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Hunting Scrape Lines

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iowahunter222

New Member
I haven't posted much on here, but I follow this website everyday. I recently got permission to hunt a 50 acre plot that is surrounded by a couple hundred acres on all sides. This plot has one main draw going down the center, two high ridges on both sides, a few fingers leading down into the draw, and 3-4 small food plots. When I was scouting the property, I noticed that the dirt walking trail that goes through the property is loaded with scrapes that seem like new ones show up daily. What are you guy's thoughts on hunting scrape lines? Good, bad, indifferent? Better times/worst times in the year to hunt them?
 
It seems to me that most scrape lines along field edges are done in the dark but that could depend on how secluded the field edge is. If you can find the scrape lines deep in the timber that are around bedding areas that would be best, but only if you have good exit and entry routes or only hunt during good wind.
 
I agree with Tim. Field edge scrapes are usually wasted time but if you can find a travel corridor with a solid rub-line and scrapes mixed in then I think its a solid option.

I love scrapes but usually to monitor what bucks are on the properties I hunt vs stand sites. Many differ on this theory though so you have to find what works for you.
 
Personally, I would concentrate on the main draw where the the fingers come in. 50 acre chunk? Likely that most of the action will be in or near that draw. Concentrate on the overall picture and I wouldn't worry so much about scrapes. Many scrapes are a one time occurance that may not get visited again. If you are in his travel corridor, he'll walk by :way:
 
I'm with the others as well. I have spent many an hour in the stand over a field edge scrape with little to no luck. A travel route down wind of a bedding area is probably your best bet. Good luck!
 
I'm with the others. From past experience and trail camera documentation the edge scrapes will almost always be visited at night. Find a main travel corridor in that draw where the fingers come in and you should be in the money.
 
JakeWym said:
I'm with the others as well. I have spent many an hour in the stand over a field edge scrape with little to no luck. A travel route down wind of a bedding area is probably your best bet. Good luck!
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My thoughts exactly! Hang a stand on the downwind side of a bedding area and ONLY hunt it when the time and wind is RIGHT! That is how i have killed two of my biggest bucks!
 
I must be one of the few...I had two bucks checking them last year around four in the afternoon and took a 4 year old 160 class.
 
Thanks for the responses guys! I have trail cams set up on these trails, and i've had a lot of deer activity on them, but mainly just does walking by and little bucks. have yet to see a deer over 100" on the pics. I do have some stands set up on a couple of the food plots, (a mix of beans, clover, and rye), but just looking for other options rather than just sitting over a food plot. I try to set stands up so I have 2 stands for each wind direction.
 
Scrapes are great for trail cam pictures, but like said before, most of my experience has been that scrape activity is most often at night. Use the terrain to determine the natural funnels of this draw and where the trails seem the most concentrated close to the bedding areas. Hunt when the wind is right, and you can get in/out without causing a big disturbance. Good luck!
 
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