Ask The Biologist

Early Bird

Early Bird

By Bob Humphrey

How soon do mock scrapes become effective in drawing bucks?

QUESTION: I was thinking about setting up a mock scrape this year, but someone told me I should wait until the rut before setting it up or I’d just be wasting time and money. What are your thoughts? — Chris C.

ANSWER: While I have no scientific evidence to support it, I see no harm and plenty of potential benefit from setting up mock scrapes well before the rut and possibly even before hunting season. Although most active scraping occurs around the rut, deer visit scrape areas, particularly the overhanging licking branch, throughout the year. Keeping a mock scrape fresh might make them more inclined to do so early on, and then keep them coming when you want them there.

In fact, without sounding too much like an advertisement, Tink’s sells a kit designed to do just that. It contains a dripper and two types of liquid scent. Scrape Starter is intended to stimulate bucks into scraping earlier and condition them to come back often. Scrape Finisher is enhanced with #69 Doe-in-Rut scent and buck secretions for peak rut periods. I can attest from personal experience that it works.

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