Buck Numbers and Scraping

[Mike Belt]

Is there any kind of correlation between buck density or buck numbers and the amount of scraping being done? This year I've seen 5 bucks to every doe I've seen. Most hunters in the area have seen similar. I haven't seen half the scrapes I normally see. You'd think more bucks would equal alot of plowed up ground.

 

[TCounty Hunter]

I have the same where I am. I have seen many more bucks than does this year. I usually see a lot of young bucks, but a lot of does as well. This year it seems to be mostly young bucks and not many does.

 

[bowriter]

The number of mature buk will effect the number of rubs. The more of them, the more of them. However, I do not know of nor can think of any reason it would effect scraping.

 

[BSK]

Is there any kind of correlation between buck density or buck numbers and the amount of scraping being done?

I have seen no studies on that, but you would think more competition would produce more scraping. At least that's the way it works with rubs.

 

[Winchester]

Bucks here made more scrapes this yr than in the last 2 combined! Most scraping I have saw here in many years. Now we did have the most classic rut I have saw in several years as well, with a GREAT acorn crop to boot! Good weathger at the right time also helped the hunting situation. I think everything was maybe just a few days early as well.

 

[Mike Belt]

This year has been different from years past. More buck sightings than doe sightings and not near as much scraping and scrapes still active during the rut at the same time. I don't recall seeing this happen before.

 

[TN24081]

Bucks here made more scrapes this yr than in the last 2 combined! Most scraping I have saw here in many years. Now we did have the most classic rut I have saw in several years as well, with a GREAT acorn crop to boot! Good weathger at the right time also helped the hunting situation. I think everything was maybe just a few days early as well.

Ditto to everything you said. I have seen. When our first rut started winding down, the scrape activity went into overdrive. There is one spot about 3 acres in size that probably has 30 scrapes on it. I've gotten about 70 pictures off of it but so far nothing over 2 1/2 years old. They are working as hard or maybe even harder now than they did in the initial pre rut. Never seen that before.

 

[bowriter]

Is there any kind of correlation between buck density or buck numbers and the amount of scraping being done?

I have seen no studies on that, but you would think more competition would produce more scraping. At least that's the way it works with rubs.

The difference between rubs and scrapes is, rubs are more competetive than scrapes. Mature bucks often have no need to scrape but usually do rub to some extent. At least, that is my thinking on it.

 

[Mike Belt]

I think scrapes are mostly for visual influence. Sometimes it's hard to see rubs but you don't miss scrapes as you walk by. The bigger, smarter bucks make lots of them in a given area and then go do their thing a mile away undisturbed by hunters.

 

[WG Taxidermist]

Well where I hunt I've got 5 different bucks on camera this week and haven't seen the first scrape or rub all year!

 

[TN24081]

Well where I hunt I've got 5 different bucks on camera this week and haven't seen the first scrape or rub all year!

Maybe they are just all 5 real good friends with each other ? lol

 

[WG Taxidermist]

Well where I hunt I've got 5 different bucks on camera this week and haven't seen the first scrape or rub all year!

Maybe they are just all 5 real good friends with each other ? lol

They must be friends with my whole area! I have another place I hunt that has the same problem no scraps and no rubs and I know there are bucks there.

 

[BSK]

Well where I hunt I've got 5 different bucks on camera this week and haven't seen the first scrape or rub all year!

Maybe they are just all 5 real good friends with each other ? lol

There actually may be something to that idea. Although the exact role of scrapes in herd dynamics is not known, they appear to be a buck-to-buck communication device. If an area sees little shifting of bucks' ranges through the seasons, the bucks all know each other from the summer bachelor groups, hence little reason to chemically communicate and influence each other through scrapes.