I've had this mock scrape up for many years and it has been one of the most productive camera spots on the place. But I've never had a buck react like this to it! He can't seem to figure it out, looks at it like it's some kind of alien wizardry or something. He eventually warms up to it and scrapes, poops, and goes on his way. But he sure didn't seem to have ever seen anything like before. And I've never seen him before. Good 4yr old buck I think but I don't recognize him and on the few cams I caught him on he was moving through the property skittish and inquisitive, checking everything out like it was brand new to him.
Strange Magic
- Thread starter Ski
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Good looking buck. I've never put out a licking branch. What made you put one there with so many trees already there? I've seen people do that in fields but not sure I've seen it in big woods.
I initially stuck it there because it was a pinch point where bucks had a scrape every year. That flat is the top of where several finger ridges meet.
All I have is big woods in hill country so whenever I hang a mock scrape it's in the big woods. Here are a few others. Usually they're vines but in the second vid it's a beech tree branch. You can see the strap I used to pull the branch down to the right height. I set them up in plots too but really anywhere deer converge or regularly pass through works well. Vines for most or if there's a living branch I can use without killing it I'll use it.
All I have is big woods in hill country so whenever I hang a mock scrape it's in the big woods. Here are a few others. Usually they're vines but in the second vid it's a beech tree branch. You can see the strap I used to pull the branch down to the right height. I set them up in plots too but really anywhere deer converge or regularly pass through works well. Vines for most or if there's a living branch I can use without killing it I'll use it.
backyardtndeer
Well-Known Member
Cool video clips and some nice bucks. That first buck really is skittish, probably some interaction he had made him that way.
I have have made plenty of mock scrapes and usually use an existing tree limb, hadn't ever thought of hanging a vine like that.
I have have made plenty of mock scrapes and usually use an existing tree limb, hadn't ever thought of hanging a vine like that.
The vine isn't my idea. Can't recall exactly where I learned it but been doing it many, many years. They're pliable, seem to hold scent well, and they last several years before needing replaced. Deer use them year round. Every YouTube expert has a how-to video on them but we've been doing it long before YouTube was a thing lol I rarely hunt over them but really depend on them for getting bucks to stop for a picture.
Topshelf
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Man those are some awesome deer for what I'm used to looking at on camera!
very cool, wonder if the first buck just got pushed out of his home range as skittish as he is?
Maybe he is completely dumbfounded how a vine is floating in the air like that in the middle of the woods.
I had never heard of doing the vine as scrape/licking branch till this year and tried it this year. I had great results till about beginning of November and they haven't used it since then.
I had never heard of doing the vine as scrape/licking branch till this year and tried it this year. I had great results till about beginning of November and they haven't used it since then.
Maybe he's out of town and wasn't expecting his wife's scent to be on there 
JCDEERMAN
Well-Known Member
Very cool. I've seen the same when starting to use vines as mock scrapes. They are unsure of them. Bucks and does. And coyotes. They still use them though
Three other bucks have entire beams broken off and another has a g3 broke off. Big bucks too. And now this big bruiser acting like an abused dog. Something weird happening on the property this year. I've tried hard to find the culprit but haven't seen any sign of a buck capable of terrorizing every big buck in the area, and haven't seen anything on camera that looks the part. I'm at a loss.
Very cool videos.
This is what it looks like to me.
His angle of view is high and he acts like he is looking at an alien.
It's that time of year, I call it seeking round 2. I believe the mature bucks have breed most of the does they know in thier core areas and branch out to seek new doe herds to potentially breed. I've seen this trend for a while at the end of November/first week of December. I have seen some of those bucks stay in certain areas for a while and create a new core area but the majority of the time they only stay for a few days. Then late to mid December I often see the bucks that ran summer patterns on the farm that rut range shifted out, return until they will rut range shift again next rut.
I had one of these seeking round 2 bucks move in two years ago and never left. I had never seen that buck before that transition. I picked up one shed that year from him and ended up killing him last year 40 yards from where I found his shed.
I had one of these seeking round 2 bucks move in two years ago and never left. I had never seen that buck before that transition. I picked up one shed that year from him and ended up killing him last year 40 yards from where I found his shed.
Yeah I agree. I doubt I'll see him again but it wouldn't surprise me. I hardly ever get a new mature buck that stays. But every year I get a couple drifters passing through that I've never seen and never see again.
ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER
Well-Known Member
Nice videos, I thought a bout putting up a couple Ted miller rubbing post
I've really wanted to try those buy don't have any pines locally. He prefers scotch pine as I understand, and I have no idea where I'd get one. I don't even have cedars. But I might try sassafras maybe.
