[bk2_russell]

I am from north central, pa... i went out earlier to scout a hot spot i have found that has a ridiculous amount of sign year after year... i walk into this area and found about 5 or 6 scrapes in an area the size of your average house... it is only the end of august... most buck are not even out of velvet yet and i have found territory markings... is this normal?? has anyone else found any yet?? this area has been both an area of scrapes and rubs for several years and i have not found any new rubs yet... but i know that these scrapes are very fresh. i hung a scouting camera on one just to see what kind of buck i am dealing with... its my first time with a cam so im excited to see what happens! thanks for reading and responses are appreciated.

russell

 

[Greg]

I have two that are close to my stand that are currently active, but they are in the same place each year, and used year after year. I have not seen a rub yet this season, but with the velvet still on, the antlers a very tender yet, and they will avoid any rubbing or fighting until they are hard horns for awhile.

 

[bk2_russell]

oh yeah...

your post reminds me... last night i was scouting another area which would leave me to believe that some are out of velvet... have seen a couple out but most are still in velvet.. i found several heavy, deep prints which are slid and forced deep into the silt... facing one another, which tells me that there were a pair sparring in that spot.. seems a little early for that "horse" play as well... the weather this year has got them a little bit ahead of schedule i think.. we missed the full peak of the rut by a week last year so hopefully we will hit it in full swing this year....

 

[nailpounder]

I can't say for sure, but I did read an article that compared the scrape activity to the activity of dogs. For instance, If you roll up to a farm in your pick up truck the dog runs out and waters your tire. Then at the next farm the same thing, and the next and so on.
The thought here was that the deer are more or less just checking to see who has been there. But like I said I don't know, just a thought.

 

[Big Country]

Coming out of velvet varies only a little from year to year. In the PA area of the country that coming out of velvet time is roughly August 28-30 timeframe. Of course some will shed early, and others late, but that is the norm for this part of the country.

The scrapes you are seeing is common, and goes right along with the bucks losing their velvet. It is a hormonal reaction, and they make scrapes when they lose their velvet, only to abandon those scrapes until pre rut time.

 

[Diamond_Victory]

I was thinking it was early to see scrapes also. I found 5 within a 50 by 50 yard area this last week. Bucks are not loosing velvet hear yet, none that I have seen anyways.

 

[cynic]

Went out to hang a loc-on, climbing back down I slipped now I have a scrape. It is never too early to see a scrape. I want see any scrapes until the rut starts, also will have very few rubs but will see some nice bucks in the funnel

 

[old Graybeard]

Yep, I was out last weekend and found my first scrape for the season and it was in a spot where there is one every year. I get trail cam pics on a daily basis and as of yesterday I still haven't gotten any of bucks with hard antlers.