Buck Scrape research

[BSK]

redblood,

So far, some of the big takeaways for me are, just because scrapes have "gone dead" (aren't being opened) doesn't mean they aren't being visited. Periods exist (and I'm still working on how to display that) where scrape reopening ceases, yet scrape visits are still relatively high. Why these "dead scrape" periods exist is a mystery. And when scrapes suddenly open after a couple of days after going dead, it is usually a mature buck that does it.

I'm also hoping that the scrape data by age for 2020 (poor acorn year) will show a distinctly different time-of-day pattern than the 2021 data. That would suggest hunting times need to be adjusted for a good acorn year versus a bad acorn year.

And perhaps a pattern in scraping surges, such as peak breeding is going to occur "X" number of days after scraping activity peaks.

 

[bulld]

What started as just some mild curiosity has led me down a rabbit hole. I'm in so far I'm going to have to publish this to justify how much time I'm spending on it! At least, if hunters think it is interesting. I originally began discussing this in the Trail Camera Forum, but I thought I should move it here to see what all deer hunters think.

Considering the large volume of trail-camera data I have available from my own property, out of curiosity I began to wonder if there was anything I could learn from looking at the times and days when bucks were photographed visiting scrapes that could be useful as a hunter. To make sure I was comparing apples to apples, I limited my data collection to only times bucks were photographed actually interacting with the scrape. Scrapes are usually created in high deer traffic areas, so sometimes bucks are photographed just wandering through. I wanted to eliminate those and only focus on when bucks come to the scrape itself and interact with it.

As of now, the data is only focused on the last two years, for a couple of reasons. First, I've only been collecting trail-camera data in video mode for the last two years. I didn't want to begin working with still image data just yet. In addition, the last two years are a dramatic contrast. 2020 was a very poor acorn year. On the other hand, 2021 was a bumper acorn year. As hunters, we definitely notice differences in our buck sightings based on acorn availability. But would there be any differences between the two years in scraping activity timing because of the difference in acorn production?

So here is some early data. In these "scrape visits by date" graphs, the blue line is the day to day number of scrape visits caught on camera. The thicker red line is a 5-day running mean, which is a statistical process used to smooth out highly variable day to day swings to more accurately display the statistical trend. The orange line is actual buck-doe chases caught on scrape cameras. The 2021 data ends December 17 because I haven't picked up the last data for the year.

Thanks so much for the data!

 

[Hookem]

Great information and detail. Takes a while to unpack all your info and look at all the variables that could contribute to the data. I would imagine weather would be a variable too. Excellent work beginning your research. Have you considered how it compares to other research on the topic?

 

[redblood]

Good info no doubt

 

[BSK]

One of the reasons I started looking at scrape data was to see if it mirrored the VASTLY different hunting experiences we have on a primarily hardwood property depending upon the acorn crop. We will see one type of buck activity pattern in poor acorn years, and a very different pattern in good acorn years. The last two years have been perfect examples. 2020 was a very poor acorn year and 2021 was an exceptional acorn year. In 2020, although morning hunting was good, afternoon hunting was superior. However, in 2021, almost all of the older buck sightings were in the morning, with almost no older buck sightings in the afternoon. In addition, as hunters we often get the feeling the rut is much earlier in a good acorn year than in a bad acorn year. And although looking at buck visits to scrapes certainly doesn't show the whole picture of buck movement, it is a "controlled" measuring stick.

In addition, other research projects on buck scraping activity have suggested two primary conclusions: 1) most scraping occurs at night, with peak daylight scrape visits occurring in the first and last hour of daylight; and 2) for acorn-driven deer herds (herds where acorns are the primary source of high-quality fall food), bucks create and work scrapes more frequently in a good acorn year than in a poor acorn year. The theory behind this is that bucks with access to plentiful acorns have more excess energy to burn hence conduct more scraping activity.

Another reason 2020 and 2021 are a great comparison is because both years had an almost identical buck population and age structure. Looking at the scrape visits for all bucks between the two years, a period existed in the good acorn year prior to peak breeding (October 15-28) when bucks in the good acorn year (2021) were visiting scrapes far more frequently than in the poor year (2020). See the graph below. However, outside of that one pre-rut period, the two years were fairly similar after about November 5th. The second graph is the same timeframe, but is only scrape visit data for "older" bucks (those 2 1/2 and older). This second graph also shows the big pre-rut surge, but then fairly equal scraping activity after that period. The third graph is only mature buck (4 1/2 and older) scrape visits. For some unknown reason, mature buck visits to scrapes were much more muted in a poor acorn year (2020) than the good acorn year (2021), as well as focused just around the breeding period. The effect of lesser quality food? No idea.

Of interest in the mature buck scrape visit graph is that valley in the data centered around Nov. 12. Because this data is a 5-day running mean, that drop to zero visits means no mature bucks visited scrapes in the five days centered on Nov. 12. We strongly suspect this is very close to our local peak of breeding. The data for the same period in 2020 is also quite low.

 

[tree_ghost]

BSK I really appreciate you taking the time to share this data with us. This is an extremely valuable tool for hunters in our state in big woods. There is so much that can be used from this to apply to killing a buck. Thank you.

 

[BSK]

So, when comparing just these two years of data, it does appear that bucks work scrapes more frequently in a good acorn year, but that extra scraping may be limited to the pre-rut. The one caveat might be the lower scraping activity of mature bucks throughout the entire season in a poor acorn year.

However, that big peak in scraping pre-rut in a good acorn year may be what has been giving the hunters the impression the rut is "early" in a good acorn year. Actual chases caught on camera suggest this is not the case (chases peaked the same time both years), but the heavy scraping pre-rut, and some caught-on-camera chasing pre-rut in the good acorn year may be giving hunters the impression the rut is earlier in a good acorn year.

 

[BSK]

And now for the time of day scraping activity. I earlier posted the time-of-day data for all bucks visiting scrapes. Some of that data had me concerned because it showed a big spike in visits to scrapes when we are not hunting (late morning towards noon). However, after breaking down the time-of-day data by buck age (yearling, middle-aged and mature), I'm not as worried. Turns out much of that late morning activity was yearling bucks being very active at scrapes, especially in a poor acorn year (2020).

The two below graphs display the number of scrape visits by the three age-groupings for each hour of the day for each year. Looking at both years of data appears to confirm earlier research that most scraping, at least by older bucks, occurs at night, with the peak scrape working in daylight occurring near the first and last hour of daylight.

However, subtle differences exist between the two years that help explain the vast differences in hunting experiences between the two years. In 2020, evening hunting for older bucks was much better than morning hunting, and the very high peak in scrape visits the last hour of daylight confirms bucks were visiting scrapes at a high rate at that time, much more frequently than in the mornings. Yet in 2021, the pattern was somewhat reversed. The peak in older buck scrape visits was the first hour of daylight. Scrape visits did peak in the evenings in 2021, but not until after dark.

Of interest, I'm fascinated by that little peak in mature buck visits both years from 7-8 AM.

 

[BSK]

Of course, what does all this mean? Perhaps in an oak/hardwood environment bucks have distinctly different movement/scraping patterns that effect the best dates and times to hunt. However, this is just two years of data. I will have to go back and work up this data from every poor and good acorn year to see if these patterns hold true.

In addition, just watching scrapes doesn't tell the whole story. There does appear to be times when bucks stop being interested in scrapes hence just tracking scrape visits doesn't tell you when bucks are up and moving during daylight. But I do believe "scrape visiting" is just part of buck movements. In essence, they don't get on their feet to visit scrapes. Scrape visiting is just a measure of when they are moving and happen to pass through areas with traditional scrapes.

 

[Dumbluck]

BSK one thing I do that has given me a LOT of success over the years hunting particular bucks is watching scrapes. As soon as scrape activity starts I focus nearly all my cameras on scrapes. In the past before cell cameras were invented and I had time I would check them every 2-3 days, now that we have cell technology I place cameras that can send me the data over the scrapes. But what I am always watching is what times the bucks start working the scrapes at the beginning of the scraping cycle; they typically work them late at night at the start of scraping but as soon as they start to shift I start trying to find good days to start hunting them. For example if I have a particular buck that has been working his scrapes at 1-2 am and he suddenly makes a shift and starts showing up at 4-5am I need to be hunting him asap. My rule of thumb is, if he shows up within 2 hours of shooting light either morning or afternoon; I need be on top of him to try and catch him before a doe comes in. He is basically telling me that a doe is about to be in heat within the next 48 hours. I don't pay any attention to the younger bucks because they simply haven't figured it out yet. This observations on deer 4.5 or older. The old bucks know how to conserve energy better and they know what's going on within the deer herd. The scrapes just tell me what's going on by their actions.

You might be getting a complete drop off of the young bucks visiting the scrapes because they already think every doe in the woods is in heat and they are running around like a bunch idiots trying to get some action. Those old bucks know better and they visit their scrapes for inventory.

 

[Lilbuckgetter]

Killed first good buck on my own property this year Nov 17th. Usually hsve most bucks on camera 1st-10th of Nov! All sges from spikes to 10pointers

 

[fairchaser]

It's interesting to try and narrow down certain variables on what time of day a mature buck is likely to visit his scrape. How many variables are there? With enough data, a pattern of sorts starts to emerge and hunters can key on this. Then of course more hunting pressure is also a variable which changes the dynamic for a certain area. But, the chase continues and the game of chess with its thousands of combinations intrigues us hunters. I remember thinking when walking up on a good buck saying to myself "oh that's how it's done". Then later realizing that pattern/situation was unique and never repeatable Thanks for keeping us in the game of always trying to understand these magnificent creatures.

 

[BSK]

BSK one thing I do that has given me a LOT of success over the years hunting particular bucks is watching scrapes. As soon as scrape activity starts I focus nearly all my cameras on scrapes. In the past before cell cameras were invented and I had time I would check them every 2-3 days, now that we have cell technology I place cameras that can send me the data over the scrapes. But what I am always watching is what times the bucks start working the scrapes at the beginning of the scraping cycle; they typically work them late at night at the start of scraping but as soon as they start to shift I start trying to find good days to start hunting them. For example if I have a particular buck that has been working his scrapes at 1-2 am and he suddenly makes a shift and starts showing up at 4-5am I need to be hunting him asap. My rule of thumb is, if he shows up within 2 hours of shooting light either morning or afternoon; I need be on top of him to try and catch him before a doe comes in. He is basically telling me that a doe is about to be in heat within the next 48 hours. I don't pay any attention to the younger bucks because they simply haven't figured it out yet. This observations on deer 4.5 or older. The old bucks know how to conserve energy better and they know what's going on within the deer herd. The scrapes just tell me what's going on by their actions.

You might be getting a complete drop off of the young bucks visiting the scrapes because they already think every doe in the woods is in heat and they are running around like a bunch idiots trying to get some action. Those old bucks know better and they visit their scrapes for inventory.

Really good stuff Dumbluck. I'll have to go through the data and see if the times for mature buck visits makes a sudden shift just before breeding kicks off.

One odd thing I noticed that I've never tried to take advantage of (but will in the future) is a surge in daylight older buck scraping at the end of the rut. With peak breeding being somewhere around the 10th to 17th of November, I was really surprised by the number of good bucks working scrapes at any hour during daylight the last days of November to the first couple of days of December. From years of looking at data on buck pictures by date, I knew there was a spike in buck pictures at that time but had never focused on the time of day those pictures were being taken. A really shocking percentage are during daylight.

 

[Ski]

I was really surprised by the number of good bucks working scrapes at any hour during daylight the last days of November to the first couple of days of December.

This was the first year that never happened on my place. I was counting on it but it didn't happen. Last year was maybe the best. This year was maybe the worst. Not sure what happened but there was a shift this season. Been full of weird.

 

[flankston]

BSK did you happen to notice when a new buck would move into your area? Say he might had been missing in the later part of October / Early November and then move in? We all know this happens, but it would be interesting in the movement you had of one particular buck. I've noticed that some bucks that I had on camera were missing for periods, but then would show up or maybe were not on camera but then showed in December running scrapes. Just wondered if you took a sample size of say 1 or 2 and noticed what their frequency looked like

 

[Dumbluck]

One odd thing I noticed that I've never tried to take advantage of (but will in the future) is a surge in daylight older buck scraping at the end of the rut. With peak breeding being somewhere around the 10th to 17th of November, I was really surprised by the number of good bucks working scrapes at any hour during daylight the last days of November to the first couple of days of December. From years of looking at data on buck pictures by date, I knew there was a spike in buck pictures at that time but had never focused on the time of day those pictures were being taken. A really shocking percentage are during daylight.

Yes I have noticed this as well. I typically feel like my best chances of killing a mature buck is (1) right before breading starts and (2) right at the very tail end. (3) would be late season food sources when some of them return to summer like patterns.

I think the reason there is a lull between the scraping is they are actively breeding and once the receptive does start to taper off they begin surveying again through scraping.

For me once breading starts I pay less attention to the scrapes because they become sporadic. For example bucks will often make numerous random scrapes while tending a doe especially if there are other bucks in the area. He will likely never return to those scrapes. I often find them in clusters and usually there will be one or two out in the open with no licking branch, which gives it away for me. He is posturing for the other bucks the area.

I will still monitor the scrapes he started before the breading started but with not as much urgency. I feel like the first time he exposes himself in daylight at the beginning of the chase/breading phase is always my best chance. They often do return to these scrapes when they come off a doe.

I do believe there are several types of scrapes and the deer put them in certain locations for certain reasons. I believe bucks use them to monitor what stage the does are in, inventory the herd, and show dominance in the area. This why I will often collect tarsal glands from bucks from other farms that have been killed and drag them through known scrape lines of deer I'm hunting. This has helped me kill some great deer. I'm not typically hunting directly over the scrapes, I'm mainly just using the data I get to determine when I need to run and get in a stand.

This deer is a prime example of this tactic working out for me. I was monitoring the scrapes like a hawk on this farm and knew I needed to be in the woods within the next 24-48 hours by what I was seeing coming in on my cameras. We knew this buck was there but we couldn't even get pictures of him, he was a super old deer. I drug tarsal glands from a buck from another farm through the area I believed he was bedding in and rattled before I got to where I wanted to climb a tree. He came in so slow I kept thinking it was a bird taking a hop on the ground. He would take 2-3 steps and stand there for 20-30 minutes. I stood in 1 spot for an hour an half before I could even see him, it was so thick where I was I shot him at 5 yards on the ground.

So for me it is more of an alarm clock telling me to get in the woods at the right time. I can make my own schedule most of the time so I can typically make it work. This year I only got to hunt 5 times because I was so busy running my company but I used this method and my first hunt I could have shot the two biggest bucks that we knew were on that particular farm but chose to pass them.

I hope someone can take something from this and use it. I know we are busy with work and family and getting into the woods can be hard sometimes, so making the best of our time really counts.

So if you can't tell from my post, watching scrapes are literally the best tool I have ever discovered that has put me in the woods at the right times to be in the woods, and I am almost always predicting these times earlier than other hunters in my areas from what I see on my cameras. And I believe the window is short, 48 hours or so before it is gone.

BSK I believe if you could overlay GPS collar tracking and scrape activity we would probably see a picture we've never seen before and it would make more sense as to what exactly is taking place.

 

[BSK]

BSK did you happen to notice when a new buck would move into your area? Say he might had been missing in the later part of October / Early November and then move in? We all know this happens, but it would be interesting in the movement you had of one particular buck. I've noticed that some bucks that I had on camera were missing for periods, but then would show up or maybe were not on camera but then showed in December running scrapes. Just wondered if you took a sample size of say 1 or 2 and noticed what their frequency looked like

Below is the photographic history of each older buck in the photo census for 2021 (I have this data for every year for the last 20 years). In the graph, each horizontal line represents an individual older buck. Orange lines are 2 1/2-year-olds, red lines 3 1/2-year-olds and purple lines mature bucks (4 1/2+ year-olds). The diamond markers along the line indicate a date that individual buck was photographed. Notice some older bucks are photographed almost daily, with a few short gaps of not being photographed. But some bucks had long periods where they were not photographed. And there's a few bucks that were only photographed once and then never again (the solitary diamond indicators). The vertical dark blue lines indicate the period we believe is peak breeding.

The pattern of few bucks early in the season then a massive surge in mid to late October is fairly normal. However, the massiveness of the surge in 2021 was unique. Normally this "rut range shift/expansion" only comprises about 1/3 of all bucks picked on camera in a given season. In 2021, this rut range shift made up 72% of all bucks caught on camera (34 of 47). I'm not sure why it was so big this year. I suspect it was because the local farmers didn't cut their corn until very late this year. In most years, corn starts being harvest in early September, which drives the seasonal range-shifting deer up into my hill-country hardwoods in mid-September. In 2021, corn didn't get cut until mid-October, which means the seasonal range-shifters didn't shift to my place until mid-October hence got lumped in with the rut range-shifters.

 

[BSK]

flankston,

The graph below is the Older Buck Photo History for 2020. This pattern is more typical, with the big surge of seasonal range-shifters appearing in mid-September, then the rut range-shifters appearing around Nov. 1.

 

[BSK]

This was the first year that never happened on my place. I was counting on it but it didn't happen. Last year was maybe the best. This year was maybe the worst. Not sure what happened but there was a shift this season. Been full of weird.

That's really odd Ski. I wonder what caused that?

Below is a graph of daily bucks photographed for 2021. The thin red line is daily number of bucks photographed and the thicker purple line the three-day running mean. The two vertical blue lines indicate peak breeding. Notice the two peaks of buck photographs; one right after peak breeding and the other at the end of November. That first peak right after peak breeding consists mainly of bucks photographed seeking - just making tracks through the woods, on a mission. The second peak in late November and early December is primarily bucks back working the scrapes one last time, and a high percentage of these scrape visits were in broad daylight.

 

[Ski]

A little off tangent, but have you ever monitored scrapes that never get doe activity? I've got one short stretch of a hogback ridge that has a scrape line every year without fail, but never once have I caught a doe on camera there. There is usually 4-5 scrapes within a 50yd line of ridge top. Several different bucks will frequent the scrapes, even rub on some trees. But what's the purpose if there are no does? Are there certain scrapes purposed for only communicating with other bucks?

I've always been under the impression that scrapes are how bucks communicate with does, for the purpose of breeding, and in fact most of the scrapes I monitor do get plenty of two way communication. But not all. I assume those non-doe scrapes are a way for bucks to establish a pecking order or simply a check station to indicate presence in the area. And given the location that would make sense. But I really don't know. Anybody else ever notice anything like that?