How To Make A Mock Scrape Dripper
Nov 06, 2015
Information technology was the day earlier the opening of North Dakota's gun season, and I was perched 12 anxiety upwards in a gnarly cottonwood overlooking hundreds of acres of CRP. The tree sabbatum at the north end of a long, thick shelterbelt, exactly where information technology intersected a dirty drainage ditch that wound its way across vast fields of tall grass. The drainage ditch provided a perfect travel route for cruising bucks, and the intersection with the heavy tree row offered a tailor-made staging expanse. Beyond that, I had already doctored the surface area to make information technology a magnet for rutting whitetails.
Dorsum in early Oct, I tore upwards a huge mock scrape under the overhanging branches of a willow below my ambush tree, and kept it regularly scented with doe-in-heat lure. Now, this was long before mock-scraping became a fashionable and regularly practiced technique for killing whitetails, but from where I was now perched, I could clearly run across over two-dozen actual scrapes that bucks had opened upward since I first offered my facsimile!
This was quite a attestation to the effectiveness of mock scrapes, specially since it was my commencement attempt at trying this tactic. I had already passed upwards no fewer than a dozen different bucks as they pawed the mock scrape or worked the overhanging branches, and with it at present being Nov with the rut starting to roll, I had loftier hopes on this common cold, clear afternoon.
Scanning the open country, I could see several does being harassed by a basket-racked 4x4 a hundred yards or so out in the CRP. As the shadows lengthened, I decided to printing the result and lifted my rattling antlers from their resting identify beside me before clashing and twisting them together with as much force as I could muster.
The results were immediate: Ane minute zilch stirred close by, and the side by side a big 5x5 was marching stiff-legged towards me at a fast walk. I barely had time to exchange the antlers for my stickbow before the P&Y-class buck cruised past me at 14 yards. Every bit his head went behind a dead tree beside the ditch, I swung smoothly with the walking deer as I reached total draw and released the heavy cedar arrow...
Although my starting time attempt at mock-scraping took place many years ago, I nonetheless use this tactic each and every flavor, and it is one of my favorite methods for arrowing a proficient whitetail with my longbow. Mock-scraping can be extremely effective, and just like in the opening story, I have had great success kicking-starting the heat past using mock scrapes. If I've done my homework and prepare things up appropriately, at that place will be anywhere from a handful to several dozen existent scrapes nearby inside a few weeks of my efforts. The keys to success with mock-scraping are threefold — timing, location, and setup — and if you pay attention to these details, y'all can be successful too.
TIMING
The best time to start setting up your mock scrapes is merely earlier the bucks in your area start turning their thoughts to the fairer sex. Here in Minnesota, that equates to somewhere around the beginning one-half of October.
I like to begin my mock-scraping efforts while the bucks are still in their available groups. Where I hunt, lots of existent scrapes commencement showing up about this time, and so it merely makes sense to set up mock scrapes then every bit well. I believe that past starting early, you can actually spur the bucks on and get them worked into a frenzy long before the does prove whatever involvement in the game. That can extend your chances of arrowing a cruising whitetail.
I know from regular trail photographic camera employ that bucks will hit mock scrapes nigh whatsoever time of year, fifty-fifty in the summer. Just these "out-of-season" visits are mostly just out of addiction or curiosity, and are not serious encounters. Nonetheless, in one case the weather cools off, mock scrapes will become a magnet, attracting almost every buck in your hunting area if they're set in the right place.
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LOCATION
Location is quite possibly the about important aspect of the "Mock-Scraping PHD," because local bucks can't hit what they tin can't find! Equally I do with all my hunting, I ready my mock scrapes in places where cover or terrain dictate that deer will naturally employ a certain area, and this means looking for funnels, pinch points, and natural barriers that aqueduct deer movement into a smaller expanse.
A perfect example of this is on my farm here in Minnesota. While I own 75 acres, there is exactly one acre that near every deer will pass through at once or another, and that'south exactly where I put my mock scrape.
At the southeast corner of my property is a thick woodlot where brushy tree rows fan out to all four points on the compass, and these natural travel routes funnel bucks directly to my mock scrape€¦and to the waiting ladder stand that guards it! Any identify where two trails see, or ridgelines intersect, or a creek enters a large woodlot, are good bets. Then study aerial photos of your hunting area, and anywhere you notice a funnel is a top spot for mock-scraping.
SETUP
In one case the fourth dimension is right and you've found a good-looking funnel for your mock scrape, it's time to consider getting things ready up perfectly to increment your odds for arrowing a good whitetail.
The commencement affair I like to practise is tear up an area approximately four feet in diameter with a heavy, 3-tined rake. Ideally, in that location will be an overhanging co-operative available at your location, only if not, yous can hands cutting a branch and wire it in place where you'll place your scrape. Actually tear the place upward and work the footing deeply during your initial visit. Deer are attracted to the fresh globe odour alone and volition investigate the setup even before y'all start calculation lure.
The adjacent matter I practice is cull a favorite lure and fill a scrape dripper with 4 ounces of information technology so it will drip steadily for a calendar week or more than. My personal favorites are Active Scrape, Gilt Scrape, Special Golden Estrus, and Golden Oestrus Xtreme from Wild animals Enquiry Center.
Immediately adjacent to my dripper, I then hang a length of six-foot befouled rope — nigh an inch or so in bore — commonly found in old haylofts, and I let this drop over the branch and down to nearly iii feet off the basis. Whitetail guru Gene Wensel has perfected and written extensively about this technique (see "Wicked Wicks" in our October 2012 issue, and "Wicked Wicks Role Ii" in our July 2013 issue), but suffice it to say that whitetails are attracted to the visual image of anything hanging downwardly over a scrape, and specially so because the rope will swing and sway when the wind blows.
I like to hang the rope close to my dripper then some of the scent will actually drip onto and so run down the rope over the course of the hunting flavour. Simply, I also utilize spray bottles to liberally douse the rope with whatever scent I'm using at that detail scrape each fourth dimension I visit the site. Finally, to make the setup even more irresistible to cruising bucks, I will hang bodily tarsal glands from bucks I've killed in previous seasons on the overhanging co-operative every bit well.
These viscid, pungent glands volition give off the odor of an intruding buck for about an entire season before they finally dry up and lose their cartoon ability. Interestingly, mock scrapes where I hang glands that I bring back to Minnesota from bucks killed in other states ever show more than activity than the scrapes where I use tarsal glands from local bucks, presumably considering these "strange" bucks draw more than ire from the locals!
As a last point, I like to set upwardly my mock scrapes in staging areas where the cover is thick, thereby encouraging buck activity throughout the day. Mock scrapes gear up along field edges will testify regular action as well, simply trail cameras will clearly show that most of these visits are at night. And you should definitely guard each of your mock scrapes with a quality trail camera, equally
I've found that at that place is admittedly no amend mode to take inventory of the local deer herd. Of course, guarding each site with a well-placed treestand or ground bullheaded is a must as well, if y'all hope to pointer a trophy whitetail.
€¦The arrow left the bow in complete silence, and streaked across the brusk distance separating me from the large 5x5. Unfortunately, in swinging with the walking deer, I hadn't taken into business relationship the arrow's flight path as it gobbled upwardly the distance to the moving target, and the heavy forest shaft centered a small-scale poplar instead of the buck's rib cage!
The buck leapt sideways at the loud crevice of forest splitting wood and landed nearly in the center of my mock scrape, simply he was at present on total warning, and did not seem inclined to stick effectually while I eased another pointer from my quiver. As he slipped away into the sea of tall grass, I couldn't assistance only smiling over another successful "Mock-Scraping PHD" effort.
Source: https://www.bowhunter.com/editorial/3-secrets-for-building-a-mock-scrape/182495
Posted by: yokumobseer.blogspot.com
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