Buck Bed Scrape

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Singing Bridge
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Buck Bed Scrape

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Fri Mar 25, 2011 8:30 am

Thought I'd get some input on what I call a "buck bed scrape"- the scrape closest to a target buck's bed. Some hunter's call this a "primary scrape", but there are so many different definitions of primary scrapes I can't go down that road. For this thread let's call it a buck bed scrape or "bbs". It is the first scrape a buck can get to when he leaves his bed, whether he created it or not. I have found the bbs within a few yards of a buck bed, in the staging area, sometimes farther out beyond the staging area... you get the idea. When the wind and conditions make it huntable, do you believe it is worth covering? Is it less important than the location of a rub in the staging area? (sometimes they are so close together it would be irrelevant). Obviously if the first scrape is outside the staging area, it may not get daylight movement- but what if it is in the staging area or even closer? What if the rut periods have kicked in and its outside the staging area- would you give it a shot then if the bedding area hasn't been hunted yet, and the wind / conditions would allow you to hunt it but NOT the staging area?

I have my own ideas, but the bbs doesn't get talked about much so I thought it would be interesting to get input from fellow Beasts and the Big Buck Serial Killer. 8-)


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Re: Buck Bed Scrape

Unread postby headgear » Fri Mar 25, 2011 9:21 am

Good questions SB. My 2010 buck was killed within 20 yards of such a scrape. He appeared to be ignoring it or I just shot him before he got there, this was a bbs scrape in the staging area.

I'm more interested in what some of the beast experts think but here are my two cents. I do feel they are worth hunting or at least taking into consideration when you look at bedding, wind, or trails in the general staging area. I think I would prefer to hunt in a staging area vs staying back and hunting just a buck bed scrape. At the very least I feel more confident when I run into one just outside or in a staging area.
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Re: Buck Bed Scrape

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Fri Mar 25, 2011 11:12 am

headgear wrote:Good questions SB. My 2010 buck was killed within 20 yards of such a scrape. He appeared to be ignoring it or I just shot him before he got there, this was a bbs scrape in the staging area.

I'm more interested in what some of the beast experts think but here are my two cents. I do feel they are worth hunting or at least taking into consideration when you look at bedding, wind, or trails in the general staging area. I think I would prefer to hunt in a staging area vs staying back and hunting just a buck bed scrape. At the very least I feel more confident when I run into one just outside or in a staging area.


thanks headgear- this is excellent data to enter in to the hair covered computer. 8-)
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Re: Buck Bed Scrape

Unread postby dan » Fri Mar 25, 2011 12:20 pm

Sometimes there are scrapes within the staging area, but often there is not. I think there is a reason for such scrapes. I suspect it has to do with more than one bucks staging areas intersecting. Most of these scrapes have more than one buck using them from my experiance.
I personally would call it a primary scrape.
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Re: Buck Bed Scrape

Unread postby Swampthing » Fri Mar 25, 2011 12:25 pm

We have a real low buck population where I hunt.And I think thats why we find very few scrapes.Usually just field edge scrapes.
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Re: Buck Bed Scrape

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Fri Mar 25, 2011 12:50 pm

dan wrote:Sometimes there are scrapes within the staging area, but often there is not. I think there is a reason for such scrapes. I suspect it has to do with more than one bucks staging areas intersecting. Most of these scrapes have more than one buck using them from my experiance.


Interesting information, Dan. When a scrape exists in a staging area, there appears to be some "value" in what it indicates.
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Re: Buck Bed Scrape

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Fri Mar 25, 2011 12:55 pm

Swampthing wrote:We have a real low buck population where I hunt.And I think thats why we find very few scrapes.Usually just field edge scrapes.


Swampthing, it sounds like there may not be much competition between bucks around you. Have you had any success around the field edge scrapes if it is standing corn with head high cover right up to the woods (assuming its woods)?
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Re: Buck Bed Scrape

Unread postby Swampthing » Fri Mar 25, 2011 1:19 pm

Singing Bridge wrote:
Swampthing wrote:We have a real low buck population where I hunt.And I think thats why we find very few scrapes.Usually just field edge scrapes.


Swampthing, it sounds like there may not be much competition between bucks around you. Have you had any success around the field edge scrapes if it is standing corn with head high cover right up to the woods (assuming its woods)?


Not really ,it,s been a while since I,ve tried .But I like the corn /woods combination though.Mabey a guy could get a daylight appearance.
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Re: Buck Bed Scrape

Unread postby DropTyne » Fri Mar 25, 2011 3:01 pm

This is a good thing to discuss. This last year the buck I shot was utilizing a scrape that was close to his bed. I actually watched this buck work the scrape minutes before I shot him. This was October 22nd. At this point in time I believe that no does were in estrous it just seemed like the home body bucks in the area were starting to be more active. Here is the thing, there were 3 bucks that constantly used this area and the came around at the same time even though the rut was steady approaching. The first was a small 6 pointer, the next a small 8 pointer and then the big 8 which ended up being a 9 that I shot. ONLY the big 9 utilized the scrape when these bucks came around, the smaller bucks did not, why is this? Why were these bucks still tolerant of each other at this time of year? Anyone else seen this? Any ideas?
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Re: Buck Bed Scrape

Unread postby JRM6868 » Sat Mar 26, 2011 5:13 am

DropTyne wrote: Here is the thing, there were 3 bucks that constantly used this area and the came around at the same time even though the rut was steady approaching. The first was a small 6 pointer, the next a small 8 pointer and then the big 8 which ended up being a 9 that I shot. ONLY the big 9 utilized the scrape when these bucks came around, the smaller bucks did not, why is this? Why were these bucks still tolerant of each other at this time of year? Anyone else seen this? Any ideas?

I think what you saw was the bachelor group that hasn't broken up yet. The bachelor groups break up at different times based on what the area is offering at the time. The scrape you were hunting was probably that bucks primary scrape and also a boundary scrape where the 9 being the dominant buck staked his territory. Dominance was more than likely already established between the three and they didn't want to quarrel with the dominant buck.

I also think the bbs are a valuable hunt they just need to be hunted at the right time where you can catch the buck on his feet in shooting light. In my opinion the right time in Ohio to hunt these type scrapes are around Oct.30th - Nov 9th. The field edge scrapes are mostly night time scrapes and these inner scrapes are where you will catch him on his feet in shooting light.
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Re: Buck Bed Scrape

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Sat Mar 26, 2011 6:41 am

Great input, guys- already have a couple of bucks shot very near or right over a bbs listed here. I have found some bbs locations outside of the staging area, but clearly it is the first scrape the buck can get to. I know I would certainly make every attempt at killing the buck in his staging area to catch daytime movement and long before he could get to a bbs that is outside the staging area- especially in early season. When the rut periods kick in with many areas having increased buck movement, it could get interesting.

I have one mature buck I've set up on that has five or six different bedding areas in an area of dense swamp, and interestingly a yearling as well as a two year old bedded in these areas as well. The dominant buck appears to have chosen the bed which protected him the best on any given day, while the lesser bucks were relegated to the inferior bedding spots. I base this on there being much more sign from the dominant buck in the prevailing wind bed with more sign from the smaller bucks in the other beds. A bbs exists in the staging area of the prevailing westerly wind bed that is used the most, but when the dominant buck beds elsewhere the lesser bucks obviously came in contact with the bbs as well.
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Re: Buck Bed Scrape

Unread postby dan » Sat Mar 26, 2011 6:55 am

I have taken a few bucks including one of my largest on primary scrapes ( or BBS ) within the staging area. Interestingly they seem to use these scrapes year round. I think I read above someone refferancing hitting them during the pre-rut. However, who knows where these bucks will show up come rut, especially f your looking for a specific buck. The big buck I metioned was a large 11 pointer scoring in the 160's with a 24 inch inside spread. I glassed him from a distance and watched him work the scrape within his staging area before he was even out of velvet. I shot him opening weekend of bow season as he viseted the scrape at around 1:00 in the afternoon...
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Re: Buck Bed Scrape

Unread postby dan » Sat Mar 26, 2011 6:59 am

Here is a link to the article and picture of that buck:

viewtopic.php?f=159&t=1345
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Re: Buck Bed Scrape

Unread postby Black Squirrel » Sat Mar 26, 2011 7:20 am

I've read or heard somewhere that a buck will sometimes bed with in sight of these scrapes, and watch them. Can't remember the source so take it for what it's worthbut, has anybody ever witnessed this?
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Re: Buck Bed Scrape

Unread postby dan » Sat Mar 26, 2011 9:21 am

Black Squirrel wrote:I've read or heard somewhere that a buck will sometimes bed with in sight of these scrapes, and watch them. Can't remember the source so take it for what it's worthbut, has anybody ever witnessed this?

Yes... When the scrape is within view of his bedding area :lol:
Seriously, I have seen estrous does bed at a scrape and wait for the buck. But have not personally seen bucks bed near a scrape unless its already a good spot to bed.


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