Making mock scrapes

[Predator II]

Any body ever successfully used mock scrapes to take a deer? If so, how did you set it up?

[Douglas Blair]

I have heard of some hunters having good luck with mock scrapes but don't know how they made them. Hopefully someone on here will know how.

[RBinAR]

There is a scent especially made for scrapes. I have had success with it but blast if I can remember the name. When I make my summer lawn mowing at deer camp I will retrieve the brand name.

The basic idea is simply to take a stick or such object and paw the ground. If one is smart he will try to do this just on the edge of a territory for the bucks in two territories are likely effected.

Anyway my effort was not wasted as my son killed a monster (135+ class) buck in this 80 acre pine grove with the treatment on one day. Then the very next day my hunting buddy from work killed a nice 8 in the same area but on the opposite end.

Now the only problem is they both kid me about not getting a good deer last year when I did all the work.

[JACKJR60]

A number of companies make mock scrape scents. There are also a few that have them in a bag that drip when the sun shines on them. You use a stick like RBinAR said so you do not get human scent in your scrape. Here's is a link to some scents that I have used quite a bit. Now do these scents really do all they say they will do? I'm not entirely sold. It does matter where you put them and fooling an old wise buck is hard to do. If you are putting them in an area deer don't frequent then I think you are wasting your money. Also I think it has to be the right time and the scent that goes with that time. I've known guys that used Doe in estrus in early bow season and it scares deer pretty well.

www.docsdeerscent.com/tipsusage.html

Jack

[RBinAR]

"I've known guys that used Doe in estrus in early bow season and it scares deer pretty well."

Amen to that! I asked Harold Knight what the toughest hunting was one time and he said deer hunting. I was puzzled so I said but anyone can kill a deer. He stared his old wry smile at me and said "I'm not just talking about any ole deer".

Those big uns take knowing as much as possible and if you do something totally contary to nature you don't have much of a chance.

[roundball]

There are territory scrapes and breeding scrapes.

Territory scrapes are very easy to find along edges of fields / woodlines, along loggers roads, creek banks, etc...and are normally visited / tended during the night.

Breeding scrapes are back deep in extremely dense thickets with very short range visibility where breeding usually takes place and are almost impossible to discover.

I don't believe many deer are taken around scrapes...if they check territory scrapes during shooting hours at all, they're "scent-checking" them from down wind a couple hundred yds away and if you're sitting over a scrape, they're reading your scent right along with the scrape;

I believe it's a rare hunter who is good enough to find breeding scrapes often enough to hunt them...and to get into the breeding thickets undetected in hopes of getting a fleeting glimpse of brown chasing a doe frantically back and forth.

I do believe all scent manufacturers enjoy separating deer hunter's from their money. ;D

[Birddog6]

Personally I don't think many of the old bucks will fall for the scent unless you are a Very good deer hunter & know how to use it.

But I know for a fact the young bucks can be suckered with it. 2 years ago my son was in a tree stand & had the sent on & a 4 pt came walking up the trail with his nose in the air & walked the scent right up to the tree & looked up at him ! ha ha !

[DaveK]

I think scents have their place, but it is a touchy area. IMHO I certainly beleive the "Big Boys" know the scent of every breeding doe in their area. They can get caught in the "heat" of battle when they leave thier home area to breed. But, even then, I believe it is a "one time" shot. Just like most of us, I can tell by the smell there is something wrong with the pizza if I walk into a pizza parlor and their is this strange scent. I have taken a good deer over scent, but I don't think that this deer would have been fooled if I tried it on another hunt. I also believe that one should take thier scent makers with them when they leave the woods. Just like you, if you could wind, that Betty Lou was in the area and I went there and only found a cotton ball, I am not going to be tricked again. Again JMHO

[roundball]

BirdDog, I don't use scents but had a similar situtaion 3-4 times one season when I was bowhunting...one season I'd bought a new pair of 18" tall rubber boots made by LaCrosse and on more than one occasion that year I had 1.5yr olds (spike, cowhorn, 4 pointer) come slowly along with their nose to my walk-in track like a bloodhound...followed it right to the base of the trees I was in. Those new boots had that "new rubber" smell to them and apparently it was something that would catch a young deer's attention.

Had to be the boot rubber itself because I always took them off back at the truck and set them in a cardboard box so there was never anything else that could get on them. I assume whatever that scent was gradually wore off because I never experienced it again after that first season

[SaltyDog]

Roundball I have had the same experince and then I used it to my advantage. Instead of going directly to your tree, walk past it as far as you feel comfortable to make a good shot. Then, back track on to your same steps and leap as far as possible to your tree. I have had deer, nose to the ground, go right past and then stand when they run out of my trail trying to figure out what the heck happened. If hunting snow it is even better. Since they like to take an easy path, shuffle in the snow creating a "sidewalk". Take this past your stand at say 20yds. then again back track and leap toward your stand. It works! Believe me! It of course works best when you place this trail up wind of you and if possible, place it so that the sun is in their eyes if they do look toward you.

[Redclub]

We used to do quite a bit of experimenting and we took some pete richards doe scent and went to the park were they had tame deer and shot a doe with a squirt gun and the bucks got quite interested however the does really took off.redclub

[Loggy]

I used to do a lot of bowhunting before PA opened early ML season and I got into fall flounder. During our Archery which runs first week of Oct till mid Nov. Now my time is limited so its been on the back burner for past 2 years.

I used to make mock scapes with some success. I also hunt with some other fellows who still bowhunt and use technique with some success. Its not a cure all and you just cant go to Wmart and buy a bottle of No.69 and go out there and start kickin around leaves and start squirtin etc. ;D Much more is involved.

I mainly opened up inactive scrapes that were on or near a good scrape line. I used the James Valley Full Rut gel (and still use it in ML season etc). The Dominent buck urine(Wall Hanger) seems to be best for first opening scrape. Full rubber boots are best not to drop your scent. Rubber gloves also suggested if you touch any overhanging branches or scent pads etc. Some guys use the drippers etc which I dont think is necessary. I should mention though that some of my nicest bucks have been taken with NO LURE or NO MOCK SCRAPE but if used selectively it does work.

Here is an excellent article on different methods, times to use etc.: (article mentions a rake but I just use my rubber boots)

rublines.com/columns/weaver9.html

James Valley Scents:

www.jamesvalleycompany.com/pages/deerlures.html