Author Topic: Stand position next to scrape/rub? (Read 634 times)

THE#1hunter · « **on:** November 18, 2003, 12:44:14 PM »

I was walking around in the woods, and I found a huge rub, and not ten feet away, i found a huge scrape....Pa rifle in a few weeks, and I was wondering how far away I should hunt/ set up a stand?(there is also two big deer paths.....huge.....) Thanks in advance

longwinters · « **Reply #1 on:** November 18, 2003, 01:08:47 PM »

I guess I never thought that rubs or scrapes ment much except that a buck had been around. I dont think it means anything for the future (unlike many article writers over the years have promoted, to sell products and articles). Unless the scrape is getting freshened often it doesnt mean a thing. However maybe if you pour a little something in it (see the hundreds of articles on what doe in heat lure to use and how to use it) if the buck loses interest you may keep it going for a while. Personally I think the best thing to do is take a leak in it. Again this is politically incorrect if you are a magazine writer. Then stay down wind about 100 yds. If a buck does ck it out he will come in down wind.

Dont get me entirely wrong . . . I dont doubt that for a brief period of time this sign may mean something more than what I have said, I just think that most of it goes on after dark and is only for a very brief time. Better off to find a food source or bedding area that does are using. Cuz where the does are is where the bucks will be.

long

Daveinthebush · « **Reply #2 on:** November 18, 2003, 02:41:07 PM »

When a buck is making rubs he actually makes two kinds. One is to remove the velvet and the other is terroritorial during the rut. They are usually in line with the deers daily patterns or movements. You might even find an abnormal amount of rubs in a line. The smaller rubs like that are usually imature bucks feeding along with the does. Even a button buck will rub his first year. It is a common theme that the bigger the rub, the bigger the deer. There is some credibility to this.

If it was rifle season I would back off to a safe shooting dsitance where I could get a clear shot and keep my scent away from the area so as to not pollute the area. Doe in heat, the fresher the better, or ever straight doe pee will help. Best year I had, I had saved the pee from a young doe my brother shot in early archery season. I used it all season and took 2 bucks and a doe using it.

If you can warm the pee up too it helps. I had a little cloth insulated pocket with a velcro strap on it that would accept a bottle of urine and a chemical heater. Loved it! Deer would even walk right up and sniff it.

If a deer is using the scrape he will return but you may never see him. It might be a scrape on a night pattern trail. Unless it is the peek of the rut and few does, he may only use it at night. Bucks have also used each others scarpes too. Kind of like the local bar at 2:00 a.m. :roll:

Graybeard · « **Reply #3 on:** November 18, 2003, 06:06:13 PM »

I don't take scrapes into consideration in my hunting plans. If one is near where I otherwise plan to hunt fine. If not I sure don't hunt near one because it is there. Bucks will more often than not scent check it from well down wind before coming to it IF one comes at all. During the peak of breeding time most bucks will be with hot does unless your buck to doe ratio is better than it is in most of the country.

Hunt where the does are during the rut and the bucks will show up sooner or later.

I like to hunt near a rub line as it does at least mean a buck uses that but again I don't let it determine where I hunt.

GB

pa ridge-runner · « **Reply #4 on:** November 19, 2003, 01:56:19 AM »

I was buck hunting a number of years back,it was the first saturday of the season.There was a fresh snow cover from the night before,about 2 inches deep.
As I was walking towards a stand that I wanted to hunt from I spotted fresh tracks in the new snow.These tracks were numerous and heading to and from a popular ridge point.I knew right away that this buck was hot and looking for action.He had made a number of scrapes along this path and was working it hard.As I approached the top of the ridge,I could see another hunter in a tree stand in the exact spot I wanted to hunt.( The joys of hunting public land :roll: )It was a young fella about 16.So I walked to a different area about 200 yds away and waited for something to happen.All of a sudden I hear this young fella shooting about 5 shots.Of course I had to walk over to see whats up!!??.I guess buck fever took its toll cuz this young guy emptied his gun and never hit the deer.
This is the only time in all my years of hunting did I see a buck hot to trot and scraping like this.So,in my experience with scrapes I would have to agree with the other hunters who wrote that a srape is GREAT but if its cold...its too late.I just wish that treestand was empty that morning :cry:

SingleShotShorty · « **Reply #5 on:** November 19, 2003, 03:41:49 AM »

I have never put much stock in a rub or scrape other than there are bucks in the area. I would rely on other sign to do my set up as others have said if a buck is actively using the scrape you may never see him anyway. If the rut is on in your area I would pay more attention to where the does are, feeding and bedding areas and do my set up in an area where you are seeing allot of does. All A scrape and a rub tell you is a buck has been there. Good luck and may God send you the buck of a lifetime.

THE#1hunter · « **Reply #6 on:** November 19, 2003, 11:00:55 AM »

Thanks for the help

S.B. · « **Reply #7 on:** November 22, 2003, 05:46:55 PM »

Interesting question, and just as interesting answers. I wish the anwering crew would elaborate some and tell me what the deer actually feed on in my state of Illinois during the gun season, usually the third weekend in November. The crops (corn and soybeans) are usually long gone from their fields, acorns are done and gone from the Oaks and winter wheat hasn't mature enough to feed ground squirrels let alone deer. Any insights into an answer would be equally interesting reading.

Graybeard · « **Reply #8 on:** November 23, 2003, 10:10:26 AM »

I'm not from Illinois and have never hunted there even tho I have been to Rock Island for training a few times back in my working days. So telling you speifically what the deer are eating in your area is really a job for the local game biologists not us.

But in general deer are browsers and not grasers. So they eat tender new growth of all kinds. Forbs (weeds to us) are a favorite as are the new growth at the tips of most woody shrubs, vines, bushes, etc. Here they eat green briar, blackberry bushes, sumac tips, mushrooms, anything green and still growing. Things like that.

GB

dbuz · « **Reply #9 on:** November 23, 2003, 11:33:53 AM »

I was bow hunting over a scrape about 5 years ago on new years day. It was very foggy all day long. I saw about 3 does in front of me on the road. About 30 minutes later, something catches my eye from my left. An 8 point was emerging out of the fog with his nose to the ground. Just as he got to the scrape and I was pulling on the bow string, he looked up at me. He looked for about 10 seconds and jumped back in the fog. I never saw him again. :evil: I think scrapes are fine as long as they are fresh. This scrape had fresh droppings in it so i knew he would check it soon. I've only seen 1 other scrape like that one and it was 2 years ago on the last day of the season. :evil: :evil: