Interesting Read

[MattR]

Yes, I know it is Louisiana. I think he makes some good points. None of it is ground breaking information but still thought I would post.


http://www.nola.com/outdoors/index.ssf/ ... ng_it.html

 

[Deerhunter]

Good read

 

[BSK]

I'm not sure I agree with his view of what scrapes are about, but some interesting info in there.

 

[bowriter]

I'll be a little more blunt. He is dead wring about scrapes.

 

[MattR]

Wrong about how to hunt them or the timing?

 

[BSK]

Wrong about how to hunt them or the timing?

Wrong about what scrapes are (why deer make them).

In addition, he mentions buck activity studied on an unhunted property. How deer behave on an unhunted property may have zero relevance to how deer behave in a hunted environment.

 

[Vermin93]

Wrong about how to hunt them or the timing?

Wrong about what scrapes are (why deer make them).

Why do deer make scrapes?

 

[BSK]

It is part of male-to-male chemical communication that occurs around the breeding season. Just like every dog in the neighborhood peeing on the same fire hydrant. They are all leaving their own personal chemical calling card to help establish the dominance hierarchy.

 

[MattR]

From what I have read, of course reading it doesn't make it true, but numerous writers have said that they think that it isn't as much related to breeding as iot is showing their data profile. The buck showing his health, sexual readiness, and his dominance within the herd.

But again, this is just from what I have read

Nevermind Bsk beat me to the punch.

 

[BSK]

Interestingly, in areas with poor sex ratios and/or poor buck age structure, no social hierarchy is needed, hence bucks won't rub or scrape during the rut.

 

[MattR]

Some mature bucks don't scrape either do they?

 

[Vermin93]

Interestingly, in areas with poor sex ratios and/or poor buck age structure, no social hierarchy is needed, hence bucks won't rub or scrape during the rut.

Sounds like Loudon County.

Don't does also use scrapes? If so, why?

 

[BSK]

Don't does also use scrapes? If so, why?

At times, but bucks use them 4 or 5 to 1 over does. Does are probably just interested in which males are around, their health, social status, etc. All of the chemical information being shared among bucks is probably also interesting to does.