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crazy4COUES

how bout scrapes??

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Anyone have any info on scrapes? Do they scrape all season or is it mostly pre-rut type of activity? Also what are common scrape areas, near feeding or bedding etc.

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I find a lot of my scrapes and rubs in mid to late december to january-february. Mostly along well used game trails and in transition zones (like the trees on the edge of a meadow). Also, it seems like random secluded trees, that are small diameter always get torn up. I notice that when I'm not looking for them and just tromping through the wilderness i miss them. But when i'm taking my time and scanning the area i always find them. I honestly can't compare the amount a coues deer scrapes to the amount an eastern wtl. scrapes because i've never hunted back east, but I've heard they don't do as much scraping. However, from what i've seen, if you get in a well populated coues corridor with several bucks, you will definitely find scrapes and rubs.

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The eastern whities do scrape a lot. Usually on level ground in their core area. We usually would find more activity on rub lines, but that was in the early season, before the rut really kicked in. When the rut kicked in, we would ignore all buck sign and go to doe feeding areas and travel areas.

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Forget scrapes, I found a fresh rub this morning! The boys are polishing up those antlers for game time!

 

Okay, don't forget scrapes - I find Coue's scrapes in the bottom of drainages, in the flats between hills, on saddles, and out on flat ridges - basically any place that deer travel through and hang out...

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When they are hard horned they will scrape. It won't mean much at first because the does aren't ready to breed. Later on they'll scrape where the does travel to find receptive does. The does put scent in the scrape then the buck will check it and trail her. He'll check the scrapes continually. When the rut is in full swing it's best to just hunt the does because the bucks will go from doe to doe and not need to check scrapes. When things wind down they'll start scraping again to find does in heat.

Mark

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. When things wind down they'll start scraping again to find does in heat.

Mark

That's interesting, I didn't know that. Can really help for the archery season after the rut.

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Look into the ultimate scrape dripper, I think by primos. I'd take the camo cloth off it so it drips more during the day. I made a scrape and put a cam on it. Didn't see anything except for once, had a nice buck stand there for three minutes trying to figure out where the scent trail disappeared cuz it was right above there head. I think I would have had better action if I had better understood a better place to set it up and removed the cloth to expose the black which would have let it get warmer and drip more during the day. One of the theories behind it is it only drips during daylight and should turn a nocturnal buck a daytime buck.

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Does anyone have any pictures of Coues scrapes?

Should look like any whitetail scrape just make sure that there's a low hanging branch that one could reach with his preorbital gland. I'm pretty sure all the scent makers have guides on how to make a scrape.

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Oh wait, just remembered that the urine scents are now illegal. If used do at your own risk. Think they outlawed it because of cwd.

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There is a whole bunch of synthetic scents available now. I asked some of the whitetail gurus on missouriwhitetails.com about them a while back and got mixed reviews. I don't know if they help, but I don't think they will hurt, so I'm trying it this year.

 

I usually find scrapes in saddles and flatter areas where deer tend to bunch up and spend some time. I've tried hanging cameras on them before and even putting one of those drippers on one a few years ago, but haven't found them to be a real hot spot for buck pictures through late December or January, but that's only based on a couple tries.

 

Bottom line is I usually find them in spots where deer tend to spend time anyway, so if you find one or more in a 'deery' kinda spot, it's probably worth hanging out there for a while.

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I used to pee in scrapes. Never seemed to bother them

Really? That gos against everything I was ever told. I always heard you should never take a leak anywhere near where your hunting. Have you ever hung a cam on one you went on? Any reaction at all from the deer? This has me pretty curious.

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I used to pee in scrapes. Never seemed to bother them

Really? That gos against everything I was ever told. I always heard you should never take a leak anywhere near where your hunting. Have you ever hung a cam on one you went on? Any reaction at all from the deer? This has me pretty curious.

 

 

I let the air out of a cow elk one time when she stopped to smell my puddle.

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