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September - Start your scrape strategy now!

There probably has been more written about the whitetail breeding scrape than any other single hunting subject in the last ten years. There are certain things we come across in the fall woods, other than the mature bucks we seek, that gets our hopes up for a wall-hanger season. It is the sight of a fresh primary scrape or an antler rub on a tree of four inches in diameter or more. We just know this isn’t the work of a feisty yearling, but proof that the area we are hunting contains a target animal.

No part of the hunting industry has benefited more from this scrape craze than the scent manufacturers. There have been hunting scents around for decades, and some have been used correctly with great success. More often than not, the hunter either chooses the wrong scent for the time of the season. The hunter can also be careless in applying the scent, and hastily blames the product for the negative reaction they observe. The scent using enthusiast that hopes to have the type of close up encounter that is required for early season archery success must pay attention to scent control. An individual cannot possibly be too careful on this subject, and it will sometimes find big game hunters in a constant state of paranoia.

There is no shortage of opinions on how to approach this correctly. In my opinion it all starts with breath deodorizing and scent free rubber boots, which are constantly in contact with the cover. Some might be surprised at this, but when you think of the volume of scented air we produce over the course of just one hunt, it becomes easier to understand. Fortunately today’s industry offers us a wide selection of gear and products to address these pitfalls. You should wear a set of rubber boots with clothing tucked into them if possible. Rubber’s ability to hold a scent is far less than that of fabric or leather. Spray the boots down with any of the quality scent destroyers on the market. Then simply follow that up with one of the breath control products, like Gum-O-Flauge, that have come onto the scene in the last two to three years. For many years I would just keep a chunk of apple in my mouth to accomplish the same thing. It is also best advised to involve a good scent free detergent when washing your clothes, as well as using scent free soaps and shampoos in the shower. Furthermore, using the scent destroying spray on your entire clothing exterior and equipment will only add to your chances of success. Of course there is the option to make an investment into activated carbon clothing to fight the foreign scents we produce. This does not come cheap, but I admittedly own a scent-destroying two piece suit, which was more expensive than the best formal suit I own. You have to have your priorities in order!

One can simply be smart about things by paying close attention to wind direction, while being careful to avoid contact with their surroundings as they place their scents out in the early season. I always try and enter my hunting area from an upwind angle. Avoid your scent from traveling into known bedding areas. Get in and get out.

There are two approaches we can take as we try and become the “intruder” animal starting or working a scrape sight. We can open or “heat up” an existing scrape, or we can start up a scrape where there has never been one naturally before. In the hunting industry we call this a “mock scrape”. The reasons for doing this are many, but the three reasons I believe are the most prevalent would be to 1) enjoy scrape activity within range of an existing stand sight, 2) succeed in the challenge of making nature do something that maybe it didn’t choose to do in the first place, and 3) bring target animals within range of today’s increasingly popular trail cameras for quality images in the daytime or darkness. This trail camera angle has only taken these endeavors to new levels of popularity as we are now seeing bucks that we never knew existed on particular pieces of property. It has also allowed the meticulous hunter the ability to determine far superior hunting strategies than ever before.

There are two components to a whitetail scrape; the ground and the branch above. The branch was widely ignored by most for years, as hunters would treat the ground component with deer urine and often a doe-n-heat product. This approach is met with limited results as doe-n-heat (doe estrous) products are the single most misused product in the industry. It’s something that has been ingrained in hunters from the time we were in diapers, and sometimes change is not easy. The successful scrape enthusiast may incorporate young buck urine, mature buck urine, doe urine, and my favorite approach- tarsal gland extract. They will often use a combination of these products over the course the season in their ground-based chemistry to make for the most successful setup. The use of buck urine needs to be decided according to what the hunter is pursuing. The use of dominant buck urine in your program when you’re expecting to take a 2 ½ year old whitetail buck may be ill-advised, as this product might actually intimidate inferior animals, and they could avoid the area all together. A safer choice is a quality tarsal gland product like MDR’s 24Seven Early Buck time-released scent. This is the perfect scent to start scrape activity in your area. Applying about 10 to 20% of your bottle once per week will provide you with the results you are expecting.

  

More importantly is dealing with the branch component of the scrape. This branch has been found to be the key in the chemistry of the site. One who has spent time in the woods knows that scrapes are usually in the same spots year after year. This is not due the fact that a specific buck has survived the last 15 years by giving everyone the slip. It is because generations of whitetail bucks have determined that these sites and their surrounding terrain provide the ideal place to interact with other deer in the territory during certain times of the day or night. Often these sites are on fairly level ground that is not too wet when they are started. They are always located under a level or a downward hanging branch four to six feet off of the ground. Bucks within the territory visit these scrapes, leaving their scent on this branch year round. Although it is not readily apparent that they have been there most of the year, as it’s a very docile visit in nature. It is only in the fall when hormones are skyrocketing, that these bucks leave the evidence we expect in the form of torn up ground and broken parts of the licking branch. Several authorities in the industry have proven just how important this branch is in the biology of the scrape site. By removing the branch, one can terminate activity on a scrape sight that has been worked consistently for over 20 years. That’s all the evidence I need to hear.

It becomes obvious to me and to the hunters I have had the pleasure of discussing the subject with, that treating this licking branch and realistically mimicking the visit of an intruder buck is the key to having the most successful scrape setups. In 2007 MDR Outdoor Group introduced the leading licking branch treatment in the industry today: Branch Magic. Years of experimentation in the field led MDR to this proprietary formula that has the perfect consistency to hold on to the branch for up to 2 weeks in dry weather, and even several days in wet weather! We contract with several taxidermists who carefully dissect out the pre-orbital and forehead glands of mature whitetail bucks that are brought in for mounting. This is done as the animals are being caped out. The small glands are then frozen until the time comes to extract the key hormones from the glands, and incorporate them into a specific odorless polymer gel that is easily brushed on the licking branch. It dries down to a clear hard coating within 48 hours of application in dry weather. This a giant leap forward from the days where scent using hunters found themselves applying urine based scents to both the ground and branch of a whitetail scrape.

  

What our pro-staff has determined through the use of trail cams is that we observe 2-3 times more activity on our scrapes with the Branch Magic in place, than scrape sights that do not have the product in place. Despite the small ¾ oz. size of the product bottle, one can expect to get 12 to15 applications out of one container, as they enjoy the ease of applying the product with its built-in cap brush. The first thing the user will notice about this product is the lack of human detectable odor with your nose over the bottle. It needs to be understood that deer glandular secretions (which is a whitetail’s primary method of communication) are very mild and sweet smelling in their most concentrated form. The human nose is far less developed than that of an animal; particularly a deer. Parts per million are detectable within their environment and their survival depends on it. Whether it be steering them away from danger, helping them find food sources, finding mates, and also locating and facing challengers during the breeding season.

The most successful scrape enthusiast begins their work in late August through September, so now is the time to get after it! Just remember to be conscious of your surroundings. Try to look at things like the deer you are pursuing as it relates to food and cover, and you will be well on your way to a successful season.


Good luck!
Ron Boyce
Field Research Scientist
MDR Outdoor Group