Scrapes?

[Woods Walker]

They sure do. In fact, I've even seen does OPEN scrapes that were old. The pawed them and made them larger. I also urinate into scapes to freshen them, and that works better than any commercial urine I've ever tried.

My theory on this is that the hormones that my urine has are the same as a buck deer has. Seeing as most bucks already know most all the bucks in the local area by scent, when they smell mine they don't recognize it, and then wonder, "Well just who in the hell is THIS SOB???" It's a territorial thing I guess. They same would apply to a female hunter. Her urine has the same hormones as a does, and if it happens to be...ahem...that "time", then she basically is a walking bottle of fresh "Doe In Heat" lure. If I were a woman, I'd plan my hunts accordingly!!!

[charlie 01]

Am I reading this correctly? Does will vist scrapes on a regular basis? So in theory a mock scrape could be used to lure in does as well as bucks? I guess it makes sense. Afterall, who are the scrapes for?

A doe that is ready to be bred (if not being chased already) will visit a fresh buck's scrape, urinate in it and will lay nearby in wait for the buck. That is the usual, but with anxious traveling bucks around I dought she hardly ever gets a chance or needs to visit a scrape. Scapes are a buck's advertisement to does that he is around and available.

[charlie 01]

I also urinate into scapes to freshen them, and that works better than any commercial urine I've ever tried. !

Your right. I have a good friend in Mo. that hunts his own property. For many years he has done just that. Says it works great. I've tried it a few times but never had a good or bad outcome. Although, it was state land and I don't think I had spent enough time there to see any type of reaction. What I do know is the very first doe I shot was attracted to my urine. I was hunting near Oregon,Ill., an afternoon hunt, somewhere in the 1970's. On the way to my stand site and about 50-60yds from it I decided to releave myself. I probably was in the tree for 1/2hr. when I could see this doe coming down the logging road and was checking out the spot where I stopped. She then proceded to follow my tracks right to the tree I was in. My 55# Wing recurve and fiberglass arrow brought her down for good. It was a 25yd lung shot that let her go for 80yds.

[Cut N Run]

I would take more of a hands-off approach here... You already know there is natural scrape activity occurring, why not just wait and see which ones the deer use on their own, then set up close to those? 
 
That way you don't have to worry about leaving too much of your human scent around, and you take the guessing game out of which ones the deer are using.

^I'd play it the same way.

There is such a thing as a licking branch, which is like a community sign post that deer will mark as they pass through the area. I've seen bucks, does, and even fawns address a licking branch. Often, there will be scrapes made under those branches when the rut gets cranked up. If you have a a scrape or scrapes that occur in the same area year after year, they may be related to a licking branch. I hunted an area that overlooked a section of old logging road and kept noticing that there'd be a scrape in the same exact spot year after year, yet there appeared to be no particular reason it was there in the first place. I hung a stand downwind nearby where I could observe it. Even in early bow season, the deer would almost take turns hitting that branch as they passed through. I hunted it a few times during early season and took a big doe in mid-September, but left it alone until almost the end of archery season. I ended up tagging one of the best bucks I ever shot with a bow who was working the scrape under that branch.

Right now at my house, where I feed, but don't hunt the deer, they are working a limb that I guarantee will be come a scrape during the rut. It is used exactly the same as the first one I saw & hunted over 30 years ago, where most deer mark it as they pass through the area. It's not exactly like a dog marking a fire hydrant, but it has to be similar.



Jim

[Cut N Run]

It rained here on Saturday night & some of the day on Sunday. This is the biggest buck I've seen in the area this summer & he only shows up right before dark after a rain to mark his territory. While they're not pawing the ground yet, this buck is clearly marking the limb and under it. Sorry for the poor picture quality, it was almost dark and I had to slow the shutter speed down a lot to get a picture.


Jim