Haha thanks Jerry. Hope you are doing well and didn't let those young bucks push you around too much at deer camp this year. Looks like you guys had another successful season. Oh and Ill probably never shoot anything bigger then the old man and his horseshoes!!
Husky, The mock scrapes are the ultimate buck attractor imho. Once you have a spot established, deer will use it year after year. I've even had deer in early October beat me too it and start scrapes in spots I had started the scrape the year previous.
To build one, all you need is:
1. A licking branch about 5 feet off the ground. If I find a location where I want to place a mock scrape that doesn't have a licking branch, I will cut down a small tree, hang it horizontally and nail it to another tree where I want to have the branch sticking over the trail.
2. The scrape where I rough up the area directly under the licking branch with a solid stick. I always make sure there are no small trees or roots in the area I make my scrape.
3.Scent. Now I have messed with all kinds of different scents. Mock scrape starters, buck urine, doe urine, and synthetics. You know what I have found works best?? Believe it or not I **** in the scrape area myself and that seems to do the trick to start a scrape. I also hang a tampon in a tree by a spray in with a doe urine liquid to carry some scent a little further. All you need is one deer to use the licking branch and you are set!
Best place to I've found to make scrapes in my area if funnels be it valleys, seismic lines, between swamps, or on highly used deer trails.
Another good place to hang a camera is on a established scrape made deer themselves.
Give it a try and you wont be disappointed.
Barbwire