Understanding Scrapes and Rubs can help you find deer in the fall and increase your chances of success. This deer behavior is driven by elevated hormone levels as the days begin to shorten in August, September and October (depending on the part of the country where a deer lives).

Information courtesy of Wildlife Research Center's Scrape Hunting Booklet.

Tip 1
A “scrape” is an area on the ground created by a buck as a signal to other deer. Scrapes range in size from a square foot to the size of a car hood. A scrape is typically positioned five feet below an overhanging branch. There may be just one scrape, or a series of scrapes created by a single buck.

Tip 2
A scrape is made by a buck to mark territory to all of the deer in an area, bucks and does. Scent from saliva and the pre-orbital gland on the top of the head are deposited on the overhanging branch, and urine and glandular secretions may be deposited on the scrape. Other deer analyze these scents, and often leave their own markings when visiting scrapes.

Tip 3
An older buck will usually scrape more often than younger, less-dominant bucks, have larger scrapes and will typically start this activity earlier in the year. Dominant bucks will also be more vigilant in maintaining scrapes over time and will often maintain them after the peak breeding period. Preferred scrape areas tend to be used year after year.

Tip 4
The sense of smell in a deer is much more sensitive than a human’s. The olfactory area of their brain is 1,000 times larger, there are many times more nasal receptors, and the nasal passage is eight times longer than ours. At a scrape, deer can tell doe urine from buck urine, when does are nearing estrus, and decipher dominant bucks from less-dominant bucks.

Tip 5
An area with a lack of scrapes may have an out of balance buck-to-doe ratio or age structure, with too many does providing for less competition for the available bucks. These bucks do not need to continually define their breeding territory.

Tip 6
Rubs are areas of trees that are worked over by a buck’s antlers, and bark removal or defoliation occurs. Rubs are not where deer have removed their velvet (which happens earlier in the year), but are more of a “sparring partner,” where bucks release excess sexual frustration and energy and leave scent marking from glands on the head. Usually young males use small, whippy saplings and larger bucks use small trees.

Tip 7
Scrapes are often found near transition zones, bedding areas, trails and corridors and can mark territory borders that are used by multiple bucks. For bigger bucks, look for scrapes that open first, are larger, clusters of multiple scrapes, and scrapes that are freshened repeatedly (many scrapes are freshened during the night).

Tip 8
After finding a good active scrape, you can make an your own scrape using artificial scents to make it appear that another buck is moving into an established territory. You will need to research and plan this well in advance of your hunt, and don’t overdo application of the scent. Remember, a deer’s sense of smell is much better than ours.