What am I doing wrong?

[nu-hunter]

Been out to scout the past few weekends in a few different areas. All places I've gone I've found trails and deer waist, yet I haven't seen any scrapes or rubs? No bucks in the area? Not in the right area? I'm an idiot that doesn't know what he's doing?

[Bang4bucks]

i doubt that your doing anything wrong per say.... Not sure where you are located but i didnt start seeing scrapes until this last weekend. here in northern VA were just getting into the time when they will start scrapping and rubbing hard. I saw a few rubs earlier but that just bucks rubbing off velvet. for the next few weeks now we start seeing bucks making rub and scrape lines. Our rut wont hit hard till the very end of november. You should start seeing more and more scrapes and rubs now over the next 2-3 weeks. be patient. i know its hard. we ALL have the buck fever right now!!

[nu-hunter]

Thanks, I'll keep my eyes open. I live/hunt in SE Massachusetts, it's been getting pretty cool here, nights have really been dipping low. Had our first frost the other night. Our bow season starts the 18th, so yeah, I'm really itchin to get out there.

[DouglasSpear]

Yeah I agree, it's just now starting to get into the pre-rut. Don't be worried, the most they've done by now is rub off the velvet and the bucks are still traveling together and only play sparring. Once they split up and travel alone, you will start seeing more rubs. In regards to the scrapes, they should be getting close or just now starting to make them. Once the bucks split up, they will start making scrapes to try and tell other bucks that they have already claimed that area and to give does a place to pee when they are in heat and receptive to the dominant buck in the area. If you want you can make a mock scrape with a dripper and regular buck urine. After 2 weeks (which is about how long the dripper will last with a 4oz bottle), then fill it with Active Scrape and hopefully by then you have other bucks going to it regularly.

[nu-hunter]

Great info! Thank you so much. As you can prob tell by my name, I'm new to hunting and being from a non-hunting family I'm trying to pick up all this stuff on my own, reading article, watching hunting shows, and these forums. So all the advice coming from you experienced hunters is really helping a lot. Seriously, thank you. I've been on two hunts in my life (family of someone I dated when I was in my early 20s), 1st hunt one guy bagged an 8 pointer, 2nd time out nothing. It's been about 10 years since then and I can still remember the feeling seeing that 8 pointer. I CAN'T WAIT to get one of my own!

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[Bang4bucks]

ok well i dont know what kernel is talkin about. sounds like a scam to me. cuz i have been hunting for many many years and i have never heard of "kernel" but whatever. SPEAR has a good point. mock scapes work well for me.

[ChrisV]

Its Oct 31st here in north eastern Illinois and i just got back from my morning hunt not to long ago. I am stumped I was walken around when we were coming out of the woods and I didnt see any rubs or scrapes or anything. I know that about this time its the end of pre-rut and is heading into the rut but I saw nothing the deer were not even moving. I know there are a lot of deer I mean the property sits right on a conservation park. So im in the same boat but its almost November and i have nothing.

[HossBuckMaster]

I would say sit tight, I'm from Delaware and when we did some scouting in the middle of October, we literally saw 0 buck sign.....no rubs, scrapes, droppings, etc. One week later, there was buck sign everywhere....and I mean literally everywhere. Just be patient, things can and probably will change quickly within the next few days.

[DouglasSpear]

Yeah, just be patient, everything will show up and with a slight drop in temperature and the new moon coming up, you will start to see more activity. In early season the key is to be on the trails between the bedding and the food or water. Once the rut starts, bucks run themselves out of energy looking for does and will show up anywhere. Maybe make a mock scrape where a treeline meets an open area like a pinch point if you feel the need. Use active scrape in a dripper for the first 2 weeks and then once the rut starts, put some doe estrus in the dripper and you are bound to fool at least one buck.

[ChrisV]

Good ideas I just found a rub in a old apple orchard along with a scrape so hopefully that is where the activity will be. Thanks for your guys help and good luck to you this season.

[Bang4bucks]

appple orchard?! what?! you never mentioned an apple orchard. you just changed the whole level of the game now. depending on where you are, in about another week and a half or so the rut will kick in. once that happens, scrapes will be just about obsolete. once the estrus cycle for the does starts, bucks attention will turn to them and they will forget about the scrapes for the most point. dont give me wrong.... it cant hurt to be near a scrape but at that point, i would rather have a doe on a leash under my stand.