Was this a scrape?

[MidwestMatthew]

I'm new to deer hunting and am only recently learning about things like scrapes, licking branches, etc. But while out at my spot last night (didn't get anything - rats!) I noticed what I think was a buck scrape and was wondering if anyone could help me confirm that.

What I saw was two bare areas about 30% bigger than a traditional metal garbage can lid. They overlapped by about a third. There were distinct back-and-forth scrape marks in each one. Judging by how the strokes matched one another, I believe at least two points on each side were in contact with the ground. Just above was a low-hanging branch, bare of the leaves that were present here and there on the other branches.

The whole shebang was about eight feet in front of the "blind" I'd built out of a couple of pallets.

I'm wondering a few things:

1.) Based on this description, is it in fact a scrape?
2.) If so, does the size say anything about how big of a buck may have done it?
3.) Do scrape sites tend to be "hot" for multiple seasons?

Thanks for any help figuring out what this may mean for next year's hunting!

 

[WestKentucky]

Seems like it could easily be.

 

[buck460XVR]

Sounds lie a scrape.

Judging by how the strokes matched one another, I believe at least two points on each side were in contact with the ground.

What you are seeing is the two "hooves" on each front foot, not antler points.

It sounds to be a territorial scrape, where a buck will mark the perimeters of it's preferred area. They generally are the size you mentioned and are much more common that breeding scrapes. They tell both does, and other bucks who is around and the area they deem "theirs". Deer generally know virtually every animal in it's area by the smell. Breeding scrapes tend to be about 8-10 feet in diameter and are used to attract does who are in estrus. Territorial scrapes may or may not be in the same location every year, they are generally on the edges of different terrain/flora, i.e field edges, ridge tops, edges of clearings, etc., I have seen some scrape lines used for as long as I have hunted(50+ years), so one knows it was different bucks that made them. Bucks may or may not ever return to a territorial scrape. Think of them like fire hydrants to dogs. Sometimes they refresh them, sometimes other bucks will use them to let that buck know there's another buck not afraid of him. Some biologist claim it has to do with subordinate bucks seeking the number of other subordinate and dominate bucks in their area and thus may repress it's rutting activity lending to less chance of being severely injured fighting and make it feed more and chase does less, giving it a better chance to survive winters and get bigger for the next year. Breeding scrapes tend to be more random and more dependent on where the does are and the dominate buck sleeps. Bucks will tend to stick closer to them, many times bedding downwind of them. Hard to get in close to an active breeding scrape to hunt it. IME, scrapes can be good spots to hunt, but generally by the time you find them it's too late. Knowing areas that tend to have scrapes in every year are a good place to sit before you start seeing scrapes. Thus when the bucks come to make 'em, you are already there. I hunt known scrape lines in pre-rut, before I even see the first scrape up until I see more than one in the area. Once scrapes are common and left unattended, odds are the bucks are running does in hopes of finding a hot one and their scrapes are forgotten. I find more breeding scrapes after most of the does are thru estrus than before. I believe this is because bucks are doing whatever they can to find those last few does in heat and the hope of finding one coming back into estrus that didn't get breed the first time around. They also are weary from chasing does, protecting their harem(and avoiding hunters) so it's easier for them and much safer to make a breeding scrape and wait downwind, than to run all over tarnation.

 

[30Cal]

If you can see hoofmarks, then probably so. Almost always under small branches that are broken off and beat up. I've never seen more than a solitary scrape in an area (i.e. you won't have 2-3 in sight of one another).

Turkeys scratch out smaller patches, a lot of times several in a close area.

 

[outlawjw]

A scrape tells you there is a buck in your area for 2 to3 days .it doesn't tell you his size or even sex for sure does will scrape also & most often in his making you think he's freshening it up ,but no just her. Look for rubs they will tell where he's been where he's going & give you a good idea of size when you learn to read them.

 

[41 Mag]

I set up a camera in front of what I "thought" was the dominate buck's scrape on Monday before Thanksgiving around noonish. I pulled it out at around 8:30'ish on Tuesday evening and it had 160 pics on it of around a dozen or so different deer.

I did however see the one I thought was keeping it fresh, but I also had 4 or five other ones along with just over a half dozen does.

In my mind, I had envisioned them taking a sniff of the dirt before working it over, and had the camera set p to catch more of that area. What I got was about all of them thrashing the end of a youpon limb which stuck out just to the side of it. Turns out most of the dug up dirt was from them wreaking havoc one the poor limb.

The good thing was I DID see a couple of other bucks we hadn't a clue were even in the area so the grandson's at least have something to work towards now.