Mock Scrapes Do Ya or Don’t Ya?
I’d be curious to hear from my readers what their view is on the making of a mock scrape? Over the years I’ve had mixed results but last week I went ahead and made one on the field edge to see how it works.
A scrape is a communication tool used by deer to help the bucks find the receptive does during the annual rut. A buck scrapes out a small piece of ground with his hoof and then urinates in it leaving his scent for does. In addition to the scraping of the ground bare there is almost always an over hanging branch that the buck rubs his antlers and his head on to also leave his scent.
When I make a mock scrape I’m careful to not contaminate the area with my human scent. The spot I wanted to put a scrape last week there was no overhanging branch so I made one. I cut a branch off another tree and tied it to the tree where I wanted to place the scrape. I hooked up a drip dispenser that will drip “Active Scrape” scent into the bare ground I scraped out with a stick. I also added additional buck scent on the branch as well as the scrape, and doe urine into the scrape.
The buck I killed last week was no where near the scrape so I don’t think it had any effect on him at all. With the rut just starting to get rolling I’m hopeful the deer will use this scrape.
So have you used a mock scrape and what kind of luck have you had?
I’ve used them, but never had any success. My little brother goes all out every year, but he’s slowly coming to the realization that maintaining scrapes doesn’t return half the benefit that maintaining a good food plot does…so his interest is turning.
Comment by Phillip — November 14, 2007 @ 1:32 pm
I would agree that food plots work better however the lack of rain has made our food plots real thin. I’ll keep ya posted if my scrape does any good.
Comment by Moose — November 14, 2007 @ 11:54 pm