Fresh February scrape?

[duvhntr]

Is it common for deer to be cleaning out scrapes this time of the year? Passed one today that I hunted over last year, it was freshly cleaned out, with fresh deer tracks all in it…

 

[rem270]

I've seen quite a few fresh ones in Feb.

 

[knightrider]

Yep, ive seen them breeding in turkey season

 

[Smoke]

Still hitting them on my place every night

 

[Antler Daddy]

They don't have anything else to really do but eat, rest, breed, and groom each other! Watch out for packs of coyotes maybe....

 

[BSK]

It is unusual to have regular scraping at this time of year, but by no means unheard of. Heck, bucks will scrape heavy as antlergenisis begins in April. The small surge of testosterone a buck's body produces to start the antler growth process will produce some sudden "rutty" behavior.

 

[mjwendorf]

100% a rut going on in some parts of se tn right now.

 

[Pilchard]

Saw a buck locked down with a doe a few days ago in Brentwood

 

[EastTNHunter]

I saw some fresh rubs last week

 

[Lost Lake]

I almost ran into a small buck chasing a doe last week. Looked like a November chase.

Yes, I've seen scrapes in February that were freshly worked.

 

[Winchester]

I find them associated with antler shedding/regrowth in the early spring.

 

[BSK]

I find them associated with antler shedding/regrowth in the early spring.

The same. I often see a surge of scraping right around the opener of turkey season, which is about when new velvet antlers begin to grow (antlergenesis).