Build it, and they will come. For hunt-savvy land managers, creating and maintaining deer-attracting food plots on private tracts has never been more popular. That’s because a well-constructed plot planted in the right area and with the right seed mix can draw deer from amazing distances. And while none of that guarantees hunting success, a small tweak to your favorite food plot this spring can certainly help.
Even with a relatively small plot, it can be hard to ensure incoming deer will pass within bow range of your stand. That’s where a scrape tree can help. To pull incoming deer within easy range this fall, use a posthole digger to strategically “plant” a tree within about 20 yards of your stand. Choose a sturdy tree at least a few inches in diameter; ideal would be a tree with several sturdy spoke-like branches radiating outward, 4 to 5 feet off the ground. Maybe it’s a scrub oak, maybe a cedar.
Come late summer or early fall, if bucks have not yet taken advantage, it’s time to put the icing on the cake: Build a mock scrape underneath your tree. This fall, at some point, most every buck using or checking your plot will head to your scrape tree, offering the type of relaxed, high-percentage shot bowhunters crave.
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