Summer scouting podcast Question... How early do you find scrapes?

[rfickes87]

I just listened to Dan's #5 YouTube podcast. Summer scouting. I've listened to it about 3 times the last month. Trying to do everything i can right this summer and make the most of it.
But one big question i have... Dan, 2 of your bucks you talk about were located in summer and you shot them over scrapes in September. I have a question, how early in the summer were you seeing these mature bucks work scrapes? You said you glasses them working scrapes in summer. I really struggle with this finding early season scrapes in PA. I don't usually see scrapes until October. Perhaps wisconsin is a little ahead of PA?
I hear guys say deer work them all year round. I've never seen it outside of Oct, Nov, Dec. Not saying i don't believe it i guess perhaps i never looked hard enough. If you've seen bucks work scrapes in July, August then i guess im asking bc it'd give me the confidence to look harder here soon to find scrapes like that early in the season.

[Tennhunter3]

Here in Tn ive found scrapes in Early October. never seen any in September or earlier here.

I do wonder if mature bucks check primary scrapes year round similar to how they check signpost rubs to scent check what deer come through their areas???

[Jdw]

I have a camera set over a primary scrape back in some heavy cover, that the licking branch gets worked year round. I have seen Bucks work the scrape in the off season also but the sign is more subtle than in the fall.
It also seems to be much more important where the scrape is located for it to be worked in the off season. I have not seen near as much activity on field edge type scrapes as scapes closer to bedding further into the cover.

[rfickes87]

I have a camera set over a primary scrape back in some heavy cover, that the licking branch gets worked year round. I have seen Bucks work the scrape in the off season also but the sign is more subtle than in the fall.
It also seems to be much more important where the scrape is located for it to be worked in the off season. I have not seen near as much activity on field edge type scrapes as scapes closer to bedding further into the cover.

Thanks Jdw. That makes a lot of sense about the scrapes more so in around bedding. That's really what im trying to focus in on. Are you in hilly country? I am. I only see scrapes in October. On field edges or a lot on old logging roads. Basically any flat ground. Trying now to find that near bedding to see how often it gets used.

[Jdw]

I am in hill country, with a good bit of ag land mixed in.
We have pretty good dear numbers and a fairly balanced age structure which also helps.

[dan]

I was just editing old video for the farm DVD and was watching some old footage of me finding a scrape in August and while Im looking at it saying how fresh it looks a big buck jumps up from its bed 20 yards from me and takes off... Yea, I find scrapes all year. The primary scrapes are used all year... You have to look a little closer cause there not as aggressively used, and there are no where close to the amount I find in November. But, I can say a good handful of my best bucks came from early scrapes.

[Wlog]

One of the biggest stinkyest scrapes I ever found was in August in Delaware.

[rfickes87]

Thanks guys!

[tgreeno]

I found a scrape within 100 yards of some prime buck beds in April. I'm definitely putting a camera on it this summer & fall.

[C r o w]

Thanks guys!

Granted I've never killed a buck any larger then a basket 9... I found scrapes in SW PA in August last year. There were 2 within 50 yards of each and at least a dozen or more rubs within 75 yards that I could see. I hung a lock on about 50 yards or so down a deer trail from this "hot spot" and saw the brute that was responsible. It was hands down the biggest buck I've ever seen in the woods. Later that day 3 smaller bucks came within bow range of me. Only having a very limited amount of time to hunt due to college obligations and have ever even had a buck close enough in now range to shoot at, I took a shot and harvested my first 8 point with a bow. Nothing impressive but nonetheless I learned a lot of valuable lessons about scouting last year. 4 bucks within 3 hours isn't bad at all I don't think. That was the first Saturday of the 2016 PA archery season.

[rfickes87]

I found a scrape within 100 yards of some prime buck beds in April. I'm definitely putting a camera on it this summer & fall.

An active scrape in April??

[RidgeGhost]

I found a scrape within 100 yards of some prime buck beds in April. I'm definitely putting a camera on it this summer & fall.

An active scrape in April??

I found several active scrapes in mid march. Not being destroyed, but definitely used. But only in the hard to get to areas, seems they don't mind letting their hair down if they think nobody's watching

[tgreeno]

I found a scrape within 100 yards of some prime buck beds in April. I'm definitely putting a camera on it this summer & fall.

An active scrape in April??

It was not being hammered like during the rut, but it was open, fresh dirt and licking branch. Actually April 30th.

[Wannabelikedan]

Last year I found a fresh scrape the first week of September. Heard before that bucks, primarily mature ones, will use them year round. This instance was the first time I had a visual of one that far out of the prime rutting time frame. I left a camera out this year in a area that gets hammered with scrape activity throughout the rut. I'll share some pics if I catch one working a scrape from march-sept

[Dewey]

I have found fresh scrapes year round. Everybody thinks bucks only make scrapes during the rut but that's completely false. I don't believe all bucks scrape year round but some of the more agressive bucks no doubt do it with a much higher frequency.