There has been much written about mock scrapes and I very seldom had much luck untill I spent alot of time observing deer(mainly does) using licking branches as they staged up before entering food plots. It was then that i started experimenting with Licking branches. I started out using urine based lures on the branches with limited success. it was when I started to use a product called deer herd in a stick that I started to see alot of use of the branches. One other thing I found is that more than 75% of them turned into scrapes.I now use them to help control the deer movement on my farm. by setting them up in the staging areas I see more bucks alot earlier than I used to.(every buck that walks by visits these branches, licks and chews on them) this keeps the deer in your area much longer. as you can see in the pics I use roundup in mid summer and then rake out an area under the branch. When I Don't have branches at the proper height I will use parachute cord and tie them down to about 60" apply lure and they will use these all year long. does, fawns and bucks love these and are just one more thing to help increase your odds of being successful.
Have you ever killed any deer over a mock scrape. If you did do you have any tips on how to set up on one?
Yup, deer will hit licking branches year around. Sounds like its working good for you. I freshen my mock scrape or overmark scrapes starting in June and get consistent trail cams of bucks and does frequenting them all through the summer into Dec. I know they hit them all year long because when I am shed hunting I see the scrape area and licking branches to several of my long time community scrapes being frequented. They DONT paw the ground and dig them up like they do in OCT/NOV .. but they always check the licking branches.. Good luck. I've been using BuckFever Synthetics for going on 14 seasons now. Its good stuff too and has an infinate shelf life and never rots since its a synthetic.
I have not Shot a buck that was using a licking branch or mock scrape, what I do is set them up in staging areas to hold them in the general area for a longer period of time. this allows me to set up in an area that I know will be frequented by almost every local buck. I like to set up on trails that lead to the scrape line and kill them as they pass by.
Here is a trick i have used for years, I will take a licking branch from over a real scrape from down where i live and cut it an place it into a plastic garbage bag. "make sure to where rubber gloves as to leave no scent" then i will zip tie it over my mock scrape up north and the bucks seem to really come to it looking for the new bucks in the area..
I will be starting my mocks next month, I have to go out and get a few different brands of buck and doe scent. I will take one brand of buck and doe scent and use it for a few weeks then take another brand and use that for a few more weeks. It keeps the mock active with different scents all season long this way. This also keeps the deer curious too.
Excellent stuff guys, I'm gonna try some of this. Would really like to see some trailcam pics from these Mocks if you don't mind !
I'm from northern il. , I also hunt west central il. instead of spending cash on deer pee, i'll dig up an existing, wet, fresh used, scrape from a buck around here. Bag it up, and bring it down south with me at primetime, and dump it in existing scrapes down there. Cant say weather or not thats my reason for success, but the scrapes get all tore up after that, and i do see my share of decent deer. But i'm gonna really play with the licking branch this season, sounds like its working for some of you guys. Good luck to all!
Great stuff guys. It sounds like many of us have the same general idea of how mock scrapes can direct deer to where you want them to travel.
