Social Scrape Networking for Whitetails
Scrapes are a pivotal part of the whitetail deer hunter’s game plan. We look for scrapes to hunt near or over each fall. However, Duke discovered a method to unleash the potential activity at an existing scrape or on his own mock scrapes. “ A few years ago I decided to put one of my trail cameras over an existing scrape and subsequently began seeing a pattern with deer. I found that over 95% of the time, deer were paying attention to the licking branch instead of the ground,” says Duke. “ This goes against the common school of thought, but I have an entire external hard drive worth of photos showing this phenomena.”
So what does this mean?
Duke believes as the rut creeps closer and closer both bucks and does are timing themselves. He believes that the saliva and other scent glands left on the licking branch is the social network for deer. “I have countless pictures of both bucks and does working licking branches, they are keeping track of each other and the dominte bucks will tear up licking branches in order to mark their area.”
Drawing the conclusion the silva on the licking branches are the primary communication tool, Duke began finding scrapes he could not hunt over or in areas he was not hunting, clipping the licking branch, storing them in plastic bags, and moving it into his own areas, particularly, his own mock scrapes. Duke finds a nice flat area near his stand or near a triple cover chance and sets up shop. By simply clearing some of the leaves away on the ground and zip tying the foreign branch between four and a half to five feet above the ground is a direct challenge to any bucks in the area. Duke reports for some reason deer like to be able to stand directly underneath the licking branch. “ Their sense of smell is incredible, by using this method, I am getting pictures and video of bucks I never knew existed. My areas become overrun with bucks. Especially to the dominate bucks in the area, this direct challenge drives then crazy.” Right now during this pre-rutting action while the bucks are chasing each other around and establishing dominance, bringing in the licking branch of another buck is too much for them to stand. “I have had many bucks come into my mock scrapes the same day I set them up.” Another of Duke’s tricks involves cotton balls. “ If I kill a doe, I immediately swab her mouth with cotton balls to pick up her residual saliva. Just like with the branches, I’ll zip tie these above a scrape and the results are incredible.
Over the past five years Duke has been paying attention to this interesting behavioral pattern in whitetails he has compiled thousands of pictures and videos and notched several tags as well. “ With the improvement of technology we are able to see into the secret world of deer, I am excited to see what we will know just ten years from now,” says Duke. Although this method of using the licking branch goes against traditional wisdom, I am willing to try this form of challenging a big buck in order to notch my tag.
Jason Reid
Last Updated: November 17th, 2013
Ok is 6 years later what do you think about licking sticks now Has been long enough to test them well . I am aging and can’t do the things I use to I’m still hunting but accessing all the places i
want to is tough so am having to hunt smarter
Am hunting the Ozark mt in Ar and am 68 I hunt terrain and pinch points I am always looking for help to bring bucks to me am interested in seeing what you have learned over 6 years
Like it because natural and not mass produced