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I've been playing around with mock scrapes, but just recently I listened to a few podcast with Troy Pottenger which got me fired up, and can't wait to really get into it.
They are a ton of fun. Plus they tell you a lot about the deer in your area and how they move thru the area. When you have an active scrape, then you know you are in a defined doe area. Good luck and thanks for watching!
@@northernforestwhitetail I agree, my next approach to using these is going to be closer to bedding and in good cover with terrain features that guide deer through the area I set them up.
Hey I appreciate it! Means a lot. Nothing quite like hunting the big wilderness areas. A different kind of hunting experience that you just can’t get from food plots
Human piss or just the visual on a well used trail works great. Also some places sell real orbital/pre orbital gland off mature bucks and that can’t hurt on a licking branch.
Yeah I’ve whizzed in a few natural scrape locations and that has kick started them in some cases. Like you say though Ive just had better results with actual scrape scent
I agree with you on putting some scent on your mock scrape to at least get deer coming to the scrape. I too watch Jeff a lot. Here in Maine, we have vast areas of big woods with low deer densities as well. I have had luck using (Code Blue, Rack Rub) for my licking branch and then I will use two different brands of doe in heat or just doe urine and or buck urine to put into the mock scrape just to get the deer fired up. This has not failed me yet in at least getting deer to check out the sites. Maine North Woods Hunter (Shane)
Thanks for the comment Shane. Sounds like you and I have very similar hunting situations. It’s key to get the mock scrape a little juiced up in the big woods. Thanks!
Those were some nice looking bucks on your mock scrapes. I recently harvested a lot of timber and therefore changed the perennial scrapes dramatically. Creating new mock scrapes is a key part of my bow season plan. I’ll give that stuff a try. Thanks for the content.
@@northernforestwhitetail that is the plan for sure. Bought the property in December and made some fairly dramatic changes. Lots of work yet to do but I, excited for this season.
I found a couple of rubs so far in a brand new area yesterday and I saw a small buck still in velvet. I've often wondered if larger, older bucks rub their velvet off before younger ones. I hunt the semi big woods Appalachian mountains of Southwestern PA. The deer densities seem to fluctuate from Ridge to Ridge and deer will change up their home ranges from summer to fall to winter. Where you see the most activity in October often changes dramatically by January and again by spring. South and west facing sides seem to hold the largest concentrations of deer along with the biggest bucks. Eastern and Northern facing slopes seem to have much lower densities. Scrapes often appear sporadically and in short lines. I Am hunting some new and way more isolated areas this year with many pinch points. It may be a little late but I'm going to lay down some mock scrapes this week. I know you mentioned Jeff Sturgis and what he mentions about weather rings very true. I've noticed that before and after temperature drops things seem to heat up dramatically. Best of luck this season.
Sounds like neat country you hunt in PA. Yeah I mentioned Jeff Sturgis and I have a lot of respect for him and the way he hunts. I do know however that his methodology on mock scrapes won’t work in the big woods areas that I hunt. Have a great fall here- I hope you have success 👍
I hunt bigwoods as well. I've observed the deer using certain types of licking branches, which actually makes it very predictable where they will scrape. Also, I'd say location is the biggest factor where to put a bigwoods scrape. I'd put them on existing travel routes. How far are you trying to pull bucks from? The closer you build a scrape to where they already want to be the more successful you will be using them IMO.
Totally agree. These scrapes don’t pull bucks in from all over the place. They simply pull back the curtain and reveal what was using a certain area. The scrape gets used when you do your due diligence and find a good spot first.
Really good info in this video especially focusing on big woods deer. I do have two questions, when would be the best time to put out a scented mock scape? and is a certain time in the season where it's too late to set up a mock scrape?
For your first question: I like to get my scented mock scrapes set up in mid September. That seems to coincide the best with natural rutting behavior just starting to ramp up. I don’t want to set them up too late, as that may leave too much of my own scent around my hunting area when I’m planning to hunt. For your second question, I see a significant drop in activity on my mock scrapes once we get to the peak breeding dates (Nov. 12-13 in my area). After peak breeding, a handful of bucks will use them again later in November. I don’t think there is a certain date when it’s technically too late but your results will significantly decrease once you get towards November 12-13 (northern MN). Also think about your own scent/noise you are leaving behind and when you plan to hunt this spot. Try a few of these mock scrapes, experiment, learn, and have fun with it. Good luck!
@@northernforestwhitetail Thank you for the advice, I hunt in northern Michigan and I’m new to hunting the big woods setting and going into next season I’d like to work with mock scrapes and trying lower my scent impact on the public land. Thank you
@@jonathanbates672 you bet- the big woods can be frustrating for a lot of folks. It’s not instant gratification like sitting on a food plot. But if you stick with it, you will find success and it’s worth a whole lot when you do. Good luck
Do you start completely new mock scrapes this way? Ive had that work on perennial scrapes from the year before. If you are creating them brand new that way then that would be a good way to go
Came across your channel and really enjoy your content. Please stop playing with those damn bags because your Mic is picking it up every 3 seconds. Couldn't finish the video because of it
🌲Greetings!🌲 If you need low cost tree protection, you can order Browse Blockers here: www.browseblocker.com/ get 10 free when you state you saw this on RUclips when you go to checkout.
I've been playing around with mock scrapes, but just recently I listened to a few podcast with Troy Pottenger which got me fired up, and can't wait to really get into it.
They are a ton of fun. Plus they tell you a lot about the deer in your area and how they move thru the area. When you have an active scrape, then you know you are in a defined doe area. Good luck and thanks for watching!
@@northernforestwhitetail I agree, my next approach to using these is going to be closer to bedding and in good cover with terrain features that guide deer through the area I set them up.
@@charlesleblanc6638 good plan- good luck!
Awesome information!
Thanks- hope it helps folks. And thanks for the sub. Take care
Here in Harlan Ky I made several mock scrapes and urinated in them myself and came back two weeks later and the deer had made it their own!
I like that. It’s worked for me a few times too
Just found your channel and am subscribing. I may have found the Big woods hunting channel I was looking for with out the use of bait piles!
Hey I appreciate it! Means a lot. Nothing quite like hunting the big wilderness areas. A different kind of hunting experience that you just can’t get from food plots
Human piss or just the visual on a well used trail works great. Also some places sell real orbital/pre orbital gland off mature bucks and that can’t hurt on a licking branch.
Yeah I’ve whizzed in a few natural scrape locations and that has kick started them in some cases. Like you say though Ive just had better results with actual scrape scent
Great info thank you
You bet. Glad you liked it and thanks for watching
I agree with you on putting some scent on your mock scrape to at least get deer coming to the scrape. I too watch Jeff a lot. Here in Maine, we have vast areas of big woods with low deer densities as well. I have had luck using (Code Blue, Rack Rub) for my licking branch and then I will use two different brands of doe in heat or just doe urine and or buck urine to put into the mock scrape just to get the deer fired up. This has not failed me yet in at least getting deer to check out the sites. Maine North Woods Hunter (Shane)
Thanks for the comment Shane. Sounds like you and I have very similar hunting situations. It’s key to get the mock scrape a little juiced up in the big woods. Thanks!
Those were some nice looking bucks on your mock scrapes. I recently harvested a lot of timber and therefore changed the perennial scrapes dramatically. Creating new mock scrapes is a key part of my bow season plan. I’ll give that stuff a try. Thanks for the content.
You bet. That logging should create some good bedding cover on your land I would think
@@northernforestwhitetail that is the plan for sure. Bought the property in December and made some fairly dramatic changes. Lots of work yet to do but I, excited for this season.
I found a couple of rubs so far in a brand new area yesterday and I saw a small buck still in velvet. I've often wondered if larger, older bucks rub their velvet off before younger ones.
I hunt the semi big woods Appalachian mountains of Southwestern PA. The deer densities seem to fluctuate from Ridge to Ridge and deer will change up their home ranges from summer to fall to winter. Where you see the most activity in October often changes dramatically by January and again by spring. South and west facing sides seem to hold the largest concentrations of deer along with the biggest bucks. Eastern and Northern facing slopes seem to have much lower densities. Scrapes often appear sporadically and in short lines. I Am hunting some new and way more isolated areas this year with many pinch points. It may be a little late but I'm going to lay down some mock scrapes this week.
I know you mentioned Jeff Sturgis and what he mentions about weather rings very true. I've noticed that before and after temperature drops things seem to heat up dramatically. Best of luck this season.
Sounds like neat country you hunt in PA. Yeah I mentioned Jeff Sturgis and I have a lot of respect for him and the way he hunts. I do know however that his methodology on mock scrapes won’t work in the big woods areas that I hunt. Have a great fall here- I hope you have success 👍
I hunt bigwoods as well. I've observed the deer using certain types of licking branches, which actually makes it very predictable where they will scrape. Also, I'd say location is the biggest factor where to put a bigwoods scrape. I'd put them on existing travel routes. How far are you trying to pull bucks from? The closer you build a scrape to where they already want to be the more successful you will be using them IMO.
Totally agree. These scrapes don’t pull bucks in from all over the place. They simply pull back the curtain and reveal what was using a certain area. The scrape gets used when you do your due diligence and find a good spot first.
@@northernforestwhitetail great videos!
Really good info in this video especially focusing on big woods deer. I do have two questions, when would be the best time to put out a scented mock scape? and is a certain time in the season where it's too late to set up a mock scrape?
For your first question: I like to get my scented mock scrapes set up in mid September. That seems to coincide the best with natural rutting behavior just starting to ramp up. I don’t want to set them up too late, as that may leave too much of my own scent around my hunting area when I’m planning to hunt. For your second question, I see a significant drop in activity on my mock scrapes once we get to the peak breeding dates (Nov. 12-13 in my area). After peak breeding, a handful of bucks will use them again later in November. I don’t think there is a certain date when it’s technically too late but your results will significantly decrease once you get towards November 12-13 (northern MN). Also think about your own scent/noise you are leaving behind and when you plan to hunt this spot. Try a few of these mock scrapes, experiment, learn, and have fun with it. Good luck!
@@northernforestwhitetail Thank you for the advice, I hunt in northern Michigan and I’m new to hunting the big woods setting and going into next season I’d like to work with mock scrapes and trying lower my scent impact on the public land. Thank you
@@jonathanbates672 you bet- the big woods can be frustrating for a lot of folks. It’s not instant gratification like sitting on a food plot. But if you stick with it, you will find success and it’s worth a whole lot when you do. Good luck
Even in big woods conditions, I believe that human urine is enough to get a mock scrape started.
Do you start completely new mock scrapes this way? Ive had that work on perennial scrapes from the year before. If you are creating them brand new that way then that would be a good way to go
Came across your channel and really enjoy your content. Please stop playing with those damn bags because your Mic is picking it up every 3 seconds. Couldn't finish the video because of it
Noted- glad you like the channel 👍