Scrape Hunting
By T.R. Michels
After seven
years of whitetail scrape research I have to admit that I'm a
firm believe in using scrapes to determine which rut phase the
deer are in, to determine where the bucks are most active
throughout the day and night, and to determine what time of the
day the bucks are most active. Once I have determined which rut
phase the bucks are in (so I know how active they may be during
daylight hours) determined that scrapes in particular areas are
getting hit on a regular basis; and determined which scrapes are
getting hit most often during daylight hours, I have a pretty
good idea of where I should setup to hunt for bucks.
One of the
best times to hunt bucks is during the scraping phase (which
often occurs from mid to late October in states above the 40th
parallel), because it is when buck are often most active and
predictable in where and when they move during daylight hours.
But, you can use the information you gain from checking scrapes
regularly to hunt bucks during the entire hunting season.
Hunting the
different Rut Phases
Bucks begin
traveling their rub routes, working licking branches, and using
some scrapes during the Pre-Rut/Rubbing and Dispersal Phases, as
much as two months before peak breeding. Even though these
Pre-Rut/Rubbing and Dispersal Phase scrapes may not be used
regularly they can be productive as hunting sites when they
first appear in September or October. If these early scrapes are
traditional they may also be used during the Primary Breeding
Phase, and again during the Post Primary Breeding Phase of the
rut.
The best time
to see bucks at scrapes is during the Pre-Primary
Breeding/Scraping Phase, the two to three weeks just before peak
breeding activity. Because of their strong rutting urge buck's
leave their beds earlier than normal at this time, and they may
check the scrapes near their bedding area before sunset as they
make their nightly rounds. They may also return to their beds
later than normal in the morning after looking for does all
night, and they may check the scrapes along their route near
their bedding area after sunrise.
Although
bucks may not regularly visit scrapes during the Primary
Breeding Phase they often travel the areas where both
traditional and non-traditional scrapes occur (in travel
corridors leading to and from bedding areas and food sources; in
staging areas near food sources; and near doe core areas), as
they look for or tend does. This is why you should pay close
attention to all scrapes, especially those near food sources and
doe areas.
During the
Post Primary Breeding Phase the dominant bucks that are not worn
out, and some aggressive subdominants, may start traveling rub
routes and making new scrapes, or re-using previous scrapes.
Most of this scraping activity will occur near doe use areas,
and at staging areas near food sources. When the bucks no longer
find evidence of estrous does they usually return to the
security of their core areas to rest and put on weight for the
remainder of the rut and the winter. During the six years of my
study I seldom saw dominant bucks outside their core areas in
daylight hours during the Rest Phase.
Does that
were not bred (or did not conceive) during the Primary Breeding
Phase may come into another estrous about a month later. Older
does, and some yearling and unhealthy does, may come into their
first estrous at this time. This is when bucks start traveling
rub routes and making scrapes again as they search for these
estrous does. The bucks are not as aggressive during this late
breeding phase as they were earlier, and they may travel
together to and from food sources. I often see bucks moving
during the early evening and late morning hours at this time,
especially when there is cold weather and cloud cover.
Hunting
Secluded Areas
Although
bucks start to move more during daylight hours as the rut
progresses, they are still security conscious. As I noted in an
earlier chapter, the scrapes made in September and early October
were often in open areas where the deer feed at night.
Obviously, many of these open area/field edge scrapes are
unproductive hunting sites, because the bucks usually visit them
at night. But, as scraping activity increased in the last two
weeks of October, more scrapes opened up in wooded areas, in
brushy ravines, along creek and river bottoms, along over grown
logging roads, and on wooded benches on the sides of hills;
places where the bucks could move during the day, but where they
felt safe. As the rut progressed more of these secluded area
scrapes were used, and fewer of the open area scrapes were used.
Many of these secluded area scrapes occurred along rub routes.
This suggests that the best scrapes to hunt are those that are
in secluded areas, where there is a rub route that the buck uses
at it moves during the day.
Hunting the
Right Scrapes
Which scrapes
should you hunt? That depends on when and why the scrapes are
used. Scrapes made early in the season may be made simply out of
rutting urge, and they may not be used again. Scrapes made near
early seasonal food sources may not be used after the food is
gone and the does stop using the food source; this often occurs
after the breeding period. Recently used scrapes made after the
breeding period may be the scrapes of subdominants that begin
scraping because the older bucks have quit checking their
scrapes and exerting dominance over the younger bucks; the older
bucks are busy chasing does.
Once you have
found a secluded area scrape that looks like it is recently used
try to determine whether or not it is being used frequently. The
best way to do that is to check it daily, and if you have the
opportunity you might as well hunt it while you are checking it.
Frequently used scrapes that do not show recent use should be
noted because they may be traditional scrapes, used at specific
times during the season. Try to figure out why the scrape was
used and when, then use the information to hunt the area next
year.
If a scrape
is near an all season food source (browse, clover) and a more
preferred food source (acorns, corn) becomes available, the deer
may abandon the area. A scrape in this area may be re-opened
later if the food source is still there. Frequently used scrapes
showing recent use should be watched closely and hunted.
Frequently used scrapes of any type are often traditional; used
year after year; used by subsequent dominant bucks; used by
numerous bucks; and are possibly checked by all bucks in the
area. Frequently used traditional scrapes in secluded areas may
be used during the day and often occur in travel corridors and
near doe use areas.
Scrape Lines
It is
difficult to predict which scrapes to hunt, and when to hunt
them; because most scraping occurs at night; because bucks begin
to scrape more in the day during the Pre-Primary
Breeding/Scraping Phase and Primary Breeding Phase; and because
scraping by individual bucks does not occur on a regular
schedule. Since there is no reliable way of predicting when or
how often a buck will scrape, the best thing to do is choose the
right area and hunt it when the conditions are right. Although
hunting individual scrapes can be productive, you may be better
off hunting near areas where numerous scrapes occur; areas
referred to as scrape lines, especially if the area contains
several traditional scrapes.
Scrape lines
often occur in travel corridors connecting daytime bedding areas
and nighttime food sources that are used by both does and bucks.
These travel corridors may contain several traditional scrapes.
Scrape lines may also occur in staging areas, often downwind of
food sources. Scrape lines containing more than one traditional
scrape should be your first choice as a hunting site. Remember,
because of their semi-open location, many traditional scrapes
are used at night, but they are likely to be used during the day
in the Pre-Primary Breeding Phase.
Groups of
Scrapes
Groups of
scrapes often occur in staging areas that are near food sources.
Although these may seem like good areas to hunt, they may not
be. Bucks often scent check scrapes from downwind before they
approach the scrape, and they may not even approach the scrape.
This means that bucks are extremely wary near scrapes,
particularly where there are numerous scrapes that numerous
bucks may be using. The best way to hunt scrape lines and
staging areas is to find the rub routes the bucks use as they
approach the scrapes, and then set up crosswind or downwind of
where you expect the bucks to check the scrapes from.
Conclusions
The farther a
scrape is from the buck's bedding area, the more likely it is
that the scrape is used during the night. This means that the
scrapes that are most likely to be used during the day are:
those in wooded or otherwise secludes areas; those near the
buck's bedding site; those along its route as it leaves its bed
in the afternoon; and those along its route as it returns to its
bed in the morning. The best place and time to hunt scrape lines
is during the Pre-Primary Breeding Phase in the morning and
evening, as close to the bedding area as you can get without
alarming the buck. You can also hunt scrapes during the Primary
Breeding Phase and Post Primary Breeding Phase, because the
bucks may travel all day in search of estrous does, and they
often cruise scrape lines throughout the day; which is when you
should be prepared to hunt all day.
If you are
interested in more whitetail hunting tips, biology and behavior
click on Trinity Mountain Outdoor News and T.R.'s
Hunting Tips at www.TRMichels.com. If you have questions
about hunting whitetails log on to the T.R.'s Tips
message board. To find out when the rut starts, peaks and ends
in your area click on Whitetail Rut Dates Chart.
This article
is an excerpt from the Whitetail Addict's Manual ($19.95 + $5.00
S&H), by T.R. Michels, available in the Trinity Mountain
Outdoor Products catalog.
T.R. Michels
is a nationally recognized game researcher/wildlife behaviorist,
outdoor writer and speaker. He is the author of the
Whitetail, Elk, Duck & Goose, and Turkey Addict's Manuals.
His latest products are the 2003 Revised Edition of the
Whitetail Addict's Manual, the 2003 Revised Edition of the
Elk Addict's Manual; and the 2003 Revised Edition of the
Duck & Goose Addict's Manual. For a catalog of books and
other hunting products contact: T.R. Michels, Trinity Mountain
Outdoors, PO Box 284, Wanamingo, MN 55983, USA. Phone:
507-824-3296, E-mail: TRMichels@yahoo.com, Web Site:
www.TRMichels.com
