Huge scrape

[mossyoakcamoguy]

I found this on my way to my evening stand. This is a heavily used trail along an oak lined ridge, a 5 acre thicket is nearby. Might be a good spot to try don't ya think?
http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/2834/huntingpics116.jpg[url=http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/2834/huntingpics116.jpg]
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[Jslotter]

The picture to me it looks like a turkey scraping. If there is a good licking branch above it then yes hunt it. It might be a community scrape with the size of it but from the looks of it, its in deep timber near a possible bedding area and that would be a hot scrape to hunt over. If you find some good size rubs in proximity of the scrape, dont waste any time and set up now before that scrape goes cold.

[mossyoakcamoguy]

The tree is a beech tree with low hanging branches all around. This spot seems to always attract bucks year after year, but i've never seen this much activity under one tree.

[EatDeer]

Dosn't quite look like a scrape,  but you could make a mock scrap there by that rub, if you add a licking branch.

Looks like a good place on a ridge, maybe a big buck is using that 5 acres to bed, then stageing there by the scrapes or whatever, before going to browse on acorns at night.

You never know, I've seen big bucks jump out of roadside ditches, and that spot looks alot better then a ditch!

[mossyoakcamoguy]

I went to the backside of the thicket and put up a mock scrape...I think I found what i'm looking for. Both came out within half hour of each other.

[Cut N Run]

There you go!

If that first buck stuck his nose right in the scrape versus approaching it nervously or timidly, he is probably the biggest buck in the area & doesn't fear many others. If he was looking over his shoulder before he scent checked that scrape, hold out & keep looking, because there's a bigger buck around. That has been my experience.

I used to watch scrapes a lot. Sometimes there can be a big single scrape (which is usually a few combined) or multiple scrapes near or in a thicket (sepecially if there are a lot of big woods in the area). If you have a place downwind of the scrape where you can observe trails into the thicket, it can be a great thing and you will likely see the biggest bucks in the area. You may also get to see some fights & breeding.

Good luck!

Jim

[mossyoakcamoguy]

I decided to let this buck move on, he's a nice buck but another year and he'll be exceptional (hopefully). There's little hunting pressure so his chances of making it through the season are good.

[mossyoakcamoguy]

Neighbor filled his antlered tag (Nov. 5) with a beautiful 140 class 8pt.

I spooked one on my way to my morning stand on the same day...hate to think it was this one!

[Gulfcapt]

That the buck in you pictures?

[mossyoakcamoguy]

No, I think this one came from the big woods of the neighboring properties. The ones in my pics are the small bucks that I see on a regular basis. My neighbor never saw this one before, nor have I.