Mid season whitetail tactics

[Nailknot85]

Yes absolutely, and they will visit them several times a day or they may abandon them altogether for whatever reason.
I have shot 5 bucks coming to a scrape area near the same tree that has been in use for years, the 30 years I have been hunting that particular ridge. I have seen another probably 5-6 mature bucks that I had the opportunity but they gave me the slip.

On the wt and quality of meat, I always process my own meat so, dont think its the butcher giving me someones rank mule deer, its a completely different type of rank all its own......I have shot a considerable amount of wt bucks so 3 aint bad.

Would you say that scrape areas usually get used again year after year? I found one 2 years ago and setup near it, had my first and only chance at a WT but didn't get the shot off. Went back to the same spot last year same time and there was no scrape there. Is it possible that one buck used the spot for the one year only or that particular buck got shot and he was the only deer who used that spot?

[waserwolf]

I shot a Whitetail on his Scrape line in 09. Went back 2yrs in a row hoping another Buck would pick up the same line....no Scrapes.

[338win mag]

Would you say that scrape areas usually get used again year after year? I found one 2 years ago and setup near it, had my first and only chance at a WT but didn't get the shot off. Went back to the same spot last year same time and there was no scrape there. Is it possible that one buck used the spot for the one year only or that particular buck got shot and he was the only deer who used that spot?

Two Good questions
#1...Yes, some area's like where a ridge or series of ridges meet a swamp, or a series of ridges all meet on a knoll are real hot spots and I have seen scrapes in exactly the same spot for years, I dont know why that is, maybe the scent of years past or because of the terrain.
#2....The last 2 years I couldn't find any scrapes in area's that previously I would find 8-10 scrapes in a 40-50 acre area. I would go back to an area where bucks have been known to scrape and look again. They like to make scrapes in high traffic area's and if there are no scrapes then it could be they have scented hunter danger or maybe there are wolves and cougars lurking about which really change their behaviour.

[paulo]

Thanks to everyone who had some input. Taking off tomorrow for a few days. Hopefully well find something. Cheers

[walks with deer]

chains, rope, salt, good luck

[paulo]

I am back now from 4days, three solid days in our area. Unfortunately we did not manage to bag animal. Many thanks for everyone's input. It was however a great trip and we definitely learned more about the deer behavior and the area. We actually did see some bucks. In a nutshell I saw a beauty buck. Could not count points but it was a 3 at the least. Good mass and wide sweeping rack. A real Cabelas moment if you know what I mean. I was fortunate to be in a ground blind, all be it extremely confining and it cost me the shot. I did find some fresh scrapes right on the road after a fresh overnight snowfall. So I sat on them right away and called and while I was waiting a gunshot in the near vicinity kind of put an end to that.
I would like to make a shout out to two hunters from West Kelowna, one of them bagged a buck the day we met. I don't know if either one of you are on this site and I failed to get names but a big thank you for the use of your blind.
Off to region 3 at one more stab at a 4 point muley. if that doesn't work out it will be tag soup for me. First time in over 20 yrs. Again thanks for everyone's input.