Deer Hunting

Creating mock scrapes to bag a buck this hunting season

This tactic works best during the pre-rut, but creating your own mock scrapes can be a great way to increase your chances of bagging a buck this hunting season on through the rut. Whitetail bucks work scrapes as they travel through the woods in search of doe.While a mock scrape will work on most all male venison in the forest, it is likely to work best on the older bucks that have claimed the hunting area as their own.

Though a buck scrape is a sign of his presence in that area of the woods, much like a deer rub. It is much more when you really take a detailed look at the scrapes in the forest. When a whitetail works the ground creating a scrape he is marking this area as his, They leave their scent, as with a rub.

But a scrape in the forest is different than a rub made by a whitetail buck in the fact that seldom will the deer work the same rub again in the same year. The buck might work it again the next year, but a whitetail will not likely return that specific year. But a scrape in the same woods will be reworked. A portion of scrapes will be refreshed several times throughout the season. Above the scrape will likely be a branch the the buck has chewed and rubbed his scent gland on. These are not always found at a deer rub.

Before making a mock scrape you need to find a natural scrape that has been made by a buck in the woods. Rubs are a sign that deer are have been in the area you are hunting, but often they were made by whitetails that are trying to burn off pent up testosterone. But finding a scrape or two in the forest is a sign that the whitetail likes what he has seen in that area. Look for scrapes on the higher ground areas of the woods where it is dry and the bucks scent isn't likely to be washed away easily in the rain. You will also find scrapes quite often by near fields or food plots.

Once you have found the scrapes, the next step is to judge the activity of the buck or bucks that made them. Cover the scrape with leaves and check it again in a day or so. If the deer is still in your hunting area he is likely to rework the scrape you covered. If the whitetail has indeed refreshed the area, set up your blind or tree stand downwind and get a look at what type buck you are dealing with. It is possible that a smaller buck has worked over an area that was originally made by a larger buck.

Now you have an active scrape, but you have not seen your buck. In all likely hood the whitetail is working the scrape at night. What to do? The key is to make the deer think that another buck is taking over that area of woods without letting the buck know of your presence. You have a choice, work over the scrape he has made, or make a mock scrape in the forest, near his.

When making a mock scrape, unlike reworking the original scrape that was made by the whitetail, you'll be starting from scratch, the way the buck did. You will have to be very careful about leaving scent. The slightest hint of human scent will ruin all your work and the deer will go anywhere in the woods except the mock scrape you've made in the forest. You will need to wear rubber boots and gloves to avoid leaving your scent behind. Work the ground with the heel of your boot revealing fresh earth in a bit of a circular pattern, removing just the top layer of grass and leaves.

Bucks urinate in their scrapes, so a good buck urine scent is needed. Just pour it on the ground you have exposed and let it soak. Now you will need a licking branch, be sure you have picked a spot to make your mock scrape that has a branch about forty inches above the scrape to imitate the licking branch used by whitetail. Twist this branch until it looks as though a buck has chewed on it. Then apply a pre-orbital gland scent to the twisted end of the branch. Now, leave it for a few days. Come back and check every couple days and se if it has been worked. If it has rework it, careful not to leave human sent and set up your blind or tree stand. It is likely the whitetail is working that area of the woods, and you might get a shot.