So, I am now only in my second season hunting, and even though I have spent a boatload of time in the woods over the past 2 years I have found very little sign that I have any confidence in. in fact I can't say I have ever found "hot" sign until this last weekend I found some scrapes and rubs that were clearly made very recently. This is a piece of public land that I had not set foot on before. It is basically full of ag fields, grass fields, and river/creek bottoms, with some areas of hills/ridges. In the 2.5 days I was there I covered about 500 acreas of this particular conservation area, but day 2 I found an area that had more sign than I have ever seen before and I know it is fresh sign, especially since some of the scrapes I found had been used within the past 18 hours or so since it had rained the entire morning before. I found some scrapes that were in wide open areas that I assume would never be daytime. However, the more sign dense area seemed much more secure and contained about 4 small scrapes and one larger scrape about 2'x3.5' that was pretty torn up, with at least a half dozen rubs around it. My question is, does that sound like a spot that absolutely needs to be hunted? and if so, what kind of strategy would best lead to success in that spot? Here is what I'm taking about.
the yellow are scrapes. The ones further north are the open areas, which I don't really feel are in play here. The ones further south are the area I am referring to. The fields further east have rubs at the trails going in and out of the corners of those fields, so bucks are clearly in those areas at some point. Does the scrape area seem like a spot I would find daytime activity? I can't say I know where the beds are, but I have a feeling some are up in the ridges just south of the activity, where they are able to see down to the area from above... maybe? I was stinking up the area on Oct 254th, but I believe it has rained quite a bit since then, so I don't know how much my being there could have impacted the spot.
Anyone have any thoughts on if this is what I should be looking for and how to approach it?
scrapes & rubs, how & when to hunt
- Brad
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scrapes & rubs, how & when to hunt
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- Huntress13
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Re: scrapes & rubs, how & when to hunt
Not an expert, but yes, I would think the bucks would be on the hills and ridges.
Its hard to see those elevation markings but to the southwest, is that a bowl that goes lower than surrounding? If so, I would think there would be deer there, but it looks like it is outside your hunting area.
Its hard to see those elevation markings but to the southwest, is that a bowl that goes lower than surrounding? If so, I would think there would be deer there, but it looks like it is outside your hunting area.
Twigs in my hair, don't care.
- Brad
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Re: scrapes & rubs, how & when to hunt
yea, I know some does bed in the grass field just off of the sign I found, and I am assuming bucks likely bedding above, where they can monitor the area. I was there last weekend, and the grey looking fields were standing corn that was cut last saturday night, and I am not sure how that will effect things. I also am curious if that sign will still be relevant this coming sunday or monday. Anyone have any thoughts on that?
- Huntress13
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Re: scrapes & rubs, how & when to hunt
In my experience, the deer will still eat corn that scattered when harvested. But it's not cover anymore so they may not hang real close to the edge of the field like they would with standing corn. But it's still a destination.
Twigs in my hair, don't care.
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