scrapes still being hit

[riceg53]

Hey everyone, I have been doing a lot of scouting this off season and its going pretty well so far. Seeing lots of old rubs and scrapes but I noticed there were still tracks in some of the scrapes I had found. I put a camera over 2 of them (they were in different areas) and come to see that there are still deer, both does and antler-less bucks hitting them regularly and mostly daylight hours right now too. Is it safe to say i found some sort of year round communication scrapes? When do you guys think would be the best time to hang and hunt over them? Early season? Pre-rut? feedback is appreciated.

[Ghost Hunter]

They will use them year round just not as aggressive or meaningful as they do in fall. Lot times old scrapes will be opened up when temps drop a good amount.

[riceg53]

They will use them year round just not as aggressive or meaningful as they do in fall. Lot times old scrapes will be opened up when temps drop a good amount.

So do you think it is safe to say I should focus on these scrape areas during the pre-rut/rut? Maybe even early season?

[Hawthorne]

If they are close to bedding say 100 yds it could be a good early season spot and a good rut spot.If there is heavy pressure and no bedding near might not be worth it.

[Ghost Hunter]

Biggest thing about any kind of sign. All you are looking at is where that deer once was at earlier. Most scrapes are during dark hours. Be right after dark or before daylight. I would be looking at direction they came from an get as close to where they are before they get to that scrape. There has got be good cover in that area within a reasonable distance.

[Ghost Hunter]

Its like a puzzle you can not just stop with one piece being that scrape. You got to head toward closest cover slowly take your time and put pieces together. Look at which way he was facing when he did scrape. Which way was debris thrown that he raked out. That may give you a clue which way he come from before he got there.

[may21581]

Outside of the rut time frame how do we think deer communicate with scrapes? If a community scrape were to go stale could this indicate trouble in the area for the mature deer?
Do doe communities and groups keep tabs on one another with them. Do the scrapes act as boundries to their home range? Just curious on everyone's thoughts.

[SniperGear.net]

I was in the same situation last year. Hung a camera over the scrapes and did not have a mature buck hit during daylight hours until October 25th (Basically the start of rut for us here in Michigan) He seemed to hit them hard during daylight November 1st (On a morning after a rainstorm that lasted until 6:00am. I assume this kept him in out of bedding during daylight longer). The last I saw of him was around November 10th. Hope this helps!

[Ghost Hunter]

Outside of the rut time frame how do we think deer communicate with scrapes? If a community scrape were to go stale could this indicate trouble in the area for the mature deer?
Do doe communities and groups keep tabs on one another with them. Do the scrapes act as boundries to their home range? Just curious on everyone's thoughts.

I really don't think there is much to it. I think it kind like when you get break in temps during summer from upper 90's to low 70's for highs. You get that little feeling of burst of energy. Its just natural reaction for them.

[may21581]

I was in the same situation last year. Hung a camera over the scrapes and did not have a mature buck hit during daylight hours until October 25th (Basically the start of rut for us here in Michigan) He seemed to hit them hard during daylight November 1st (On a morning after a rainstorm that lasted until 6:00am. I assume this kept him in out of bedding during daylight longer). The last I saw of him was around November 10th. Hope this helps!

I agree with you on scrapes being hit hard after rainstorms. I have witnessed the same thing with observations and hunting. Killer time to hunt a good scrape for a mature buck.