Does homesteading scrape

[tellico4x4]

Doe on left is standing in scrape. Yesterday 3 of them stayed here from 6:30 to 1:30 PM, 5 of them have been there for over an hour today. They've been drinking the water out of old salt lick, but fresh water is available at bottom of hill in creek. Wondered if one is coming into estrus & hanging around and others just like her company?
This is a first for me.

 

[philsanchez76]

im curious on this too. ive had it happen a few times. Mostly just mad at em cuz they are using all my cell data!

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Interesting for sure!

 

[rem270]

Very interesting but not sure of the answer.

 

[philsanchez76]

View attachment 205271
Doe on left is standing in scrape. Yesterday 3 of them stayed here from 6:30 to 1:30 PM, 5 of them have been there for over an hour today. They've been drinking the water out of old salt lick, but fresh water is available at bottom of hill in creek. Wondered if one is coming into estrus & hanging around and others just like her company?
This is a first for me.

Also did you set up a mineral around a natural scrape? Or had the mineral established and set up a mock scrape around it?

 

[Lone Hunter]

Looks like they have a good perimeter set up with every one watching a different direction.

 

[tellico4x4]

Also did you set up a mineral around a natural scrape? Or had the mineral established and set up a mock scrape around it?

Established that mineral 15+ years ago & don't remember if I saw the scrape when I did. That scrape is first to open every year, usually around Labor Day. We became a CWD high risk area 3 years ago & no minerals added since then.

Hard to tell in that pic, but scrape is about 3'x10' extending all the way to the mineral site, and only the far left end is under a limb....The extension from a normal big scrape happened a couple weeks ago by 2 young bucks.

 

[Ski]

Have you ever considered burying a water trough there? Looks like they have security cover, thermal cover from the pines, browse from the oaks & briers, and escape routes. It's secure enough spot that they feel safe drinking in daylight all day long.

 

[tellico4x4]

Have you ever considered burying a water trough there? Looks like they have security cover, thermal cover from the pines, browse from the oaks & briers, and escape routes. It's secure enough spot that they feel safe drinking in daylight all day long.

Never have thought about a water trough as spring fed creek less than 200 yds down hill. Have ran cams in this spot for years and never seen the deer hang there for hours...I don't recall any spot that I've ever had a cam that they stayed for 6-7 hours solid.

Have 3 really good 5yr old bucks that cycle thru there so staying clear until rut gets closer but will continue to monitor & adjust accordingly. Hard part is going to be keeping grandsons out of there until time is right

 

[BSK]

Ever since I started using only video for my own personal camera censuses, I've noticed an odd "coincidence" when it comes to does and scrapes. I've noticed that does always interact with the overhanging limb of a scrape. This makes sense because scrapes develop underneath licking branches that are used all year round by all adult deer. But what I've found very interesting is the fixation that develops in does for the ground scrape just before they come into estrus. Generally, about 5 days before estrus kicks off in earnest, I will see does suddenly paying attention to the ground scrape under the overhanging limb. And I mean really paying attention to it, as in sticking their nose in it for minutes on end. This has become such a predictable harbinger of upcoming estrus that I specifically look for it in the videos each November.

 

[7mmWSM]

BSK that's interesting. Have you noticed any of that behavior yet?

 

[BSK]

BSK that's interesting. Have you noticed any of that behavior yet?

Already over. Occurred about Nov. 5 on my place and estrus kicked off with a bang around Nov. 9-11.

 

[lafn96]

BSK that's interesting. Have you noticed any of that behavior yet?

I had some just about a month ago, and then again last night. I'm hoping last night's action is a prelude to the 2nd rut for me.

 

[tellico4x4]

Ever since I started using only video for my own personal camera censuses, I've noticed an odd "coincidence" when it comes to does and scrapes. I've noticed that does always interact with the overhanging limb of a scrape. This makes sense because scrapes develop underneath licking branches that are used all year round by all adult deer. But what I've found very interesting is the fixation that develops in does for the ground scrape just before they come into estrus. Generally, about 5 days before estrus kicks off in earnest, I will see does suddenly paying attention to the ground scrape under the overhanging limb. And I mean really paying attention to it, as in sticking their nose in it for minutes on end. This has become such a predictable harbinger of upcoming estrus that I specifically look for it in the videos each November.

Very interesting. These showed up in earnest on 23rd & have a couple more cell cam locations that show the same. Dec 5- 17 has always been best days for mature buck daytime sightings. Pretty much right on schedule if not a tad early but abundant acorns may be cause for that. Guess I better get my butt out of recliner & get in the woods!

 

[Ski]

Never have thought about a water trough as spring fed creek less than 200 yds down hill. Have ran cams in this spot for years and never seen the deer hang there for hours...I don't recall any spot that I've ever had a cam that they stayed for 6-7 hours solid.

Time to put those grandsons to work! Give them boys a shovel & pick and bury a tank. For $100 one time cost, it's a drop in the bucket in relation to all the other habitat work costs. And I'd suspect you'll be happy you did it.

Worst case scenario is you waste $100 and an afternoon watching your boys get blistered hands, which itself is worth $100 admission. But I'll bet dollars to donuts it becomes a consistent year round social hub that every buck in the county visits.

Water holes are different than streams. They have to travel down into the bottom to drink from a creek. The trough would be in their bedroom where they don't have to leave security for. The hardest part about putting a tank in is getting it in the right spot. But in your case the deer are literally showing you where to stick it. I'd put it behind the mineral to the right of the scrape. I've never seen a better scenario for one.