Early season mock scrapes / scents

wawhitey

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 29, 2013
Messages
191
Has anybody tried mock scrapes or anything similar around early september when the bucks are just getting hard horned? Ive had great results from scrapes during the rut, but this year im changing it up and ill be hunting starting september 1st. Thinking of making a mock scrape or two using straight buck urine and preorbital gland scent, obviously not doing any estrous scent so early. The area ill be hunting is miles and miles of heavily timbered mountainous public land. No agriculture anywhere, and no clearly defined bedding and feeding areas like there is in traditional midwest whitetail ag land. Just curious if anybody else has tried scrapes early, and what youve found. Im half way thinking it would do more harm than good. Thoughts?
 
Joined
May 17, 2017
Messages
701
Location
Mount Airy, NC
I think if you have a balanced buck to doe ratio they work a lot better. I do not, as everybody around me shoots anything with protruding bone, and haven't had great luck. In a place where deer are more spread out with larger home ranges, I would expect better results.
 
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wawhitey

wawhitey

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 29, 2013
Messages
191
I think if you have a balanced buck to doe ratio they work a lot better. I do not, as everybody around me shoots anything with protruding bone, and haven't had great luck. In a place where deer are more spread out with larger home ranges, I would expect better results.

The deer in this area have a good age class. Like 4/5 are 5x5. Hardly ever see a buck under 3 or 4 years old. I think the lions and wolves pick off the dumb ones. Not a lot of whitetails around, but the ones that are there tend to be shooters.
 

Guff

FNG
Joined
May 25, 2017
Messages
82
Location
KY
I don't think it would hurt anything at all to try it early season. Look up "Barry Wensel Scent Wicking", it is a two part article of him describing his experience with scent wicks or "ropes". I always open up my mock scrapes in September. I figure the sooner I get real deer using them the better they will be come October and November.
 

Sodbuster

WKR
Joined
Jan 9, 2016
Messages
713
Location
Missouri
Around the first of September I get social scrapes that most of the deer visit including does.
They are easy to spot and are used almost always at night.
Great place to set cameras for inventory purposes.
I usually set a couple to get travel directions as quick as possible as deer do not use them very long. Rut scrapes are always in different cover than the social.

Early mock scrapes might work in your area to keep bucks close for the rut.
 

Rolando

FNG
Joined
Jan 27, 2017
Messages
73
Location
KY
I'd be interested in how this works out if you try it. In western KY, we move our cameras to scrapes (both mock and natural) around the second week of October.
 
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wawhitey

wawhitey

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jun 29, 2013
Messages
191
Well in about 5 days im getting some free time. Ill be going to check a few cameras and set up some early mock scrapes, so we will see how it goes. Looking like its going to be a fun season, as i drew the washington whitetail raffle permit.
 
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