Fresh scrapes now...

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mheichelbech
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Fresh scrapes now...

Unread postby mheichelbech » Tue Nov 28, 2017 3:02 pm

Do you place any extra attention on an area when finding freshened scrapes at this time? Do they have any more importance than those found in the pre-rut?


"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893
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Re: Fresh scrapes now...

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Tue Nov 28, 2017 3:36 pm

There's more than one reason a buck freshens a scrape at this time of year in the north...

When I find a big, fresh scrape in northern Michigan during the back half of November I often find the Buck that made it following a doe in heat around. When there's snow on the ground it's impressive to see the black dirt thrown around, a great contrast.

Following a morning hunt a number of years ago during the back half of November I walked up to find a guy gutting a good buck 50 yards from my truck ( I guessed mid 130s green, a 10 point). He said the buck was trailing a big doe. I helped him load the buck and he took off. I went over to the gut pile and started back tracking in the snow. After about 75 yards I found a big scrape the buck had just made.

It's always wonderful to know a good buck walked right by my truck while I'm 2 miles back in the swamp.
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Re: Fresh scrapes now...

Unread postby vtbuck » Wed Nov 29, 2017 8:32 am

Bucks are freshening scrapes at the end of November through January as well as unbred does and fawns coming into estrus. It’s like advertising.
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Re: Fresh scrapes now...

Unread postby swampyak » Thu Nov 30, 2017 1:18 pm

I've seen more scrapes at work this week than I did a fall
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Re: Fresh scrapes now...

Unread postby Wannabelikedan » Thu Nov 30, 2017 3:50 pm

I’ve also found more “fresh” scrapes within the last week than I did at the front end of the rut. The bulk of the does have been bred and the big boys are trying to pick up the second round does or first cycle fawns. Really eating at me that I’ve been tied up since thanksgiving and can’t get any tree time. Now is a great time to catch a giant on the prowl for another hot doe since there are fewer available.
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Re: Fresh scrapes now...

Unread postby Bedbug » Fri Dec 01, 2017 8:17 am

I'll admit active scrapes this time of year leave me scratching my head more often than not.

No problem finding them or determining age. It's all the added variables this time of year.
They don't often make sense as far determining daylight use to me. Not like late Oct scrapes do. Alot of times the best ones I find aren't within proximity to quality bedding. I find it alot harder to determine whether or not their worth hunting.
In year's passed I was quick to rite most off as night activity, based on location. but last year I shot a 3yrold Nov 25. In what I considered an observation stand and didn't know at the time but there was a hot scrape 10 yards from the tree I shot from.
He came half a mile from the bedding I set up to observe.
I never would have set up on that scrape expecting daylight action. This year Im keeping more of an open mind. Always learning
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Re: Fresh scrapes now...

Unread postby brancher147 » Sat Dec 02, 2017 2:49 am

Depending on location I would put more faith in an area with fresh scrapes now than I would during the pre-rut. During pre-rut every young buck is pumped up and running around making scrapes everywhere not really knowing what is going on. If you find fresh scrapes late November or December it is likely to be a mature buck that knows some does or fawns are yet to come into heat because he has seen it in years prior. If it is near bedding and the buck has not been pressured much it is a great setup for daytime activity near the scrapes.
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Re: Fresh scrapes now...

Unread postby Huntzilla » Fri Dec 29, 2017 1:47 am

They are still using these scrapes in early mid December. And yes in the day time. Shot a nice buck over a scrape line in mid December this year. Buuut I was really after a brute that I believe to score in the 170s. I named him Sue and I had him on 3 different trail cameras again on scrapes and in the daylight. You can see pics on my Huntzilla Facebook or Instagram page. It’s really hit or miss though as far as guessing what’s night or daylight activity. At least for me anyway. Just by glancing at my trail cam pics you got a 35% is in daylight and 65% is at dark. But yes I would hunt scrapes or use them as an indicator during early December. Especially if they are near a food source.
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Re: Fresh scrapes now...

Unread postby mheichelbech » Fri Dec 29, 2017 2:20 am

Huntzilla wrote:They are still using these scrapes in early mid December. And yes in the day time. Shot a nice buck over a scrape line in mid December this year. Buuut I was really after a brute that I believe to score in the 170s. I named him Sue and I had him on 3 different trail cameras again on scrapes and in the daylight. You can see pics on my Huntzilla Facebook or Instagram page. It’s really hit or miss though as far as guessing what’s night or daylight activity. At least for me anyway. Just by glancing at my trail cam pics you got a 35% is in daylight and 65% is at dark. But yes I would hunt scrapes or use them as an indicator during early December. Especially if they are near a food source.

The ones I saw are on the edge of a bean field. 2 weekends ago I observed a nice 3 year old traveling through a draw and he appeared to be headed in the direction of the scrapes which were still fresh when I had checked earlier. He was coming through about 20 minutes before dark.
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Re: Fresh scrapes now...

Unread postby dan » Fri Dec 29, 2017 5:27 am

Just like scrapes early season... Location in proximity to bedding and repeated use are the important factors.
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Re: Fresh scrapes now...

Unread postby Huntzilla » Fri Dec 29, 2017 6:37 am

dan wrote:Just like scrapes early season... Location in proximity to bedding and repeated use are the important factors.


Dan I was about to reach out to you on this buck. After watching your videos and interviewing you I had a pretty good idea where he was bedding. Hunted him for 4 days and never saw him. Then this guy strolls up and I tagged out. Biggest buck I’ve had with a bow but still. I want Sue. People have figure out where I’m hunting though since I post this stuff on the internet. But it’s for the greater good. I’m sure you have people stalking your spots too. Anyway, really hope I get a chance at this buck or a comparable one next year. I’m at the gym now but I’ll post pics on here when I get some time. And one last thing I honestly give you credit for a ton of my success this year. Up until I started studying Buck bedding I just thought deer dropped out of a ufo or something and walked up to places lol well they had areas but not specific things to look for or consider. You taught me that and although I don’t have it down it played into my strategy. So thanks!
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Re: Fresh scrapes now...

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Sat Jan 06, 2018 4:32 am

mheichelbech wrote:Do you place any extra attention on an area when finding freshened scrapes at this time? Do they have any more importance than those found in the pre-rut?
probably a doe going into heat. I hang cameras on scrapes all year and have found some magical spots like that freshened or not I get deer at all times of day. I look for that one big scrape surrounded by small ones. when I do I find major concentrations of buck beds. I think its overlapping territories and a major doe bedding intersection from my camera data. local pub stand. I sit about a hundred yards down wind of these sites cuz they deer tend to be on nobs and points going into swamps probably has to do with thermals. all I know is they will fill your camera with every deer in the woods.
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