I've been reevaluating some of my pictures from the past couple years and I have run a camera on a primary scrape in the center of a 2 mile long square of property. I put the camera over the scrape in early Sept and leave it thru Dec. I noticed that both years, the first activity has been mature does coming in and chewing leaves, standing in the scrape, or strolling thru. Later the small bucks begin to work it and finally the biggest bucks. It's always been my understanding that the bucks make the scrapes but I wonder if the does trigger the action. Anyone else seeing footage to confirm/deny this idea? Sent from my XT1710-02 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
This season I put a camera over a known scrape line for the first time. I found the scrape line the previous year so it was more of an experiment. I had the camera up from July to December. My activity in front of the camera is exactly how you described. First it was all does that pass through the trail, then in October there were year and half bucks, then 2 1/2 year olds, then finally on November 1st Mr. Big showed up which was a 4 1/2 or 5 1/2 year old.
I am also watching a scrape for the last two seasons. I was late to setup my camera as the scrape had already been worked. I am finding that my scent, from checking cam close to scrape and my urine in the scrape, seems to have little effect on the deer coming to check it out. I also want to know what deer open the scrape.
Two years ago I used some of the prior years scent in the scrape and little did I know, it was already being worked (checked card when I got home). That scent actually hurt my sittings for about a week and a half, no deer at all. Last year I peed in it when I put the camera out, and they began working it within days. I was sceptical about it but they had no trouble with it. Sent from my XT1710-02 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
I'm planning to start a few scrapes next year and run cameras over them to see if I can get bucks to frequent them, especially in areas where I can take advantage of the wind. Sent from my XT1710-02 using Bowhunting.com Forums mobile app
Good info, I'm doing the same thing in a bedding area/edge of thicket. Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
This also seems to be my experience. For what ever reason, my area doesn't seem to hold the monster bucks most of the time so it's only does or small bucks that respond at first. Usually I will put some pre orbital scent in a good spot on the over hanging branch. I don't work the ground into a scrape at this time. I usually only have to put one application of pre orbital out then the deer takeover from there.
