Late season mock scrapes?

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MIpublicarcher
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Late season mock scrapes?

Unread postby MIpublicarcher » Fri Dec 06, 2019 8:25 pm

Hey all, im James. Been lurking here a long time absorbing knowledge but would love to become a more active member of the community. I am a relatively new convert to beast tactics and trying to hunt in a much more aggressive and analytic fashion and have spent what seems like 10,000 hours so far this season watching videos, reading books and articles and asking questions on facebook. I am trying to jump start my education a bit so I figured I had better come straight to the source.

I am Looking for some opinions on how late is too late to put up mock scrapes as well as how much attention most people place on scrapes in the late season. I personally have only really focused on them during the primary rut and tend to hunt bedding and food sources as it gets later. I know that the typical time of year for this is early and pre season but is there some reason I would not want to set them up at this time of year in preparation for the secondary rut? To clarify, my primary goal with these is really just to get the deer to stop for a picture at some of my camera locations where I use cheap slower shutter speed cameras. I have most of them set up on heavily used trails on ridges and marsh or crop field edges leading from food to bedding. Despite setting the cams facing the trail with a wide point of view I still know that I am missing a lot of pictures due to the number of tracks and better results I get with more expensive cams. I want to know if there would be any reason I would not want to hang a vine scrape in these locations to try and get more photos. I only check these cams when I hunt the locations so I am already intruding as little as possible and am maintaining strong scent control routines so I am not worried about negatively effecting the deer movement in those ways. Also, now that I am paying more attention to them I have already been seeing fresh scrapes open up in the past week or so but not nearly the numbers I was seeing in November. I welcome any and all thoughts on the topic.

Thanks,
James


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Huntress13
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Re: Late season mock scrapes?

Unread postby Huntress13 » Sat Dec 07, 2019 12:59 am

My opinion is that you may have some deer use it, but not in any predictable pattern. So at this stage of the game, what is your goal, to hunt it and knock down a big one this year? Or inventory for next year?
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Tennhunter3
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Re: Late season mock scrapes?

Unread postby Tennhunter3 » Sat Dec 07, 2019 1:42 am

My question is why do you feel you need a mock scrape?
I see this all over on youtube about it being this craze.

If your hunting a private farm with 20 shooters you have nothing to lose. If your hunting pressured public a mock scrape is only going to put the few bucks around on alert. Mature Bucks know every smell in their home range.

A primary scrape is near a fantastic spot to sit. So creating one is pointless it's already in place and has been for generations.

The best spots are worked year round.

I think alot of people are bored and just want to do stuff.
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EllieTheChubb
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Re: Late season mock scrapes?

Unread postby EllieTheChubb » Sat Dec 07, 2019 4:01 am

MIpublicarcher wrote: To clarify, my primary goal with these is really just to get the deer to stop for a picture at some of my camera locations where I use cheap slower shutter speed cameras. I have most of them set up on heavily used trails on ridges and marsh or crop field edges leading from food to bedding. Despite setting the cams facing the trail with a wide point of view I still know that I am missing a lot of pictures due to the number of tracks and better results I get with more expensive cams.


One way to overcome a slow camera is to point it down the trail so the deer are walking towards the camera. It will put them infront of the camera longer.

As far as the mock scrape goes thats just not my thing so I cant help you there. If you try it let us know how it goes!
bh bowhunter
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Re: Late season mock scrapes?

Unread postby bh bowhunter » Mon Dec 09, 2019 3:16 am

I use mock scrapes for the same reasons, I just need that buck to stop in a shooting lane long enough to take a good shot! I like to place the scrape in a lane next to the trail I hunt over. If there isn't a good hanging branch I will place one there. I then use a stick to tear up the ground and pee in it. Not sure if the pee is what attracks them or the fresh earth smell.

I have had good results with this over the years for sure. I mostly do this in front of Rut Stands. I like to create the scrape, leave a camera, and stay out til November. Here is a video of one of my scrapes.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdkCuf9pH4Y&feature=youtu.be


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