The local store out all their hunting gear on display today and I was thinking about picking up a dripper... Never made a mock scrape before but I think I'm gonna get one and hang it on the edge of a field.. When do you put out your droppers and what urine do you use in it and when?
If your gunna put one out put more than one out. i like to start mine in august i like to start with mock scrape starter mixed with doe pee and usually i can get the local does to start using it then around the end of October the local bucks start to visit one or two of them.
So do you just use the starter mix with doe pee and then let the deer take over from there? Around the end of October throw in some dominant buck urine?
It depends if the deer take it over right away then i wouldn't touch it but it takes time and i would go with the dominant buck urine as well in the end of October. and if you dont want to spend the money on the scents some guys pee in theirs, they say it works but i have never tried it so if you wanna try it out let me know how it goes
Save your money... Scrape/dig the dirt up a bit and pee in it. See if the deer take it over. If not... Try some products. Usually start mine in September. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Tinks powerscrape spray bottle works great I have had great success using this towards the end of July or August I start using it. Good luck! Sent from my SM-G935R4 using Tapatalk
Don't forget the licking branch...that is key to any scrape...make sure your mock scrape is located under a branch that is about chest height so that deer can rub their forehead and orbital glands on it. You can get some forehead gland scent from various places...Smokey's and Buck Fever synthetics seem to be popular around my parts.
^THIS^ I use only doe urine or Mock Scrape Starter in mine and I add Buck Urine once we get close to the Rut.
Check out Wind Pro mock scrape system. Its a great system that can be used yr round. Check out their YouTube channel or the website at Wind Pro - The Proven Whitetail Attractant
Last year I tried doing 4 mock scrapes with Tinks power scrape. I started them in the beginning of September but I didn't seem to get much action on them until October. However, this may not be as relevant to you because we have a broken age class and a very slow rut at our place..
I've never had consistent action on a mock scrape until Mid October, which is what I would expect. Deer don't naturally make scrapes in July and August. Yet we have people running around the woods making scrapes all over the place during the summer. Personally if I'm going to do anything this early in the year I'll spray some pre-orbital scent on a licking branch every week or two. Come September I may spray some Power Scrape on the ground under the branch and hang a dripper. I typically won't start scraping up the ground until the very end or September of early October. Maybe I'm missing something but I really don't understand the infatuation with starting mock scrapes in the middle of summer.
In my experience during summer deer will smell and lick a mock scrape but only if they just accidentally run into it. A few deer here and there. They are not working it though and can tell they are just curious. Its starting in October when they actually start working it and consistently coming to the scrape with a purpose of working it.
I think people have stated/heard that deer have been known to hit scrapes all year round. While I have seen this too, I usually see only does and young bucks at scrapes sights and they have only been using the licking branch, not the ground. I think that may be where this trend started, but I would suggest saving your bug spray and enjoy the lakes in the summer!
I fully understand that deer will stop by and sniff a scrape all year. I have cameras I leave on scrapes year around and have seen this time and time again. However during the spring/summer months, as Farmer Brown mentioned, they're simply passing by and may stop for a quick sniff. They aren't actively doing anything with it. Most deer simply ignore any mock scrape I've ever created prior to late September - regardless of what scent or lure I put in it. Sometimes I think hunters are quick to want to go try new things without really putting a lot of thought behind the purpose of it, or understanding why or how it's going to help them be more successful. Can mock scrapes work under the right situations? Absolutely! Do you need to start them in July or August to have them work? No. During the summer bucks are potentially miles away from where they're going to be come October when they really start thinking about scraping and the pending rut. So putting up your drippers and pawing out your scrapes in August when the buck you're targeting is living next to a bean field a mile away isn't doing you any good.
I would not waist a minute making mock scrapes after all the success we have had making licking branches. My dad developed a licking branch scent after 7 years of trials and as a result, he can get real (deer created) scrapes under any licking branch he creates and he locates the licking branches where it works best for our hunting setup rather than stumbling across a scrape that may not offer a good setup. Now we have these "deer hook up spots" located where they work best for us and they attract deer year round (both bucks and does) and they remain hot spots throughout the early season and then are hit hard during the rut.
Absolutely. I've been posting the same for a long time. My only other advice is skip the deer pee. By far , this is the technique that I have had the most repeated visits from multiple deer at any mock scrape.
Got some smokeys this year. Can't wait to try. Shooting for Sept. sometime and I've got the spot picked out for it.
I would recommend a synthetic product for a dripper. Real urine goes bad quicker in the heat, so if it is a warmer area I think a synthetic urine would be a better choice.
For the heck of it, I peed in a big scrape from last year and put my camera on it about 2 weeks ago. I was totally surprised as I had 6 different bucks, multiple does, and a couple fawns frequently hanging out there. NONE made a scrape but every mature deer rubbed their antlers/face on the hanging branch over it. I was extremely surprised at the action so early in the year. Mind you, the most active buck was a 1 1/2 old 7 basket rack. He checked about every day can't wait to catalog the whole season on that scrape. Btw, this scrape is 1/2 mile from any people activity w/ limited access.
