Mockin

[humblehunter22]

Curious to see what folks response is in regards to those of y'all in here that utilize mock scrapes in your bag of hunting tricks, more so in particular to when exactly in y'alls opinion is that "magic time" y'all like to focus on hunting your mock set ups? I just have recently found my own means of success in combination of running scents as well as a product that seems to bear more positive results than negative for me personally in regards to cam studies & in person 1st hand experience. Years past I used to be "that guy" that would run to the big box store or the hunting expo's buying up & getting my hands on every "it" scent product I could for hopes of the whole sales pitch slogan of buy this brand scent etc.... guaranteed you'll have a one fiddy in your lap first try in the field. I know that is a bit of an exaggeration but still. Years past it was always the same song & dance I would put said scents out & bam instantly within 24 hrs it seemed areas covered in fresh & old signs had magically shut off & were now void of all signs period. Fast forward to present day after much time spent reading & asking questions along with tweaking of my methods I have finally found a means to successfully run "mock scrapes", drag lines, etc... but I am curious how soon for those of you with any reasonable skin in the game do y'all plan to set up shop around your set ups in hopes of catching that bruiser working your set up in the daytime? For me so far I have not really given much concerted effort towards mine until the peak of the rutt to attempt to hunt over. I learned well enough most "scrape" activity in itself is nocturnal however once they do become territorial & start to break off from their groups & claim territory I figure a person could do well to catch a buck off guard.

 

[bassculler]

I have used them off and on over the years. Have had limited success in the early, pre rut phase. They seem to become community scrapes...doe, small buck with a few shooters showing up every now and then. I like to use the drip bag. But, i have found the most success by just hunting the does...not necessarily killing them. Just seeing them. Especially during the peak of the rut. Seeing does and alot of time sitting in stand usually pays off at some point.

 

[Jim Boyd]

I do it all the time.

Particularly in areas that I know scrapes generally have been previously or at spots that have that perfect combination of elements.

Keeping scent away, I use a branch to make the scrape.

Hang the camera.

Urinate in scrape.

All set.

When I come to ck the camera, I urinate in it again.

Almost all work but some do get ignored

I used to use Kildee’s brew but now I just let it flow.

Good luck.

 

[chrislibby88]

I make them like Jim said, in areas where scrapes occur naturally, or in travel hubs (which usually already have scrapes) but some don’t. Kick dirt with boots, pee in scrape and if I can ninja some urine up onto the overhanging limb that will be a licking beach I do, if not, no worries. I’ve used vanilla extract on top of urine too, just put a few drops on the “licking branch” and let it drip into the scrape. Just adds to the curiosity, don’t overuse any scent, if they start to associate store bought scents or vanilla with humans it’s game over. General rule of thumb- bucks will find and check it within 8-12hours, and they may follow up again within 24 hours. A lot of visits are at night, but not always, just depends on when they are traveling the area. You also don’t have to use any scent or urine, that fresh exposed dirt will draw them in. They don’t even have to smell it either, if a deer walks close enough to see it the visual of a new scrape will get them to come sniff it.

 

[Jim Boyd]

@Killdee

 

[chrislibby88]

Oh forgot to add. I pee in real scrapes if I am hunting over them. If you are hunting where the deer are very active you probably won’t need a mock scrape.

 

[humblehunter22]

Thanks for the responses guys, yes i believe that was 1 of my biggest "mistakes" when i initially was going in half cocked making unsuccessful mock scrapes was I was not taking into account the importance of location location location. I believed early on during my failed attempts that I could pretty much scuff up some ground anywhere and pretty much would have deer take the set ups over. However i soon after learned if the deer are not naturally working through an area in particular or per say venturing off a specific course or series of trails what would placing a rogue scrape out of line with the natural ones have any sort of measured success. Myself i have peed in some but I have found for me personally what has been effective when taken over or kept going in multiple different areas public and private where I have tried my hand at it was running synthetics for some reason I have had fairly positive results with a specific brand of synthetics that if they decide to take my mock scrapes over they do and if they are dis interested it doesnt blow them out of the area alerting them that something is amiss. I have to this point only given any concerted effort of hunting in vicinity of during the peak of the rutt however I believe moving forward I am going to make a few trips this season and set up around whatever sites seem to be having the most consistent and frequent activity especially during daytime hours. I know majority of it is nocturnal but I have also learned once they start coming through in daytime hours paying a visit you had better make it a point to hurry up and get to the woods.

 

[humblehunter22]

Pics for reference

 

[humblehunter22]

Pics for reference

This was a public land buck in particular that gave me fits a few seasons ago & really he was the deer that gave me confidence in mocking successfully because I was on a trial run with the scents I found after getting some advice on set ups & location & sure enough after establishing a triangle of mocks in a suspected area that was experiencing heacy buck activity in a remote area I managed to nab the attention of numerous deer but more so this stud pictured above made it his sole mission to give me alot of sleepless nights trying to get on him.

 

[humblehunter22]

This was my best to date killed during the peak of the rutt this season. Thankfully for a combination of a hot doe & scented rags covered in doe n heat captured his attention long enough to give him a dirt nap.

 

[Jim Boyd]

Jokers do all kinds of crazy things.

 

[kayaksteve]

I usually make a couple every year. I dont make them specifically to hunt over but if it turns out to be “the spot” I will. They seem to be one of the best ways to run cameras to me especially in low density areas. Most bucks I know to be around generally end up showing up atleast once or regularly, leading me to believe that I get a good consensus of what hanging around. I’ve used several methods from store bought scents to my personal brew and have what I would consider good success

 

[humblehunter22]

Kayaksteve yes sir that is what I initially started out doing was just trying to gauge an area i was interested in hunting to see if there was anything of any size roaming around. Especially on public let's face it the more creative you are the better when it comes to running cams. Use to id get the occasional doe and yearling scrub buck on the "trails" & "crossings" but once I finally got the hang of running mocks & what areas to establish them in I started to get those noticeable results of seeing deer in areas before I had no idea were there. Because you simply cannot age or size out a buck just by looking at a set of tracks or some rubs. Now more so especially for public land purposes I am hoping to tweak things up enough to try to be able to hunt my mocks in the early season for hopes of getting a chance at a nice buck before the rutt.

 

[Hunter922]

These are on the same mock scrape. Made the scrape in the middle of a grassy road..Yea they work... and yes that's an old kitchen sink insert in the background.?
Old boy in the last picture is a beast!

 

[bfriendly]

I’ve never really made a mock scrape, other than with my foot in a good lookin spot. Maybe rub some evercalm on the low hanging limb, take a leak for scent/attractant. I have found lots of scrapes on public land and they are some of my favorite places to put my trail cams.

 

[bfriendly]

Not sure why, but this is one of my favorite pics I’ve ever gotten. This firebreak must have had 10+ scrapes along a 4-500 yard stretch

 

[humblehunter22]

Bfriendly, yes sir love those worn down "rub/scrape lines" especially when it comes to hunting public land.

The buck pictured I located him several seasons ago during the summer on public land & me & him had quite the time playing chess back & forth. Fortunately the odds were in his favor. Ironically enough while I was on an out of state hunt in Idaho that season. For over a week this sorry rascal daylighted on every single 1 of my mock scrapes morning and afternoon prime time hunting hours to boot. But of course i was to busy sucking wind at 10 K elevation chasing after muleys & elk for 2 weeks. Didn't realize until i had pulled my cams from the area and checked the cards to see what all i missed. Almost needed a therapist lol almost. Wife gave me such crap for getting teary eyed over the whole ordeal.

 

[Jim Boyd]

View attachment 1158499Not sure why, but this is one of my favorite pics I’ve ever gotten. This firebreak must have had 10+ scrapes along a 4-500 yard stretch

That is a great image!

 

[Jim Boyd]

Bfriendly, yes sir love those worn down "rub/scrape lines" especially when it comes to hunting public land.

The buck pictured I located him several seasons ago during the summer on public land & me & him had quite the time playing chess back & forth. Fortunately the odds were in his favor. Ironically enough while I was on an out of state hunt in Idaho that season. For over a week this sorry rascal daylighted on every single 1 of my mock scrapes morning and afternoon prime time hunting hours to boot. But of course i was to busy sucking wind at 10 K elevation chasing after muleys & elk for 2 weeks. Didn't realize until i had pulled my cams from the area and checked the cards to see what all i missed. Almost needed a therapist lol almost. Wife gave me such crap for getting teary eyed over the whole ordeal.

Great, great story on a genuinely good looking buck.

 

[humblehunter22]

Jim Boyd thank you sir. Lol yes that deer in particular caused quite a many a sleepless nights & also caused a very aggravated wife wondering over just how "obsessed" 1 could become over a deer. Lol if only she truly knew. Hunting deer on public land is hard in itself, hunting mature bucks on public land well to me seems like you stand better odds of hitting the lottery most days because they dang sure do not get to be old by being stupid often. That 1 in general he wasn't old by any means just an absolute stud that for the area for the folks that know of that I made his presence known about even they to were flabbergasted. Just dont see em that size around there to often. At least that you know of legally taken anyways. ?