Last week was quite busy as I focused on setting up all my early-season stands. After twelve days without rain, the skies finally opened up and watered my plots. With the season approaching, I’ve noticed that scrape activity is increasing daily. Want to know what kind of action I observed throughout the week? Read on!
View to a Kill
I’m excited about this stand placement because several bucks are consistently visiting the scrape. I quietly approached the area and used my XOP X2 sticks to hang my XOP Vanish Evolution stand. The lightweight X2 sticks and the Vanish Evolution stand are easy to set up and comfortable to use while hunting. The stand is positioned on the inside corner of a bean field that is frequently used by multiple shooter bucks. If any of the shooters come by to investigate the scrape, I will have an open shot of less than 20 yards. My expectations for this spot are high.
Welcome Back TT8
The Tall-Tined 8, or TT8, has been the top buck on this farm since I first spotted him in velvet back in June. I know him well, as I passed him up several times last year. I believed that if he was able to reach 4.5 years old, he would become a truly special buck. I’m pleased that he made it through last season and has returned to the farm again. In the SpyPoint Flex Dark video, you can see him enjoying the beans in the field well before sunset. TT8 seems comfortable coming out to eat beans and visit the mock scrape. I hope he maintains this pattern for another week.
Target Buck #2
The Wide 8 has become a regular visitor at the BuckRope scrape. Just a few weeks ago, he looked impressive in velvet, and now he looks fantastic with hard antlers. The Wide 8 has been visiting the rope scrape daily and has no idea that I have a stand in the tree behind the scrape. If he shows up on opening day, it will be difficult to pass him up while he is working the scrape at just 15 yards away. I would be more than happy to tag this buck if given the opportunity.
Aggression
Bucks are beginning to engage with scrapes more aggressively. Now that they have shed the velvet from their antlers and their testosterone levels are rapidly increasing, their forehead glands are producing more scent. Over the past week, I have observed several bucks aggressively working scrapes while using their forehead glands. Watch as one buck interacts with the rope and then paws at the scrape to deposit scent from his interdigital glands. Meanwhile, the buck in the background is patiently waiting to come in and work the scrape after he leaves. This is a positive indicator that deer are increasingly relying on scrapes for communication.
Morning Visit
At nearly 10 a.m., a young buck walked by to visit a scrape. Observe how he interacts with the BuckRope using his preorbital gland. Notice that he places his front hooves in the scrape beneath the rope. He’s communicating with multiple glands at once, even though it might appear that he’s just playing with the rope. I find it fascinating how a deer can use several glands simultaneously to communicate with other deer in the area.
The Zoomies
The swamp scrape doesn’t really heat up until mid-October. The morning sun filters through the trees as a mother doe feeds near the swamp. One of her two fawns stays close to her, while the other fawn is being rambunctious. Watch closely as the playful fawn leaves its mother and approaches the camera. The second fawn enters the frame with a burst of energy, clearly having a case of the zoomies. Deer can be quite amusing, especially when they start behaving playfully!