Watching Scrapes

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Slackbunny

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Fredericton New Brunswick
So I found a fairly good area with plenty of good-sized tracks and several scrapes, all of which were used no more than 36 hours before I found them. Would it be productive for me to sit and watch a scrape for the morning/evening, or would I have better luck with my usual walk 10 minutes then sit and call 20 minutes strategy?
 
Slackbunny said:
So I found a fairly good area with plenty of good-sized tracks and several scrapes, all of which were used no more than 36 hours before I found them. Would it be productive for me to sit and watch a scrape for the morning/evening, or would I have better luck with my usual walk 10 minutes then sit and call 20 minutes strategy?
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I'd for sure set up in the area with lots of tracks and lots of scrapes. You gotta be where the deer are to kill the deer.


DL
 
doublelung said:
I'd for sure set up in the area with lots of tracks and lots of scrapes. You gotta be where the deer are to kill the deer.


DL
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Oh I am definitely hunting that area, I was just wondering if I would be better off to sit and watch one of the scrapes for an extended period of time rather than my usual strategy of sitting and calling for 20-30 mins then walking to another spot 10 mins away and repeating the process.
 
Find a good travel corridor between the scrapes near bedding and a food souce if you can (sometimes a very tall order) and intercept them while moving.
 
Sometimes a buck will scent check a scrape without getting close to it, so you would not see it. They also check them out during the night. Most likely better chance at shooting a buck if you can figure out where he is bedding and where the does are feeding and try to intercept him. Also paying attention to wind direction.
 
my usual walk 10 minutes then sit and call 20 minutes strategy?[/QUOTE]

It sounds like you're walking to fast, calling to much and not sitting long enough. If you are hunting the same area repeatedly the deer will probably pattern you before you can pattern them.
 
I don't know the lay out of the land but if there is any possibility of setting up in a tree or a ground blind with a good view of the area then just sit tight. As was said above find a good intercept area between feeding and bedding areas. Set up where the does are and the bucks will eventually show themselves.

It is always better if possible to let the game come to you. Well hunted white tail bucks can be spooky as hell even in the rut. The less you move around the better. In my part of the woods some guys will spend dawn to dusk in a tree stand waiting for a glimpse of Mr big. It often pays off for them too.
 
I agree with the ambush method, you sit there long enough and they will eventually walk by.

As stated above, be aware of the wind, they will almost always circle you to get down wind of your calls.
 
Just to add a bit. I have had some success with a doe bleat and a decoy. If the buck has something to see like the decoy it will as was just said circle down wind. You can be hidden to take advantage and when the buck circles to win the decoy he may just travel right in front of you.

I call or rattle very little. Once I am set up I will wait at least 20 minutes before I make any call. I will call a bit then stay quite for 20-30 min. If they are going to respond that is usually all it will take. More often than not they do not respond.

WARNING: BE VERY VERY CAREFUL USING DECOYS IN RIFLE SEASON.

Unless you are 120% sure you are safe I would not use one in an area where other hunters may be.
 
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