I've become a believer in mock scrapes

In all my 40+ years of deer hunting, I've never used a mock scrape. It's not that I've ever doubted they work but just never saw a strong need to use them. Now that I'm retired I guess it became something that I would try just to help fill my time in the woods.

I checked my cameras yesterday, one of which overlooks my mock scrape and the images speak for themselves. The first photo shows a buck in the same area as the mock scrape that could be a buck I caught on camera last year. In the second photo, it appears to be the same buck in the far back behind the lesser buck smelling the mock scrape I created just last week. This is the first time this year that I've captured a photo of the larger buck.

For those who might be interested, these are scents that I used to create my mock scrape. They were definitely not the most expensive scents on the store shelf.

Thank you for the info!!

awesome. thanks for sharing

My pleasure.

I'm sure mock scrapes have been a topic of discussion in these forums many times before, but it was actually a YouTube video that I ran across that made be decide to give one a try. There are several out there for those interested.

Not sure if it was someone on here that mentioned it or not, but many folks say mock scrapes are best used in the pre-rut when deer use scrapes as signposts that the lovemaking and butt whipping is some to begin. Once the rut kicks in, all the talking is over and the bucks are too busy to bother with them.

I must admit my main goal in trying one was to see what bucks might show up since I don't use feeders. The landowner is very heavy into raising and cutting hay and doesn't want any feeders on his place because they attract hogs that tear up his pastures. It's his place and his rules and I don't question how he runs his business. This will be just my second season hunting this never-before-hunted tract but things obviously continue to look very good.

One final note. You'll notice there's a small pond/tank to the right in one of the photos. When you think about it, a major water source is a good place to create a mock scrape because it's an area that most if not all the deer in the area will visit over time. Simply put, what better place is there to put up a signpost for deer to share.

I freshened up an old scrape that gets hit every year and the traffic is heavy.

I have never had any success making a mock scrape and have tried around my bowblinds, but there are a lot of scrapes already there to start with around the feeders or food plots. I was discing my food plots again 2 days ago and saw at least 8 or 9 in three of my food plots on trees in or around the edges. I tried Wildlife Research Center Active Scrape last year at a new bowblind on a mock scrape and nothing used(had a camera on it)..but they did start a scrape in 2 locations really close to the blind. I did freshen up the new scrapes the WRC Active Scrape from time to time.

I wanted to create my mock scrape early because some have said older bucks are usually the first ones to create them. This would appear to make sense since older bucks carry more game playing/mating/rut experience. It would also seem that getting a little ahead in the game would grab greater attention.

If I play my cards right, I'm thinking a little grunting and rattling on Opening Weekend of the General Season might compliment the moves I'm taking now.

They work.

Several years ago I was hunting a specific old 8 point during bow season. The wind was never right to go into my best bow blind to hunt him so I opted for a stand about 300 yards west of where he was bedding. My plan was to slip in there early when I had the right wind and do a mock scrape and let the scent drift into his bedding area. About an hour before dark I saw him heading my way and he walked right past the feeder to the scrape I had made. Perfect 15 yard shot and he is now on my wall.

In the top pic, I don’t see a licking branch. Always have a licking branch. You may have one and I just can’t see it. Another thing, no need to spend money on scents. Just pee in it and walk away. Bucks will work it. Another thing you can do, cut the licking branch off of a real scrape from a different area and tie it up over your scrape. That will usually piss off your dominant buck in that area. That’s when rattling comes in handy.
One of the best mock scrapes I ever made, I had 7 different bucks and a number of does hit it in a 12 hr period.

A licking branch was the first thing I looked for when picking a spot. Being my first mock scrape, I probably picked on that was a little too high. If you look close, you can see where I trimmed back the leaves from it. Hopefully that buck doesn't look at the height of the branch and fear the buck that's able to reach it.

Yes, I seen that one. I was talking about the night pic.

Understand.

The night photo was taken at a second camera that's about 30 yards away on a trail that I had not monitored before. I shared it because I felt it offered a better view of the buck that could be the same one in the scrape photo.

Between the two photos, I have a good idea where I plan to put up a metal ladder stand before the season opener.