These mock scrape results were on full display, when this mature 10 point traveled a precision whitetail line of habitat movement, starting in his bedding area, through an enhanced corridor, under a mock scrape and finally onto a Fall-specific food source. By sneaking into the backside of the movement to set up an ambush over the mock scrape and food plot, the pattern that had been allowed to repeat for over 2 months without interuption from hunting pressure, was taken advantage of. The deer had no idea it was the evening of the 4th day of WI's gun season, because they had not been pressured for many weeks. If you look closely you can even see me hunkered down in the golden rod with my gun still raised, as the buck is falling to the ground. The lack of pressure combined with quality Fall food was key, and the following pictures of the mock scrape results speak for themselves!
One of my favorite ways to create a mock scrape is to hang a vine from an overhead branch. This scrape was created on August 26th, 2015, which was just in time for the start of WI's bow season a few weeks later. Although I typically like to hang a vine scrape at a height equal to around my waist, a miscalculation on my part set the bottom of the vine about chest high. It still worked! With the use of a step ladder I was able to secure the vine to a branch with some yellow nylon rope, and I finished off the project with a healthy mix of glysophate, 2-4D and a garden rake to define the scraping area. Also, I used the same mix of chemicals to define an old entrance trail that extended from heavy security cover, by spraying and cutting out the trail through the weeds for a distance of 30 yards behind the scrape.
*These mock scrape results, as well as most any other whitetail related hunting and habitat tactic, are covered in my recently completely trilogy of Advanced Whitetail Strategy books, including the recently published"Mature Buck Success by Design",which details how to scout, prepare, forecast for and consistently kill mature bucks.
The results of the mock scrape installation were outstanding! By the end of October the scrape had captured the picture of nearly 20 different bucks. Because there was only 1 scrape, within the entire food plot system that included over 2 acres on 3 separate plots, I believe that every buck that visited the food source eventually visited the mock scrape. As in waterholes and mineral stations, the more that you have, the lower the value of each individual improvement. By keeping the number of mock scrapes in the area to a minimum (one), the scrape became an outstanding tool for defining a hidden entrance and exit route for mature bucks, as well as for collecting a census of nearly 100% of the area bucks with my favorite Moultrie. The scrape also offered a precision ambush point to sneak in and observe unsuspecting whitetails that enjoyed pressure free dining since before the season had even began.
For more on creating your own highly effective mock scrape results, check out the following articles:
*Easy Mock Scrape Recipe
*How To Make A Mock Scrape
*Mock Scrape Strategies: Creating Buck Movement
Finally, these mock scrape results wouldn't be complete without a combo harvest, including a doe that lingered around just a few seconds too long. Although the mature buck and rest of the deer herd would have used this same food source regardless of if there was a mock scrape along side it, the single mock scrape created the exact location to take advantage of precision deer movements. It also created a season long trail cam location to take inventory of the areas entire buck herd.