We’ve written several stories about mock scrapes and Charles Alsheimer has written about them, mainly because they’re so simple to make and can fire up bucks looking for a fight or a hot doe.

If you’re going to make some mock scrapes, definitely do not forget about the licking branch. It’s a major component of the whole shebang and, I believe Alsheimer said, is one of the most important. Bucks rub their face on the branch and chew or lick it, with both actions leaving scent for other deer to smell. The licking branch is a major signpost and without it over the scrape it’s like a traffic light with burned-out bulbs.

One of the best things to use on your licking branch is Smokey’s Preorbital Lure, which is taken from the preorbital glands of real deer. It’s powerful so you don’t need to be soaking the branch with it. It works for mock scrapes you may be using for camera surveys or for a stopping point to give you a shot with a bow or gun. Smokey’s is a big key to making the best mock scrape possible.

Well, here’s another simple, easy tip for you: Use the Wildlife Research Center Magnum Scrape Dripper and start doing it now. Why? Because bucks are curious and will at least notice, if not get a bit crazy, when you hang the dripper and hit ’em with a 1-2 punch.

The Magnum Scrape Dripper is lightweight, has a curved tube attached with a zip tie and will hold about 4 ounces of liquid. The zip tied tube allows the liquid — your favorite doe or buck urine — to drip only during the daytime hours in good conditions. This extends the life of the scrape up to two to three weeks, depending on conditions.

I hung a couple of these last season with some Wildlife Research Center Active-Scrape, which is from a doe in estrous. Results were good. I’ll be hanging some more of them this autumn . Or you could try some Hot-Scrape or #1 Select Estrous.

The Magnum Scrape Dripper is designed to last, too, with durable components and a screw-top lid that won’t leak. Hang them along the edge of a food plot, near stands or near existing scrape lines and get ready for some action.

— Alan Clemons, Managing Editor