Scrapes everywhere….

[redblood]

Pulled cards yesterday and see that in the last week some of last year's buck starting to show up again. Might be time to hunt!

Yes. Just now for me. I have 5rules before i will hunt


No velvet- hate it

No red in the coat

Have to see at least a little fall color in the early maples

Calendar has to read october

They got to be starting to get frisky.

 

[Mr. Hawk]

I made a mock scrape last year underneath a scrape tree that I put in the ground in my field and noticed today that they had made a fresh scrape under same branch from last year.

 

[tree_ghost]

Yes. Just now for me. I have 5rules before i will hunt


No velvet- hate it

No red in the coat

Have to see at least a little fall color in the early maples

Calendar has to read october

They got to be starting to get frisky.

Apollo we are go for launch sequence!

 

[JeepKuntry]

I would be hunting that sign! I found an old rub on opening morning in a promising location and dropped a pin. Might take my oldest there for juvi.

 

[tree_ghost]

I just noticed today when setting up a mock scrape and checking cameras that on one of my properties the buck to doe ratio is virtually balanced 1:1. This parcel is approximately 400 acres and the sign here is 5x's as plentiful as on my spots where there is a noticeable surplus of does compared to bucks. I mean the timber is destroyed with scrapes and rubs like I've never seen. I really hope this is a foreshadowing to an intense rut in November.

 

[redblood]

See

I just noticed today when setting up a mock scrape and checking cameras that on one of my properties the buck to doe ratio is virtually balanced 1:1. This parcel is approximately 400 acres and the sign here is 5x's as plentiful as on my spots where there is a noticeable surplus of does compared to bucks. I mean the timber is destroyed with scrapes and rubs like I've never seen. I really hope this is a foreshadowing to an intense rut in November.

No doubt. The farm where i live has a crazy high amount of does and the sign is low. 60 to 80 deer in my bean fields at dark, but very little rut sign

 

[tree_ghost]

See

No doubt. The farm where i live has a crazy high amount of does and the sign is low. 60 to 80 deer in my bean fields at dark, but very little rut sign

You figure this is simply a product of mature deer not needing to compete for the breeding process and therefore fell as if dominance in the herd doesn't play a factor?

 

[BSK]

You figure this is simply a product of mature deer not needing to compete for the breeding process and therefore fell as if dominance in the herd doesn't play a factor?

Buck sign-making is usually linked to a combination of factors. The two most important are herd dynamics (sex ratio and buck age structure - the tighter the ratio and the more older bucks the more sign), and acorn crop. Bucks make more sign in a big acorn year (they have more excess energy to burn).

 

[BSK]

Bucks are finally opening scrapes on my place. Some activity is still half-hearted (just working the overhanging limb), some a little more energetic.

 

[BSK]

Here's some interesting behavior I've noticed quite often. When older, more dominant bucks urinate into a scrape, they make sure to urinate over their hocks and rub them together. When younger, subordinate bucks urinate in a scrape they go to great lengths to NOT urinate over their hocks. Notice how this yearling 8-point avoids urinating over his hocks.

 

[philsanchez76]

Here's some interesting behavior I've noticed quite often. When older, more dominant bucks urinate into a scrape, they make sure to urinate over their hocks and rub them together. When younger, subordinate bucks urinate in a scrape they go to great lengths to NOT urinate over their hocks. Notice how this yearling 8-point avoids urinating over his hocks.

Wow interesting. Why do you think that is?

 

[BSK]

Wow interesting. Why do you think that is?

They do not want to get beat up by the dominant bucks! Honestly, I think the "urinating over the hocks" behavior is somewhat of a dominance display, and young subordinate bucks know their place.

 

[Trapper John]

I'm dying to go check our place. We had a big timber cut/salvage operation done this year. Lots of new logging roads. Lots of tree tops and fallen trees along the edges of those logging roads. The last time this happened this time of year, I can't even describe the number of scrapes that showed up on those new roads. I'm curious if that repeats.

In 2019 I hunted next to such a spot that had, if I recall correctly, six scrapes along a small stretch of logging road. It smelled like a barnyard by my stand and that was a wildly entertaining stand for maybe a week during muzzleloader.

 

[BSK]

I'm dying to go check our place. We had a big timber cut/salvage operation done this year. Lots of new logging roads. Lots of tree tops and fallen trees along the edges of those logging roads. The last time this happened this time of year, I can't even describe the number of scrapes that showed up on those new roads. I'm curious if that repeats.

In 2019 I hunted next to such a spot that had, if I recall correctly, six scrapes along a small stretch of logging road. It smelled like a barnyard by my stand and that was a wildly entertaining stand for maybe a week during muzzleloader.

I just can't believe the weed and sapling growth in our timber cut areas. Normally, I expect deer to avoid those areas like the plague the first year after timbering, as they are just bare ground. However, our timber cut areas are currently 8-10 feet tall weeds. Those timber cuts are going to be astoundingly good cover if those weeds stand tall after the first freeze, hence I will have to expect deer to be using them heavily.

 

[tree_ghost]

I went and sat for a couple hours this morning before work on the place I have with all the fresh sign. I had a 4pt almost kill himself running a doe this morning. She stopped and made an about face while he was in pursuit and he almost flattened her completely lol. He apparently didn't take classes in courtship…