Mock Scrapes for Mature Bucks

Wes Delks | Originally published in GameKeepers: Farming for Wildlife Magazine. To subscribe, click here.

The big-bodied ten-pointer vigorously pawed at the soil beneath my “mock scrape.” He momentarily paused from his search in looking for a girlfriend to leave his calling card for other whitetail deer. At a mere twenty yards, I identified him as a broken-tined warrior I wanted to wrap my tag around.

Dirt went flying six feet behind him as he went through the motions of working the scrape. After he had scraped the debris out of a circle about four feet in diameter, he then urinated on the bare soil and started thrashing the licking branch just above his head. At this point, I took the opportunity to draw my bow silently and place an arrow just behind his shoulder.

By creating a mock scrape at the right location, I had set myself up for a great shot opportunity. In fact, this scrape was one of three I had created on this property, but not all scrapes are created equally. Location, timing, reducing scent transfer, and proper positioning of the stimuli (licking branch, dripper, etc.) are all critical for consistent success.

By the time a big buck makes it through three or four hunting seasons in a pressured area, he probably is very aware of what his main predator smells like…human. The buck also likely knows what humans look and sound like and has probably seen many of our tools and tricks.

In fact, while some hunters feel that archery is a surefire way to go deer hunting, thanks to the silence of a bow and arrow, you’d be surprised at how many bucks are aware and wary of the sound of a bowstring firing. Bowhunting is a good way to hunt, but the really big bucks are perfectly aware of this human technique. For this reason, a good mock scrape can help you bring down even the most cautious buck.

If you’re careless when creating your mock scrape, the scrape site may cause the quarry to sense danger from it instead. When creating mock scrapes with care and choosing proper placement and timing, mock scrapes can be highly effective. The process for making these mock scrapes is amazingly simple: make a mock scrape where Mr. Big would naturally make a scrape and be as unobtrusive as possible.

The Scrape Itself

Most scrapes are made underneath an overhanging branch (licking branch), which is usually about 5 to 5 ½ feet off of the ground. Most of the time, a scrape is made by the buck interacting with this branch by licking or chewing on it and scent-marking it with his forehead and preorbital glands.

The actual scrape is made by the buck pawing the ground and whisking the leaves and dirt away. Then, most of the time, a buck will urinate down his hocks and over his tarsal glands into it. We want to duplicate these signs as cautiously as a CSI investigator sifts through a crime scene and leaves the area without any foreign scent transfer.

You can use the buck’s natural existing scrape(s). In the whitetails’ world, many different bucks may utilize the same scrape. However, more often than not, I’ll make my own, trying to copy the specifics found with the buck’s existing scrape(s).

The actual mock scrape is best created with a sturdy stick found in the area. Try to make the scrape on flat ground if possible, and make sure it is free from all debris. A heat-activated scent dripper can help with conditioning a buck into showing up during legal light and spending more time in the area.

Some believe it wise to use several drippers and possibly vary the scent in each. With more than one “mock,” you’re increasing your chances that something’s going to be right with at least one of them that will draw a response.

Many believe that you should try to hang the dripper above the actual licking branch if at all possible. This is a good idea since the dripper’s cover is made of cloth and may have had a foreign odor permeate it at some point, so it’s probably best to keep it out of direct “nose-shot” of a whitetail.

While a dripper can aid immensely, especially with conditioning a buck into showing up during legal shooting light, it’s not necessary for success. The mock scrape I shot the “broken-tined ten” out of (written about above) was made by simply removing the leaf litter underneath some honeysuckle branches a few feet off a deer trail and spraying buck urine in the bare dirt.

Targeting the Best Areas

Seeking out the right area is essential. You can’t simply go out to any overhanging branch and expect to create a successful mock scrape. Pay less attention to scrapes made on field perimeters and concentrate on ones closer to bedding and secure areas. You want to target an area that a buck is claiming as his. Move in and make it look and smell like there’s a rival buck invading his turf. Look for the areas with the largest scrapes, spots that contain numerous scrapes or clusters of scrapes, and scrapes that you know have been freshened again and again.

Once you find the area, look for the same type of tree with the same height overhanging branch (licking branch or interaction branch) that the buck originally approved of. The interaction branch is usually about five to six feet off the ground. Try to duplicate the variables that the specific buck you’re after preferred.

Sometimes, you can cut an actual licking branch off a buck’s already existing scrape and transplant it to a tree that suits your needs better. It’s best to try and duplicate natural conditions, but if it’s an actual licking branch that has been recently worked, you can take a pine branch and attach it to an oak tree and still have success.

To attach an already-existing licking branch to another tree to make your mock scrape, take a dead tree limb that’s long enough to span the gap between your new tree and another. This limb should be sturdy and long enough to rest securely between the two trees.

Next, connect your transplant-licking branch to the dead tree limb using an attachment method like tying it together with rope, tough wire, or strong tape. As we mentioned, when baiting, it’s suggested to have the branch at least five feet off the ground. Also, deer are smart; when hanging the dead tree branch that’s your connector, make sure it’s not obvious. The best mock scrape will appear entirely at home among the trees in the area.

Some hunters also use grapevines or other types of vines to position the licking branch for an active scrape. This makes the whole mock scrape appear more natural. Mature bucks are very aware of what a scrape is supposed to look like, so if you’re using unnatural materials like rope or wire, make sure that they are well hidden and not immediately visible so that you can have successful deer hunting.

You can also relocate an entire tree if need be. This works best with a tree of manageable size. Secure the tree in some fashion, to a fence post or another tree, or use a post-hole digger or auger to create a hole to place the small tree. This way, you can put a significant focal point for whitetail bucks exactly where it gives you the best advantage.

Let it Be Known!

Besides the obvious appeal of an alluring smell, I also want my mock scrape set-ups to stand out visually. This will catch the attention of bucks that may be passing through upwind. But this visual stimulus must look natural enough so that you don’t miss out on attracting the most wary buck in the area.

Many leading “mock scrape authorities” agree that “mock rubs” can also increase your chances of bagging deer that travel through the area. These mock rubs are designed to mimic the natural behavior of new bucks in the area that rub their antlers against trees. Rubs are a great way to visually attract a buck that may not smell your set-up. With a pruner or wood rasp, make your own rub on some two to six-inch saplings in the area.

A real intruder buck would typically also mark the territory in this way. You want to create an illusion that a foreign buck has moved into his breeding territory. The visual stimuli of new rubs help sell your scenario to the buck. In this situation, that is likely what a real buck would do.

It depends on the type of trees, how territorial the bucks are, deer movement during the time of year, and the size of the trees as to how many rubs are sufficient. Usually, half a dozen or so key trees will work, but you can create many if you wish. It’s best to choose trees that are the same size as the ones that your target buck is using. If the bucks in your area aren’t “rub crazy,” don’t go overboard.

Some hunters have a hard time determining if an area’s bucks are really into rubbing. You'll need to look for the signs to determine if the deer population loves to rub. These include rub lines on a tree’s bark; large bucks love to mark trees that are at least two inches in diameter. With these kinds of trees, you’ll easily see the lines. If you know where deer bedding areas are, locating the trees is a simple process. Some hunters even use trail cameras to locate buck bedding.

In an area that has experienced a lot of pressure, you may want to keep things as natural-looking as possible. However, in recent years, some hunters have begun using a rope instead of a licking branch. A large-diameter hemp rope seems to work great. This way, you can have the perfect height “licking rope” (in this case) under any tree you wish. In some areas, this rope seems to attract the attention of bucks in rut.

The Best Times

Timing is also important for mock scrapes to work. In the Midwest and throughout the northern states and Canada, the best luck should come from around the second week of October through the first week of November, and then again after Thanksgiving and into the first part of December. This could be later or much later in the South, depending on how far south you go. Mock scrapes are probably not your best tactic when the bucks are actively chasing and breeding.

Don’t expect your exact mock scrape(s) necessarily to get hit. Sometimes, they may interact with the actual mock scrape, but remember, your goal is simply to draw them to the area during legal shooting light for a shot.

Take in the “big picture” of the entire area and use scrapes in relationship with other factors before making your set-up--where the bedding is, what the primary food sources are at that time, etc. You can use a trail cam to get the lay of the land when getting to know the local deer population.

If you don’t get anything else out of this article, be encouraged to create mock scrapes on your property this year, try different areas, and use varying methods and scents. Observe how the deer respond uniquely to each of them, and then put your plan into action.