It’s the week leading up to Thanksgiving, and I have so much to be thankful for. My son and daughter are home from college, and I get to spend Thanksgiving Day with family. Additionally, Pennsylvania’s rifle season starts two days after Thanksgiving, and the bucks are still visiting my scrapes. Let’s take a look at the action and give thanks for the excitement from the scrape!
Drop Dead Fred
Fred has been working his way through three properties in search of estrus does. As you can see in the video, he looks a bit run-down but is still very active at the BuckRope. Fred is one of the bucks I hope will survive the two-week rifle season. With some luck, he could gain plenty of mass and develop a solid rack next year. I’m rooting for you, Fred!
The Broken 8
The Broken 8 loves hitting the BuckBranch located outside of a major doe bedding area. He started traveling the trail to the scrape in late October and has been stopping there almost every day. The BuckBranch is at the perfect height for him to leave his forehead and preorbital gland on the branch. The beam of light above him is from another SpyPoint Camera, capturing close-up video of how he leaves his scent on the BuckBranch. I can’t wait to pull the card from that camera and see how he deposits this scent on the branch.
The Offender
A young 4-point buck has been actively working the scrapes on my property, and he seems to be aggravating the other bucks. This young buck is behaving as if he owns the place. While the mature bucks are preoccupied with does, he is busy checking every scrape he can find. He frequents the scrapes a few times each day to let everyone know he’s in the area. I enjoy watching young bucks as they interact with these scrapes.
The Lonely Spike
Young bucks often lead a solitary life. They occupy the lowest position on the social hierarchy and are frequently seen alone during the rutting season. In regions where the ratio of bucks to does is unbalanced, some young bucks may manage to breed with estrus does; however, in most areas, they tend to be loners. The young spike buck in the video arrived at the BuckRope to introduce himself to the other deer. This is the first time I have seen this spike on my property, and I hope he decides to stick around.
Look Who Is Back
The Broken 8 was active all week. Here he is at the BuckVine, showcasing his skills. The Broken 8 isn’t picky when it comes to working scrapes; he has interacted with the BuckStik, BuckVine, BuckBranch, BuckRope, and my natural vine scrape. The Head-Scratcher Gland Lure drives him wild, and he always visits my mock scrapes immediately after I apply it. You can watch the Broken 8 swing the vine around as he works his forehead gland.
Ohio Lease
Exciting news from the Ohio lease! A stunning new buck has made an appearance this week, exploring the BuckBranch and even striking a pose for the SpyPoint Flex S camera. This mature buck boasts an impressive rack, although he’s missing his right G1 tine. I’ve been eagerly awaiting a mature buck to stroll through this funnel, so I’m definitely planning to spend more time in my stand in Ohio after Thanksgiving. Can’t wait to see what happens!
Mature 7 vs. The BuckStik
I love to set up an original BuckStik in all my small food plots because the activity there is incredible! Throughout the season, I see multiple bucks visiting these spots. I was thrilled to witness a mature 7-point buck interacting with the BuckStik several times in just one day—he couldn’t get enough! His excitement was clear as he wrapped his neck around it, bending it in all directions. BuckStiks are impressively sturdy, and it’s amazing to see how much the bucks enjoy working with them!
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