Dan's Question of the Week: Rubs & Scrapes

[msbadger]

I usually don't see those signs until late...I hunt only my own land and have so many set ups that terrain isn't a factor any more either...wind and droppings....amount and dropping pattern....are they a lot of "stationary" droppings or are they the walking spread out droppings...are they small...mom dropped us off here or big...I'm on the adult side of things...droppings on obvious trails or are they off the trails....perhaps cross checking...then I decide which stand area to hunt....because I group stands in areas to work the wind accordingly... as best can be done in hill country. 

[Jslotter]

I've had the best results hunting fresh scrape lines.

[Marc Anthony]

I don't do much with either but when I do, I hunt scrapes only in the rain or on windy days.

[Gulfcapt]

This is kinda funny Because alot of you in past forums Talk about your food plots, and how much work/money you have invested in it! unless your talking terrain that leads to the plots.. lol anyways Im a terrain/ funnel hunter, and plot hunter.. I have really never had much luck on scrapes/ rubs.. I do scout for the does when i hunt the rivers here in fl.

[Relentless]

I may add that if it is raining and I know it is going to quit around a certain time I may lean towards a primary scrape.  I have read about and witnessed mature bucks freshening their scrapes within a half hour after a decent rain.  I had a plan for a scenario like this a few years ago and the rain stopped about a hour early....on my way to the stand I bumped a mature buck.  I continued to the stand for the evening...as it neared the end I shot a nice 8 pointer that had just finished freshening a scrape about 30 yards inside the timber.  I am unsure if it was the deer I bumped.

[nuideas1]

Very interesting reply's....especially the fact that most seem to prefer rubs over scrapes. Personally I hunt deer trails and landscapes with lots of sign and nearby scrapes when they are fresh. I have had the opporunity to see many deer checking scrapes. Last fall I took a very nice 9 point buck locally (NC) as he began to make a scrape right beside some Tinks I had hung on a low branch about 15 yards from my tree. I had some squirrels working nearby and kept thinking I was hearing them. Much to my surprise when I turned around this guy was making a new scrape right on my 6. I had to really lean out from my stand to get him.

[extroverted]

I agree with goose: It seems as though the more I hunt and pay attention to the landscape, rubs and scrapes become less important.

Although I have been watching a scrape that gets used every year, it's 3' to 5' in dia. I have been thinking to put a camera by it to see when it gets used the most. maybe with the flash off.
 
Question is does it really pay off to hunt near an active scrape???

[fairchasehunter]

It depends of course. Primary scrapes can be good, but most scrapes are one time events. So you can waste allot of time sitting over them. If I do hunt them, it is 50 to 100 yards downwind. Rubs are more productive because you can unravel the bucks travel patterns at least here in the Southeast where the only time you see a mature buck is in your riflescope. I really prefer secret buck trails which will have no sign which is why they are secret. But if you can find one, its magic.

[Stickman]

I will hunt scrape lines after a rain and only use rub lines as a guide that some bucks are traveling the area.

[DeerCamp]

I usally try to stick to rubs. I havent been very successful when it comes to hunting scrapes. It seems while Im hunting a rub line I will usally see a buck crossing the paths of the rub lines.