I had a camera over a large community scrape for the last two weeks that got a ton of activity with increasing daylight activity. I pulled the camera today. It didn't matter if it was a buck, doe or fawn ....every deer visiting this scrape licked and marked the exact same licking branch. The does actually seemed to give it more attention than the bucks. The pics from last night showed a nice 3.5 year old working that branch, then he got rough and the pics show him breaking it off. The branch every deer marked. Did this scrape just lose all its appeal now that the focal point of the scrape is gone?
It shouldn't be a problem as long as there is another branch close by that they can rub on. I had the same thing happen last year but the scrap actually got larger because they moved over another 2ft to a different branch off of the same limb.
Great question I've had the same thought but never really had anything happen. I have moved a tree that I stuck in a field sort of like drury's "treecoy" but just used a large branch and moved it three times within the same field and they followed it to each location with no difference in activity.
If there isn't another branch it's dead. I had a scrape that was hammered for 3 years, then a buck worked it and it snapped off and the other branches were to high. The scrape was over. Tried hanging new branches and got a little use by never the same.
I had the same thing happen a couple years ago. Poor guy scared the hell out of himself when it happened lol. I wired the branch back up with baling wire and it was a temporary fix but it fell back down not long after. Activity dropped way down. Pretty disappointing as it was a huge scrape with tons of activity.
I have to agree. My best scrapes have very nice licking branches. When they break off, they are visited less frequently.
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I would find another licking branch from the area. Drill a hole in the tree that lost the branch and stick the new one in. Use a deck screw if you have to secure it. I use rubber gloves too. Funny thing is if see a licking branch out of my hunting area I start thinking "where can I move it to?". I have been doing this for years with success. Actually a few weeks ago I moved one in front of my stand to replace last years. They do prefer live branches. First time I hunted, I seen deer use it. I also have been known to put preorbital gland scent on it too. Rack Rub is ok but there are better but cost 3-4 times more. I read an article the other day about a guy using 1" thick cotton rope (he called it "barn rope" because you find it in old barns) to replace the branch. I will try it if I can this year but next year for sure. Also I have cams pic of deer using a licking branch every month of the year.
If there isn't another branch on the same tree. Take the. Branch and zip tie it to a branch on a close tree. Or locate a sapling that can be bent and zip tied over the scape and attach the old branch to it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Others have said it, if that branch is gone your scrape is done. If it's in a location you are hunting and want to keep it going then I would suggest cutting a leafy oak branch from somewhere else and tying it back into position over the scrape. Use rubber gloves and tie it very well as they will work it over hard.
