Got a question for expert

[mntbuck]

Will a doe avoid a fresh made scrape becouse shes not ready ?

 

[bowhunter163]

No I don't think so . Some scrapes are made year around as communication devices . I don't think the theory that a doe goes to a scrape and pee's in it when she's ready is true .

 

[bowriter]

Absolutely not. However, she may or may not pee in it. I guess it depends on if she has to pee, not if she is ready. It may happen but I have never seen a doe pee in a scrape because she is 9in heat.

 

[mntbuck]

thankyou,reason i asked becouse this morning wind in my face doe comes in perfect but stops 60 yds. gets nervous and leaves. for sure cant smell me or see me. when i got down went over and fresh scrape with licking branch right where she stopped, made last night. maybe coyote or bobcat came through earlier or coincedence.

 

[BSK]

Scrapes have little to do with male-female communication. Scrapes are primarily male-male communication devices.

 

[mntbuck]

just marking teritory ?

 

[BSK]

just marking teritory ?

Deer are not territorial (except does during fawning time). Bucks are probably chemically communicating many things at scrapes. The list of things being communicated probably run the gambit from dominance status to individual health.

 

[Coach]

just marking teritory ?

Deer are not territorial (except does during fawning time). Bucks are probably chemically communicating many things at scrapes. The list of things being communicated probably run the gambit from dominance status to individual health.

Old timers say a scrape is a bucks calling card...must just be another wives tale?

 

[mntbuck]

well thanks. i know i get excited when i find them. killed my buck last year on thansgiving, he was cleaning his scrape. 130 in 8 pt. 18.5 inside . he had scrapes all over saddle i was hunting. and also if thats true , why does the scrapes really start showing up close to breeding time.

 

[double browtine]

I shot a buck last year. Saved the tarsals and cut off all the hair in a cup. Poured in a bottle of glycerin and stirred it a few times a day for 2 days. Gave some to my brother in law. He put some on a wick and killed a nice buck a week later within 50 yards of where i killed mine. He said before he shot the buck a six pointer came walking by and when he got wind of it he stopped then looked that direction and left. The nine pointer he shot was smelling it when he shot him.. my buck was at least 4.5 and his was 3.5. . Bucks can smell the dominant buck scent. . Young ones are scared! Does im not sure about

 

[Trevor2]

No I don't think so . Some scrapes are made year around as communication devices . I don't think the theory that a doe goes to a scrape and pee's in it when she's ready is true .

I agree, in 3 years of running cams over scrapes I have yet to get a doe using the scrape, but hey I aint complaining bc the bucks sure like using it lol

 

[J-WO]

She very well could have smelled the scrape and just been coming in to check it out. Deer are very curious, and it wouldn't surprise me if she went out of her way to check out a scrape she smelled.

 

[BSK]

just marking teritory ?

Deer are not territorial (except does during fawning time). Bucks are probably chemically communicating many things at scrapes. The list of things being communicated probably run the gambit from dominance status to individual health.

Old timers say a scrape is a bucks calling card...must just be another wives tale?

I wouldn't say that's completely inaccurate, just wrong animal being advertised to. Old-timers thought scrapes were bucks' calling cards to does. In reality, scrapes appear to be calling cards to other bucks. Basically, they are a way to communicate personal information to all other bucks in the area; i.e. personal identity, social status, over-all health, etc. Scrapes appear to be an important part of establishing and maintaining the dominance hierarchy of the local buck population without the bucks actually having to be in direct physical contact with each other.

Lots of ideas old-timers had are wrong (in fact, most things). They made exceptionally astute observations, but jumped to inaccurate conclusions simply due to a lack of knowledge of deer behavior at the time.

 

[BSK]

...why does the scrapes really start showing up close to breeding time.

Scraping appears to be driven by testosterone production in males. Every time their bodies produce extra testosterone, they scrape, whether it is the breeding season or not. In spring, a buck's body will produce a short term surge in testosterone to begin the growth of their new set of antlers. That burst of testosterone will cause bucks to briefly work scrapes. This usually occurs in late March or early April, and is often noticed by turkey hunters. Every year I see the question posted on this site in early April about fresh scrapes being found.

 

[BSK]

No I don't think so . Some scrapes are made year around as communication devices . I don't think the theory that a doe goes to a scrape and pee's in it when she's ready is true .

I agree, in 3 years of running cams over scrapes I have yet to get a doe using the scrape, but hey I aint complaining bc the bucks sure like using it lol

Does will definitely investigate scrapes. I get quite a few pictures of does sniffing the overhanging limb. But as bowhunter163 said, the idea that scrapes are used by females to let bucks know they are in estrus doesn't appear to be accurate.

 

[mntbuck]

thanks BSK , i havnt been on website long but you seem to know alot. i spend lots of time in woods and observe alot.