What do you think? Early scrapes.

[fire29]

I was out checking my camera today and did a little walk around checking stuff out. I came accross 3 scrapes, one about the size of a hub cap, maybe a touch bigger. I have in the past found early rubs and early rub lines, hunted them and had success shooting Nice bucks. I have never put much time into the early scrapes. So what do you think? Small bucks, big bucks, are they boerd. Maybe it comes with rubbing their velvet off, just something they do while they are rubbing.

[Bear55]

I think it has to do with a little jolt of testosterone that bucks get this time of year. Their velvet starts to peel and they start ripping up a few trees and a few scrapes show up. I think they are just having a little fun, I would guess the majority of them would be from younger bucks.

[Archerysniper]

I also found some about a week ago.

[tracker x-2]

to my suprise i found some last weekend also the trees next to it where beat up. i placed a trail cam there so we'll see what shows up.

[Rippinlip]

We have a few scrapes showing up too.

[Archerysniper]

From past seasons we are about 2 weeks ahead on most exept the sheading of velvet thats right on stayed the same, so lests all hope for a pre rut around october 10th and a lockdown of november 9th.

Come on day light start faiding faster.

[fire29]

I read an article tonight that was talking about scrapes. It said that mature bucks are usally the ones that make the earliest scrapes, starting as early as Sept. So I guess I am also gonna have to put my camera there.

[B. Amish]

the older the buck the earlier they scrape and rub. i found one scrape in mid august this year. that's usually when i spot the first. they will visit scrape areas all year round but usually just hit the licking branch and don't make the visual scrape.

[musky hunter]

I had four bucks in the back yard last night, along with a bunch of does and some fawns. I live in Superior, WI, and have green space nearby. Deer are frequent unwelcome visitors to our yard, munching on everything that grows. Usually it's only the does and fawns that we see. None of the bucks are large, one has eight points but a small rack. The bucks normally appear about this time of year and maybe it has as much to do with crab apples falling as it has to do with hormones. But I did observe a little buck to buck antler rubbing, but it didn't last long. No question who the dominant fellow was. I'm about to put my new deer decoy out, just to see how the locals react to it.

[InTheNorthwoods]

Deer have been found to make scrapes year round. Obviously the frequency of scraping activity and use of scrapes (i.e. revisiting) drastically increases in the pre-rut phase, but it is not uncommon for deer to make scrapes at any time of the year. I wouldn't pay much attention to scrapes that are found now, except to log it as a scrape location for later re-examination and to acknowledge that there was deer movement through that area.

[FishingWebGuy]

From past seasons we are about 2 weeks ahead on most exept the sheading of velvet thats right on stayed the same, so lests all hope for a pre rut around october 10th and a lockdown of november 9th.

Come on day light start faiding faster.

I saw an interesting episode of D&DH the other day. Their opinion was that this will be the latest rut any of us will ever see due to the late full moon in November. They predicted prime rut starting around 11/23-11/25.

[Bear55]

FWG

I know you hunt in the same general area as me, don't bother listening to that early rut/late rut/moon stuff. I've got about 20 years of mature buck kills and sightings logged. Mark you calendar from Nov 6th to the 14th, if you want to narrow that down a little the 8th to the 12th has been the absolute best days to hunt. I will also add opening day rifle season has also been very successful, you pretty much have that one day to catch those big bucks by surprise. These days are what I consider the peak of the chase phase and the beginning of the breeding phase.

D&DH does know their stuff but I have seen them predict a late rut a few times and every one of those years we had the best action within those dates I listed.

Now this can vary from area to area, I suggest everyone keep a detailed log to help pinpoint your best time to be in the woods.

[fire29]

Of course its the 8th to the 12th, IT'S THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK!!! I think I have the swine flu that week.

[FishingWebGuy]

FWG

I know you hunt in the same general area as me, don't bother listening to that early rut/late rut/moon stuff. I've got about 20 years of mature buck kills and sightings logged. Mark you calendar from Nov 6th to the 14th, if you want to narrow that down a little the 8th to the 12th has been the absolute best days to hunt. I will also add opening day rifle season has also been very successful, you pretty much have that one day to catch those big bucks by surprise. These days are what I consider the peak of the chase phase and the beginning of the breeding phase.

D&DH does know their stuff but I have seen them predict a late rut a few times and every one of those years we had the best action within those dates I listed.

Now this can vary from area to area, I suggest everyone keep a detailed log to help pinpoint your best time to be in the woods.

Calendars marked

[Bear55]

Now I should warm everyone you could hunt those dates hard and not see a thing, but if you hunt those dates hard over many years you will see some action. Most years I expect to hunt all week and maybe see one mature buck a season in the bigwoods public land. Some years you see a few, others you don't see any and things can happen fast so you might only have a few seconds to pull off a shot up there so be ready. My advice is for northcentral to northeaster bigwoods only, other areas can vary greatly. Weather can also have a major affect on daytime movement.

In my journal I keep a log of the 10-14 hunters in our camp and another 25-30 hunters at our neighboring camps. I keep track of the dates of young bucks chasing or following does, mature bucks following does, mature buck sightings, and mature buck kills. It paints a beautiful picture for anyone picking their deer hunting vacation. We usually see the young guys do the chasing for 3-6 days before the big guys show up, if I had to pick a 3 day window we have had the best luck from the 10th to the 12th, and again add opening day to that best of the best days list. Not long after the 12th it seems we get into lock down mode and the sightings are much more random, however I will say there is still a fair chance of see a mature buck as they move from one locked down doe or doe group to another so never give up.

[DonBo]

I've been keeping a journal for many years as well. Nov 9 & 10 have been THE two days I've seen the most chasing year after year. This is mostly in NW Wisconsin, so I'd have to agree with Bear on his dates. However, nothing compares to opening morning. Nothing.

[sticknstring]

I've always experienced the most action the 2nd week of November but the biggest bucks are always seen around Thanksgiving. I think after the majority of does are bred in the core areas, those bruisers start cruising again. It's at this time, deer you've never seen before start showing up. Come November!

[Bear55]

I've been keeping a journal for many years as well. Nov 9 & 10 have been THE two days I've seen the most chasing year after year. This is mostly in NW Wisconsin, so I'd have to agree with Bear on his dates. However, nothing compares to opening morning. Nothing.

Thanks for the info Donbo, its nice to have other data to backup what I have been seeing all these years.

I think you are right on about opening day, the sheer number of hunters hitting the woods and all the action that follows makes it a once a year opportunity that can't be matched. From it being at the start to peak of the chasing phase, to catching those deer before they know they are being hunted, to have guys push deer around on their way into the woods or any time during the day to that first shot you hear opening deer season is one of the greatest days of the year.