Speaking from our experience and without getting too deep into scrapes usually it is not going to hurt your hunt by creating a mock scrape early season or a month before season. Some people like to go ahead and get the "pissing" match started early! Creating a mock scrape as you mentioned can also play to your reward. When you have found a good location that is getting good traffic go ahead and make a mock scrape along one of the trails where it will present you with a good bow-shot and be sure to include a licking branch. As a rule of thumb we usually begin making our mock scrapes whenever we see the first real scrape hit the ground. This has already began for us so we have started with our mock's. One of the biggest factors to consider is your own scent. You do not want to associate your scent with that scrape or you risk possibly making a buck weary of that area. Its a good habit to spray down, wear gloves, rubber boots, and do not walk the same trail that the deer are walking. Hang cameras out of obvious locations and somewhere that will not disturb the area whenever you are checking. Hope this has helped!
I put my mock scrape out about 3 weeks ago. Many deer use scrapes year round. There's a few good write-ups on here with tips on how to make a mock scrape. In a nutshell, I like to start a mock scrape with Tinks Power Scrape Starter by working up the ground under a branch and spraying the scrape starter on the ground and up the base of the tree. Then I partially break a branch at eye level above the scrape and let it hang towards the ground to act as the licking branch. If you want to go a step further, get yourself some pre-orbital lure and put some around where your broke the branch. Pre-orbital lure are secretions that come out of the pre-orbital gland (slits) in the corner of a deer's eye and is used to show dominance, show breeding readiness, and leave it's mark. Here's the fun part, put a camera on the scrape for a few weeks and hopefully it has been taken over by deer, then switch to buck urine until the rut when you can start using doe estrus. By then, hopefully it's established and being visited by the big boys and you can get a crack at one! Don't forget to use scent control, gloves, and rubber soled boots so you aren't leaving human scent all over everything you touch. Not that it still won't work, but the more realistic (and less human odor/oils left behind from your hands) the better. Good luck!!
