There are so many whitetail deer nowadays that signs made in the woods by them are plentiful and should be of interest to any fan of wildlife. Anyone from a beginning hunter to the interested non-hunter can find and enjoy visual and scent signs practically in the back yard. During the fall and winter, deer mark territory with scrapes and rubs. Much of the scrape activity occurs during the “rut” or mating period which occurs during November, December and January in the South, typically showing most activity in December in this area.

    A scrape is a pawed place on the ground made by a buck to mark territory, attract does and probably to establish dominance over other bucks.  Anywhere deer exist in the South, scrapes can be found with a little exploring. They are anywhere in the woods, but common along old logging roads or trails. They are recognized by marks scratched with the points of the buck’s hoof, usually a few inches to two feet long. Debris will be pawed away from an area the size of a hat to as large as a bathtub.

    Why are scrapes interesting? The buck almost always leaves a distinct footprint in the freshly scratched soil as if it were made by a rubber stamp. This probably is done to ensure that the scent from a gland between the toes is deposited. The buck urinates in the scraped area to further identify it as his own.

    The most interesting of all is found directly above a scrape. It is an overhanging limb from four to seven feet off the ground. A close look at the limb will reveal its tip to be broken. The buck reaches up and chews the end of the limb to cover it with his saliva and scent from glands near his eyes. The tiny tip becomes broken by this procedure. Always look for this broken limb tip above a scrape.

    Bucks may make many scrapes and they check them and rework them regularly. Does stopping at a scrape leave their scent and are trailed up by the buck if they are ready for breeding. Other bucks that visit usually see the scrape as a no trespassing sign, however on occasion more than one buck will work and utilize the same scrape.

    Scrapes are not hard to find in deer country in autumn. If you are not hunting deer for the freezer, look in areas near town which harbor deer that are not hunted. And take a kid along. Be sure to have hunter orange clothes or vest for yourself and the youngster as an extra precaution until deer season ends.