Bucks Laying in Scrapes

[PaintRocker]

I've got multiple pictures of young bucks laying in an active scrape on trail cam. What's the reason for this? I don't seem to see the younger (1.5 year old) bucks using the scrape but have a couple older (2.5 and maybe 3.5) that work the scrape.

 

[JN]

My guess these younger bucks are worried they might look like a doe to those big older bucks and they are laying in the scrape hoping they smell like a buck so you know during the heat of things there is no pokey pokey by the older bucks.

In all seriousness though I don't know maybe it is a scent thing like dog or cat rolling in something that stinks.

 

[tnanh]

Saw it a couple years ago. Not sure but was a heavy acorn crop that year too and beds and scrapes were in the white oaks.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I've seen that a few times. Not sure why they do it. But it tends to be in areas they feel very comfortable

 

[CrossVolle]

 

[Carlos]

My guess these younger bucks are worried they might look like a doe to those big older bucks and they are laying in the scrape hoping they smell like a buck so you know during the heat of things there is no pokey pokey by the older bucks.

In all seriousness though I don't know maybe it is a scent thing like dog or cat rolling in something that stinks.

I always thought I knew something about WT deer, you sir have schooled us all here.
Lmao

 

[DayDay]

I came across a scrape in a spot that opens a little deep in the middle of the pines. There are trees there other than pines for some reason and I only found it because the deer I was tracking went right through it. I usually avoid going in that area. The soft dirt was about 4 to 6 inches deep and the scrape was about the size of a toddler's wading pool. I'd never seen anything like it. I don't know if deer lay in it. It had tracks all over. I was too busy to think about taking a photo.

 

[MickThompson]

I had a 2 year old that would bed up next to one waiting on does then follow them off

 

[yellalinehunter]

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Eat, sleep, and have the women pass by.

 

[Ski]

Probably waiting for his momma to end her shift and come pick him up.

 

[DoubleRidge]

That young buck has probably been cruising all day long looking and hoping to find a girlfriend....maybe hes exhausted and figures he'll just lay down to see if a hot doe will come to him?
All joking aside...I have no idea other than its just an area that smells safe...common area where he feels comfortable bedding.

 

[backyardtndeer]

My scrape activity at my camera took off right after I hung a scrape dripper with about 2 ozs of golden scrape. There is always a scrapeline there, but I have been using a dripper there for a long time and it seems to help get daytime activity.

This was probably one of my best ever buck laying in or at a scrape sequences. He is within feet of the dripper, and he came in downwind of it.

 

[Mcboom]

I've also seen does bed in them as well. Again not sure why.

 

[PaintRocker]

My scrape activity at my camera took off right after I hung a scrape dripper with about 2 ozs of golden scrape. There is always a scrapeline there, but I have been using a dripper there for a long time and it seems to help get daytime activity.

This was probably one of my best ever buck laying in or at a scrape sequences. He is within feet of the dripper, and he came in downwind of it.
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Yes right now all I have for the most part, especially from older bucks is nighttime activity. I may try the scent dripper

 

[backyardtndeer]

Yes right now all I have for the most part, especially from older bucks is nighttime activity. I may try the scent dripper

Have had really good results with active scrape and golden scrape used in them.

 

[Ski]

Have had really good results with active scrape and golden scrape used in them.

I might give that a try. I'm doing a few maintenance things around the property today before I head home tomorrow, and the place will be void of humans for awhile. Good chance to test something new!

 

[backyardtndeer]

Yes right now all I have for the most part, especially from older bucks is nighttime activity. I may try the scent dripper

I believe they help getting bucks to check scrapes in daylight. I had this buck as well as several young bucks working this scrapeline during daylight.

I might give that a try. I'm doing a few maintenance things around the property today before I head home tomorrow, and the place will be void of humans for awhile. Good chance to test something new!

I watch Walmart after season sales and usually get the active scrape for $5 a 4oz bottle, sometimes get them in a combo with a dripper for about the same price or just a little more. Then sometimes you can luck out and also do a mail in rebate and get $5 back for each one up to two from wildlife research. Last time I bought a couple of the combos, got the $5 mail in rebate, and made them almost free.

Both the above pics were with a north wind, buck is downwind of the dripper. When I killed him, the wind was out of the south, he didn't come out on that line but instead came out on the downwind side of the dripper between it and me.

 

[Flintlocksforme]

I saw this today after reading this post. This is a night time buck with this scrape. He looks rather comfortable there.