Mock scrapes can be an effective way to lure bucks into your hunting area and distract him from trail cameras and Hoyt bows. They work best in areas with noticeable winter, from Canada through the northern Midwest and into the South.
Here are a few points to keep in mind when creating mock scrapes: Location: Install them around field perimeters or near bedding areas.
Location
Mock scrapes can be an excellent strategy for bow hunters who don’t have access to real deer rubs and scrapes on which to place cameras, or those uncertain how a particular property’s deer will behave during peak rutting periods, who wish to monitor deer movement patterns and behavior patterns.
When selecting the ideal location for a mock scrape, its placement must attract deer. It should be near food sources, bedding areas, and signs such as rubs – while still easily visible from a deer-traveled trail.
Deer hunters should ensure their area is accessible without creating unnecessary disturbances or placing themselves in danger, in other words it shouldn’t be too close to dense brush or timbered covers that might limit buck movement, nor near areas where deer trails intersect; mock scrapes should be placed strategically so buck are more likely to encounter them.
A mock scrape must also be designed so as to look and smell realistic, by clearing away any extra dirt from its area and adding a licking branch directly above. A licking branch allows bucks to rub their glandular secretions directly into the soil for scent dispersion.
At last, the mock scrape should be constructed so as to replicate how real deer create their scrapes. This means making sure it is large enough for multiple deer to use at once and naturally-shaped; an acorn or sapling provides ideal licking branches; however, scrape-drippers or abandoned doe urine bottles also work just as effectively if no suitable tree exists nearby.
Choice of artificial or natural scent for scrapes is ultimately up to each individual depending on frequency of usage and hunting pressure in their area. Artificial scents tend to last longer and emit stronger aromas, making them suitable for high-pressure hunting environments; while natural scents blend more easily into their surroundings and may be better suited for low pressure hunting environments.
Scent
Mock scrapes have the power to be invaluable tools for whitetail hunters. However, it’s crucial that hunters understand when and how best to utilize this resource. By employing mock scrapes correctly, hunters can alter deer movement patterns and draw deer closer towards your hunting area or trail camera site.
Mock scrapes should be situated where a buck would naturally build one and as close to known deer trails as possible. They must also be accessible while hunting from your blind or tree stand.
Ideal locations for creating mock scrapes include known bedding areas and food sources, creating an attractant that draws deer closer for closer inspection, hopefully leading them towards your stand.
Make sure that when building your scrape, it is entirely covered in dirt in order to replicate a realistic experience. Rake away leaves and debris to expose the soil beneath, then add some buck urine for scent as soon as the rut approaches; doe in estrus urine can also be added as additional scent.
Another way to create more realistic scents in a mock scrape is using the appropriate licking branch. Many hunters favor tree limbs; however, latex gloves offer another solution which won’t spread your scent – they’ll help limit how much of it gets transferred when touching the scrape itself.
At the end of the day, it is crucial to refresh the scent on your mock scrape often to ensure deer in your area know it’s being used and can react accordingly. Artificial scents usually work better in high-pressure areas because they last longer and are more detectable than natural scents which dissipate quickly.
As you create a mock scrape, keep in mind that deer are naturally curious creatures and attracted to single objects such as small saplings in your backyard or loose hanging branches near a fence. That is likely why you may have witnessed bucks rubbing their antlers on saplings there or loose branches overhanging fences in search of food sources.
Licking Stick
Once a buck has hunted in an overly-pressured area for several seasons, he becomes aware of human scents and our tools’ appearance and sound. Therefore, when making mock scrapes it’s important to mask your scent by using different tools than those you used when digging your actual scrape and choosing brushes with natural colors that blend in with surrounding vegetation rather than those which draw too much attention – for instance a longer reach brush on your licking stick will allow you to place it further back in the woods while being less visible than usual.
Mock scrapes work best in areas where bucks already use to mark their territory or find mates, such as areas they frequent for marking or finding partners. Location, size and scent all play an integral role when trying to attract deer; though lone objects in open areas often prove especially intriguing to whitetails. You might consider further improving your mock scrape by hanging hemp rope from its branch in order to simulate what antler-rubbing would feel like when checking out an intriguing sapling.
Set up your mock scrape during the peak of rutting season – typically mid-October through early November depending on where you live – as testosterone-fuelled bucks begin chasing away rivals and seeking potential mates, driving them away with mock scrapes designed to draw them in your shooting lanes.
Mock scrapes can also provide you with an opportunity to observe deer in your hunting area, helping you figure out the trails deer are using and identify where the ideal spots for hanging stands are. Bucks that visit a mock scrape may well go back for more, leading to encounters with mature bucks who would otherwise remain out of reach of your bow.
Time
Location is key when creating an effective mock scrape. Deer should visit regularly, and its appearance should suggest that a buck made it. Therefore, it’s essential that you find a spot with existing scrapes made by bucks near bedding areas or feeding sites; additionally it should be within walking distance from hunting spots so as to minimize disturbance of territorial boundaries while increasing chances that deer visit it during active times.
Timing is also of great significance: your mock scrape should begin around the peak of the rut (typically mid to late October/early November) in your area to attract as many bucks as possible to mark their territory and attract does. This will increase its success.
Be mindful that a mock scrape won’t have the same effects as its real counterpart; therefore it must be well maintained and fresh in order for it to work effectively. This includes clearing away debris, replenishing scents used, scrubbing or dragging ground around it regularly and regularly rumbling or licking to simulate how a deer would rub his antlers on it to announce its intentions.
Mock scrapes can be an excellent way to lure mature bucks to your hunting spot during legal shooting light, though they’re by no means foolproof; it takes considerable planning and effort to create the right scenario that will entice a mature buck’s testosterone-fuelled aggression into acting on it and making its presence known. There’s no guarantee any whitetail hunter will kill a buck using such methods alone.
Put it to the test, though, and see if this simple but effective tactic helps increase your success rate when hunting bucks in your hunting spot. Good luck!