Big droppings next to scrapes...

[Crazinamatese]

I found two scrapes yesterday that are somewhat fresh. Both scrapes are about 50 yards apart and whoever is making them is dropping big turds next to them. I never seen this before. What does this mean?

[may21581]

Big turds = big deer. I dont know the whole science behind it but I find this alot more so on the scrapes back in cover or security. I had recently posted a post about scrapes and had some questions myself on them. I would think that by them crapping near or in them would just be another way of designating them theirs. Not sure if this is relevant or not but it reminds me of two things.

1. Dogs can't stand it when another dog or animal craps in their yard or where they are. How many times have you seen a dog roll in anothers crap just to try and mask the scent of the other animals crap? I know I have had to bTh are dogs numerous times especially when I take them in the woods. Seems like they find the nastiest stinkiest pile in the woods and thrash themselves in it. I think when a deer does this this is just one way they try to scare off intruders and build their dominance status.

2. Male and female lions will urinate and crap in a watering hole. If you see them at a zoo you will see them doing this. They wade into the water and do their business then out. I think that this is a predatory thing in their genetics that is supposed to warn and keep out other intruders. Since watering holes are such a magnet to animals in the wild this would make sense they do it there. In a sense its like a giant scrape!

[Edcyclopedia]

May - Sounds like you know your sht

[brancher147]

I don’t put much faith in big turds near scrapes and I see it a lot but that’s just me. Pretty much any adult deer can make big turds it depends more on what they are eating then size of deer IMO. If they are big scrapes with big tracks and big rubs or other big sign around also then I start paying attention.

[Crazinamatese]

Good posts! Hard to guess the size of tracks in these scrapes as they are small and not well dug in. I put a camera on the trail so hopefully get a look at this deer. The scrapes are in an overlooked spot so Im very curious.

[Ghost Hunter]

One think that I have always put together with droppings near acorn trees, scrapes are that they could be bedded close to those locations. I don't put much stock in scrapes unless they are near bedding areas.