I wasn't sure if he was alive or not, but his staging areas and rublines were obvious! Thigh sized rubs too. My friend saw him the fall prior.

One of his beds was in a patch of that 8' shatter cane and as soon as he hit the trees the rubs started. Just beyond that there were scrapes galore. I'm talking dozens... I don't remember the exact number I counted but it was something like 30-40 in a 6 acre area. There were two trees about 40 yards apart (nearest his bed) that BOTH had 5 or 6 scrapes on them. I've never seen anything like it.

I hunted back there twice last year and all that sign was gone minus occasional small bucks rubs and TWO scrapes.

My buddy later heard that a big one did get shot in that general area in 2015. So apparently it was "the one".

I think it was just a simple case of an aggressive buck who left lots of sign. My buddy hunted that property all over and never even saw a shooter

[Horizontal Hunter]

My first year ever hunting I found a tree that had three separate scrapes under it, they were right next to one another. With a big one in the middle and two small ones on either side. I thought it was normal until I started telling people about it. Every year since then there has only been one scrape under it.

About 7-8 years ago I shot my best buck (not my biggest) over a scrape hunting with my dad. He had his nose in a scrape when I shot him. As of last season his scrape line has not been opened up since.

Bob

[Boogieman1]

I have killed several bucks over these type scrapes. I actually just thought it was just a plain Jane scrape until getting on this site and hearing Dan explain it. But these are my favorite stands! It seems each buck will rise at different times and see what the other buck did to his scrape. Then as if he's saying I will show u, he leaves his own musk. After a rain ends during early part of the rut it would take a army with high tech explosives to get me out of that tree.

[Fins & Tines]

I have a setup just like this just waiting for October...

Red line is property boundary. White dots are the scrapes we found in January that were still being worked. I found a bed on the next point south while turkey hunting this spring. He's bedding over the property line...

There is the faintest of trails along the inside of the draw along the upper third. Goes from his bed to both scrapes, then on around to where he can wind the doe bedding in the clear cut.




We're doing a camera survey this summer about 150yds from the scrapes. Our deer dropped their antlers late so we're a little behind everyone, but this is him..

[dan]

I have a setup just like this just waiting for October...

Red line is property boundary. White dots are the scrapes we found in January that were still being worked. I found a bed on the next point south while turkey hunting this spring. He's bedding over the property line...

That looks like a great spot to set up with or without the scrapes.

[Fins & Tines]

I have a setup just like this just waiting for October...

Red line is property boundary. White dots are the scrapes we found in January that were still being worked. I found a bed on the next point south while turkey hunting this spring. He's bedding over the property line...

That looks like a great spot to set up with or without the scrapes.

Thanks Dan. Means a lot!!! I picked that spot based off of what I learned here.

The flat to the west is a big oak flat. Whites, reds, blacks. I can't wait for bow season!!!!