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The Truth about Mock Scrapes
Posted By Dean Weimer at 9/29/2009 12:00:00 AM
Mock scrapes have been around for quite a few years, and since I've been using real deer urines in much of my hunting my success with them has gone through the roof. I can't begin to tell you how much fun I've had using Mrs. Doe Pee's Buck Lures real deer urines in nearly all of my set ups the past several years. I'd written off "scents" in the past as nothing more than gimmicks to get our money. Now that I use the Real McCoy my opinion has changed. There is definately a difference between "scents" that hang on store shelves for months on end, and fresh urines that are shipped cold and that you then keep refridgerated between use.
 
One thing that I'd like to mention is that Indiana's recently improved deer herd has really helped out with mock scrape use, decoying, etc. Our improved buck:doe ratio and age structure have really improved my deer hunting ten-fold; but especially my rut related hunting. There is more competition for breeding now and Indiana's bucks have really begun to act more natural-- something they didn't do as much back in my earlier years. I definately didn't see much natural behavior when I began hunting over 20 years ago. There were simply too many does for each buck that existed in the local herd.
 
I've witnessed more rub urinating, posturing, flaring, vocalizing, and other buck behaviors, and this only helps us out with our hunting. This is yet another reason to harvest excess does, but we'll save that topic for another blog.IMG_2313 [640x480].jpg
 
Making mock scrapes in the woods can help your success, so I recommend trying it out. Some hunters will use rakes, shovels, and the like for making faux scrapes, but I've found a simple branch f rom the woods to work just as well. I like the idea of using something that is natural to the woods.
 
When making mocks I believe that location is nearly everything. Pick a spot with high activity such as a well worn trail, funnel area, or edge of a fencerow and standing corn field. Make sure it's an area that bucks travel frequently to up the odds that they'll begin using your handy work. Those areas in between doe family group bedding areas are key. Also, you may want to pick an area in which scrapes already exist.
 
One mistake that hunters make is polluting the area around the mock with human odor. This is a big no-no. When I make my mocks I am clean and scent free. Every piece of clothing I wear is clean. The boots I wear, wether rubber or not, are cleaned and de-scented. I also use cotton gloves so that I don't leave any odor on anything that I may touch. Some folks even go to the extent of using rubber gloves. Every little bit can help.
 
Clear out a small area under an overhanging branch and squirt about 2 ounces of a blend of buck and doe urines in your faux scrape. I use Mrs. Doe Pee's Continuous Scrape Set which is a blend of buck/ doe urines and also gladular secretions. I'll then fill up a scrape dripper with another 2-4 ounces of the product. Tie the dripper up high enough that it isn't hanging near the licking branch. Trust me, bucks will try to get that bottle if it has the right urines in it. Some folks are even using the drip- type medicine bags that are used at hospitals. If you have access to them
give them a try.
 
Speaking of tricks, there are many that you can utilize to enhance your scrape get deer to visit it. Some include:
 
Using a branch from an evergreen tree for the overhanging branch. Our own Heath Malone uses this trick and feels that it gives the deer another reason to come to the scrape. Evergreens, where available, are sought after for rubbing (especially by mature bucks), and it only stands to reason that bucks will be attractied to one for a licking branch as well. There is something about the aromatic properties of evergreens, especially pines and red cedars, that attract bucks. I've learned over the years that Scotch Pines are a super preferred species of tree for bucks.
 
My friend, Sam Collora, of Mrs. Doe Pee's fame will dig up his scrapes and place one or two pieces of wax paper under the dirt to help hold the urine there longer. This is a trick that he's had great success with. He's returned to mock scrapes and found the paper was dug up and flung all around the area. Try it. Sam actually starts his scrapes as early as mid-August in his home area of Iowa.
 
I utilize quick mock scrapes around my buck decoy too. Make them up on either side o f your set up to enhance the realism of the situation. Most mature bucks will circle downwind of the imposter. When they do, they'll smell what their eyes are alrady telling them. Your decoy could be in real trouble at that point. Get that bow ready!
 
One other "trick" I like to implement is setting up my Cuddeback No Flash on the mock scrape. I did this last fall for the first time and I was blown away at how many bucks utilized that scrape. I started the scrape out as a just a small  two foot by two foot area on October 17. When I went back on Halloween morning the bucks had opened it up the size of a bath tub. After I check my CF card later that day I found that I had well over 30 hits by bucks. Some of those bucks worked the scrape, some of them got up on their hind legs to try and get the dripper, most all of them rub urinated in it, others were merely traveling through the area. A ll of them provided some serious entertainment and education opportunities.
 
Make sure you wipe your camera down with scent killer after setting it up over the scrape. And, do NOT, under and circumstances, go back to the scrape every few days. Just leave the camera there for at least a week, or two before you go to check it. Don't blow those bucks off of that spot and go in and hunt the spot when the time is right. For me that means several days on either side of Halloween.
 
Again, scraping is a "fixed action pattern" and is caused mostly by testosterone as the bucks get ramped up for the Primary Breeding period.  Biologists still don't know for 100% cer tainty ex actly what a "scrape" is, but it's safe to say that it has something to do with communication between deer; especially in and around the Rut. Scr aping reaches its peak right before the Primary Breeding Period reaches your area, when nearly 85% of a seasons' breeding will occur. And remember this: much of the  activity at your scrapes will happen after dark  regardless how awesome of a spot you find. This doesn't mean that the scrape isn't worth hunting, however.
 
Get out there and give it a try. One other advantage that making mock scrapes provides to you is it allows you to take part in the action you may provide for yourself. And, that's icing on the cake if you can actually harvest a buck at, or near your faux scrape.
 
Dean Weimer