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Rub and Scrape Activity on the Rise
As autumn progresses, photoperiod becomes shorter which triggers a change in circulating hormone levels of both bucks and does. This means that rubs and scrapes will occur more frequently across the landscape. This is a great time of year to switch your trail camera to an active scrape.
Although the majority of scrape activity occurs at night, the inventory of bucks using a scrape will help you determine where to focus your hunting efforts.
Just like everything in the realm of deer, not every scrape is created equal. Some scrapes are as big as a car hood and some are the size of a dinner plate. Depending on the quality and age structure of the deer herd, the number of bucks visiting a scrape can vary drastically. Some bucks don’t even step into a scrape to check it, but simply walk downwind of it.
The number of rubs and scrapes made in a given area also varies with herd demographics. According to Dr. Karl Miller, rub densities can vary from 5,000 per square mile in quality managed herds and be as few as 500 per square mile in lesser quality herds. It is well documented that yearling males make fewer rubs and scrapes so male age structure plays a large role in the differences from one area to another.
Depending on the timing of the breeding season in your area, hunting over food sources will become hit or miss. What I’ve noticed over the years with our food plots in late October (beginning of breeding season here in Midwest), the does will get harassed to the point that they will avoid a food plot because they know as soon as they step into it, a buck will pursue them. It is kind of like the quote from the late Yogi Berra, “Nobody goes there anymore, it’s too crowded.” Hunting the edges of bedding areas can produce more consistently during that time frame. Good luck hunting this fall, and feel free to share your harvested buck pictures on our Facebook page.
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