Advice: How to hunt scrapes?

[seanps]

EDIT: Subject line should read "rubs," not "scrapes." Thanks to SSS for the explanation.

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Apologies if this has already been posted (didn't find it search results).

Anyone have advice on how to hunt areas with lots of rubs? I stumbled on to an area out in the middle of nowhere (e.g., off a path, that's off a road, that's off a road, that's off another road) that's riddled with big rubs on the trees. A month ago there was one or two, and while hiking in this weekend I saw about six: each extending from about two feet off the ground to six feet. Most recent time, I've found a few spots where some alder trees have been nearly destroyed with rubbing!

Anyway, there's a clear path that's being followed by this guy: through some light brush/thicket, over a creek, along an old road, and then into the thick stuff. Some huge tracks, and a lot of little ones (must be his lady friends). I'm out with a 20-gauge slug, so I'll have to be reasonably close by for a shot.

Where should I position myself along this trail, if I'm planning to hide out and watch it for a bit?

Thanks!

[bad arrow]

My favorite way to hunt whitetails, scrape watching, I like to setup downwind of a scrape and have shot more bucks this way than any other way. Sometimes they dont show for any number of reasons, it pays to know the area and the approach that you think a bucks gonna take, as they often scrape the same ridges or edge of swamps year after year. I have hunted mule deer the same way during the rut, I would think blacktails would be similiar.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Apologies if this has already been posted (didn't find it search results).

Anyone have advice on how to hunt areas with lots of scrapes? I stumbled on to an area out in the middle of nowhere (e.g., off a path, that's off a road, that's off a road, that's off another road) that's riddled with big scrapes on the trees. A month ago there was one or two, and while hiking in this weekend I saw about six: each extending from about two feet off the ground to six feet. Most recent time, I've found a few spots where some alder trees have been nearly destroyed with rubbing!

Anyway, there's a clear path that's being followed by this guy: through some light brush/thicket, over a creek, along an old road, and then into the thick stuff. Some huge tracks, and a lot of little ones (must be his lady friends). I'm out with a 20-gauge slug, so I'll have to be reasonably close by for a shot.

Where should I position myself along this trail, if I'm planning to hide out and watch it for a bit?

Thanks!

By scrapes I believe you mean "rubs"??? "Scrapes" are typically made my whities by pawing at the ground. They're used as a communication tool for any hot does in the area.
"Rubs" on the other hand are made by most ungulates when antlers are rubbed on trees.

Are you in a whitey, muley or blacktail area??

Get in there and do some raking grunting and or rattling.

Got a trail cam??? Better yet.

SSS

[seanps]

Thanks Steve. I meant "rubs" and I'm in a muley area.

[Chuck]

Like SSS said - here's where the trail cam earns its keep, because timing is everything in this situation imo.

[Jelvis]

seanster don worry about scrapes rubs etc.
Whitetail paw the (earthern floor) ground, lots, and scrape the ground with front hoofs.
all buck deer types in bc rub trees and bushes scrape the bark off.
mule deer bucks occasionally paw the ground with a front hoof- way less than a whitey
Rub scrape scratch workout hoof's and antlers and muscles and urine and glands against things to shed scent and pee in or on
Territorial like you have a Zip Code for your area you mail too.
The animals zip code and dna from different glands store different genetics.
Age, sex, personal stuff different family codes to other deer.
Bucks make scratches from their tines on the tree trunk til it's rubbed or scraped off.
Builds neck muscles sheds scent and shows his boundary
Mule deer buck stand during rut and rub the back two legs together and pee on their scent pads too.
Summary
rubs by all
scrapes on ground with hoofs making a rut --- A Rut --- in the ground - done lots more by whitetail
Like a range bull duz with his front hoof's makes a RUT
Mule deer do it a bit but love to attack tree trunks and brush stalks.
A circuit they have a routine circuit to protect to breed the does in that area
Challengerz must kick is arse out for the right to breed the doe's or
run away defeated like a coward with his tail between the cheek$
Jel -- I don't want to make it sound like a science but it is worth exploring