Any advice on how to hunt? I like to pack my climber in and find these hot spots and setup. This evening in a white oak stand bordering a cutover I come across a scrape, and the tip of the overhanging branch was broken. Couple this with lots white oak acorns hitting the ground in the area so I setup about 20 yards away, downwind. Had several deer come through and as a matter of fact they kept me locked in until 7:30 or so before I could slip out. With that said, this is obviously a pretty hot spot, but the last thing I want to do is spook this buck by over hunting. I've ground checked 2 mallet heads already, so I'm hunting antlers now. What say ye wise bow hunters?

I've never had much luck hunting scrapes but I would setup further away than 20 yards cuz if he happens to check that scrape during daylight he will prolly j-hook downwind of it

Only deer I ever shot in a scrape was in bow season. A doe came in and hit the licking branch just like a buck would. I shot her thinking she was a buck. It was getting dark and them white ears looked like horns.

Most scrape visits happen at nite. I put drippers over the scrape, the dripper only drips during daylight. This is supposed to make a buck visit during daylaight. You have to hang it high and make sure you don't step in scrape. Good luck.

If you hunt it again put a cam on it. I would go in around 9 am when the front hits and sit all day if you think a biggin is in there. Ive been noticing good deer coming to the white oaks midday. If you go in before first light you ll probably blow a lot of deer off the area

Yea listen to jpd I did the same thing and got busted before when going in before sunup

Thanks for the advice everyone. Will see what happens Friday morning after 9.

I've got a spot like that. I just set up to hunt the oaks and kind of ignore the licking branches/scrapes. I've seen lots of bucks in the area but they are usually more interested in the acorns. That is where I killed my 9 pt on opening day.

Good luck.

I would continue hunting those falling acorns until they are gone and pretend like I didn't even know about that scrape or licking branch.

Its still early for mature bucks to be messing with scrapes. Unless you have pics, I'd just hunt the oaks. Most of the time young bucks do the early scaping, they don't know any better and messing in a scrape during the rut could get them a whippin !

Thanks. The scrape and licking branch is surrounded by white and red oaks dropping.