Hunting Whitetail Deer Scrapes
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
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