Pre Rut

There are a number of locations on our property where you can predict the arrival of a deer scrape almost to the day. Last Saturday doggo and I were out hunting ringnecks when we decided to check several of those spots for any activity.

Sure 'nuff, and right on time, at the bottom of this photo (arrow) is a recently started scrape.  At the top of the photo is a horizontal branch of an oak tree just to the left of the photo frame.  This is called a licking branch.  Licking branches are located directly above a scrape. 

If you encounter a whiff of deer pee redolent in the autumn air look carefully beneath any shoulder height tree branches close by.  You may locate a bare patch of dirt in the turf that is trampled with deer hoof prints.  This is called a scrape. 

Bucks create scrapes by using their hoofs to dig at the ground. Once the soil is stirred up, they urinate on the scrape.  Bucks don’t pee the way we do.  We try to keep it off of us.  Bucks actually try to pee on their own hind legs.  The object is to hit their tarsal glands in an effort to leave their scent on the scrape.  Every deer has its own unique bouquet and the tarsal glands hold concentrated amounts of that spoor.  About the licking branch - a tree branch will hang above the cleared out soil. Bucks will rub their forehead glands on it and will also lick it with their tongue. 

The earliest of scrapes that begin to appear in October are few and far between and used principally to communicate as bucks begin to leave their bachelor groups and stake-out their territory.  It is akin to posting a no trespassing sign on a property line. 

Scrapes serve much the same function in the whitetail world as a mailbox post or a fire hydrant does for dogs.  Scrapes are meant to show dominance over a territory but are normally used by more than one buck.   

Very soon the scrape will be used to communicate breeding readiness. 

Pre-Rut

If you encounter a whiff of deer pee redolent in the autumn air look carefully beneath any shoulder height tree branches that are close by.  You may locate a bare patch of dirt in the turf that is trampled with deer hoof prints.  This is called a scrape.  Bucks create scrapes by using their hoofs to dig at the ground.   Once the soil is stirred up they urinate on the scrape.

Bucks don’t pee the way those of us males of the human species do.  We try to keep it off of our legs and boots.  Whitetail bucks actually try to pee on their own legs.  The object is to hit their tarsal glands in an effort to leave their scent on the scrape.  Every deer has its own unique scent. The tarsal glands hold concentrated amounts of that scent.  

scrape - bottom center and  licking branch top center

 

 

Another thing scrapes have is a licking branch - a tree branch will hang above the cleared out soil. Bucks will rub their forehead glands on the stick and will also lick it with their tongue.  

 

Scrapes serve much the same function in the whitetail world as a mailbox post or a fire hydrant does for dogs.  Scrapes are meant to show dominance over a territory but are normally used by more than one buck.   

 

These early scrapes are a bit different.  Few and far between they are mainly used to communicate as bucks begin to leave their bachelor groups and stake out their territory.  It is akin to posting a no trespassing sign on a property line.  Later in the season an active scrape will be used to communicate breeding readiness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, there are these beginning to appear on the landscape – buck rubs.   

 

 

Around these parts it is typically a tamarack sapling sacrificed to the cause.   

 

It is a common misconception that deer rubs on trees are caused by male whitetails attempting to rub the velvet from their antlers.  While it would not be unusual for a velvet-antlered deer to rub against a tree the rubbing seen at this time of year is a consequence of deer that have long-ago shed the velvet from their antlers.  The rub in the photo was made by a dominant buck.  Consider it both a visual and a sensory calling card brought on by an increase in testosterone levels.   

It isn't unusual for other bucks to add their contribution to the rub but it's more to do with establishing the pecking order.   

 

The term dominant buck is apropos given that one of the reasons for this behavior is to mark their territory and curb the lesser bucks both psychologically and hormonally.  This suppresses testosterone levels in the smaller bucks allowing the Big Guy to exert his influence and create the circumstances for successfully spreading his seed during the breeding season.  

 

The glands located in the forehead of the dominant male send a signal that this is my turf.  It also signals to the ladies of the male's readiness to mate.  Consider it the whitetail equivalent of passing-along your name and phone number to someone you might wish to meet again. 

 

Stay-tuned for additional updates from whitetail romance land.

The Rut

From our walk today there was this.

At the bottom of the photo (center) is a fresh scrape.

Middle of the photo the horizontal limb from the small oak on the left is a licking branch just above the scrape.

Both of these are typically found together.

If you encounter a whiff of deer pee redolent in the autumn air look carefully beneath any shoulder height tree branches close by.  You may locate a bare patch of dirt in the turf that is trampled with deer hoof prints.  This is called a scrape. 

Bucks create scrapes by using their hoofs to dig at the ground. Once the soil is stirred up, they urinate on the scrape.  Bucks don’t pee the way we do.  We try to keep it off of us.  Bucks actually try to pee on their own hind legs.  The object is to hit their tarsal glands in an effort to leave their scent on the scrape.  Every deer has its own unique bouquet and the tarsal glands hold concentrated amounts of that spoor.  Another thing scrapes have is a licking branch - a tree branch will hang above the cleared out soil. Bucks will rub their forehead glands on the stick and will also lick it with their tongue. 

The earliest of scrapes that begin to appear in October are few and far between and used principally to communicate as bucks begin to leave their bachelor groups and stake-out their territory.  It is akin to posting a no trespassing sign on a property line. 

Scrapes serve much the same function in the whitetail world as a mailbox post or a fire hydrant does for dogs.  Scrapes are meant to show dominance over a territory but are normally used by more than one buck.   

Very soon the scrape will be used to communicate breeding readiness. 

 

Pre Rut

Most days Jill and I take the girls out for a walk – generally 1 to 1½ mile if the app on the mobile device is to be believed.  Of course, if you are a Labrador retriever you might as well double the distance because Labs never travel in a straight line and are always hunting something, rolling in something, splashing in the creek and generally getting into something which usually leads to a bath upon returning home.  But I digress.  We were also scouting deer sign as the male whitetails are beginning to stake-out their territories in preparation for the breeding season – or the rut.  The lead-up is what is known as pre-rut.   

These are beginning to appear on the landscape – buck rubs.  Generally a tamarack sacrificed to the cause.  It is a common misconception that deer rubs on trees are caused by male whitetails attempting to rub the velvet from their antlers.  While it would not be unusual for a velvet-antlered deer to rub against a tree the rubbing seen at this time of year is a consequence of deer that have long-ago shed the velvet from their antlers.  The rub in this photo was made by a dominant buck.  Consider it both a visual and a sensory calling card brought on by an increase in testosterone levels.   

It isn't unusual for other bucks to add their contribution to the rub but it's more to do with establishing the pecking order.  The term dominant buck is apropos given that one of the reasons for this behavior is to mark their territory and curb the lesser bucks both psychologically and hormonally.  This suppresses testosterone levels in the smaller bucks allowing the Big Guy to exert his influence and spread his seed during the breeding season.  The glands located in the forehead of the dominant male send a signal that this is my turf.  It also signals to the ladies of the male's readiness to mate.  Consider it the whitetail equivalent of passing-along your name and phone number to someone you might wish to meet again.   

If you encounter a whiff of deer pee redolent in the autumn air look carefully beneath any shoulder height tree branches close by.  You may locate a bare patch of dirt in the turf that is trampled with deer hoof prints.  This is called a scrape. 

Bucks create scrapes by using their hoofs to dig at the ground.   Once the soil is stirred up, they urinate on the scrape.  Bucks don’t pee the way we do.  We try to keep it off of us.  Bucks actually try to pee on their own legs.  The object is to hit their tarsal glands in an effort to leave their scent on the scrape.  Every deer has its own unique bouquet and the tarsal glands hold concentrated amounts of that spoor.  These early scrapes are few and far between and used principally to communicate as bucks begin to leave their bachelor groups and stake out their territory.  It is akin to posting a no trespassing sign on a property line.  Before too long it will be used to communicate breeding readiness. 

click on images for a closer look

 

At the bottom-center of the photo (above) is a scrape.  Yesterday I relocated a trail camera to patiently record who visits this location.  Above the scrape is a licking branch.  I’ll talk more about the role of the licking branch after I swap-out the SD card next weekend to see if this scrape is active. 

Stay tuned...
 

Who Pees in the Woods?

While out turkey hunting the other day I noticed something about five feet from where I was seated in my place of concealment. 

Adjacent to a white spruce and in a worn whitetail trail was what looked for all the world like blue pee in the snow.  Instead of the normal yellow pee stain you would expect to find on a deer trail - this was blue.  Yup, blue! 

I looked around thinking one of the trees or shrubs had blue berries remaining on the branches.  Nope.  Everyone knows spruce don't have berries. 

Maybe a bird was eating a berry and dropped in in the snow creating the blue stain?  Nope.  The stain had no berries or parts of berries - just a consistent blue stain.

Stumped, I took some photos and after returning home emailed them to a pal who is a certified biologist with the UW-Madison Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology.  I asked if it is possible for deer urine to be blue.  She was stumped too - but only initially.  Her reply included the following:

Very interesting! I did some looking on line and I think u are right.  Deer were eating the juniper berries.  Check out the following article about rabbits and juniper berries.  I learned something new today, thanks!

You can learn more about this interesting phenomenon here. 

The $1,000 question is can I convince my deer hunting pals to replicate this in a human trial?

Stay tuned....

Scrape

Last Saturday I was out scouting with my girls and I found this immediately below a tamarack branch about the height of my shoulder.

 click on image to enlarge

Trampled with deer tracks this is what is called a scrape.  During the rut (mating season) male deer pee on the tarsal glands and mark their territory.  But it is much too early for the rut so what's the explanation?

These early scrapes are a bit different.  Few and far between these early scrapes are mainly used to communicate as bucks begin to leave their bachelor groups and stake out their territory.  It is akin to posting a no trespassing sign on a property line.

Later in the season it will be used to communicate for breeding.

The same day I fetched the memory cards from the trail cameras and last Saturday this guy's photo was taken about 20 yards from the scrape. 

Maybe it's his?

We'll find out.  I moved the camera to photograph whoever comes to the scrape.

And a placed a ground blind where the camera used to be located.  Guess who might be hunting there as you are reading this?

Stay tuned...

The Return of the Deer Pee

Since the deer are moving again I thought I might try my usual technique to get them to stop and have their picture taken.

Deer pee.

Who can resist deer pee.

I'm sure it will become more effective as fall extends into the rut - or breeding season - but you can never start too soon.

Urge to Sniff

After a month of dumping the Tink's #69 Doe-In-Rut Lure on the ground it is hard to believe that the scent still persists. 

Maybe the deer have been adding their own pee to the spot?

Of  course it was an entire bottle...

click on images to enlarge

Urge to Sniff

Just goes to show if you use enough deer pee someone's going to have to give it a sniff...

click on images to enlarge

Urge to Sniff

Seems that other four-legged residents cannot resist the scent of Tink's #69 Doe-In-Rut Lure.

I got numerous pictures of this coyote giving the area the once-over.

click on image to enlarge

Or is that a chubby gray fox?

Any ideas?

Urge to Sniff

Some of the first visitors to come along and give the pee bomb a sniff were a couple of bucks.

These boys just couldn't resist the scent of Tink's #69 Doe-In-Rut Lure...

click on images to enlarge

Using An Attractant

Except for a deer carcass about three years ago I haven't used an attractant for luring anyone to the trail cameras for a spell.

Last weekend Girlfriend and  I swapped-out the memory cards on the cameras and left a 'gift' of two skinned pheasant carcasses under the nose of one of the cams. We'll have to wait and see who, if anyone, comes to investigate or dine upon this delicious snack.

A month ago I took an entire bottle of deer urine and deposited it in various locations close to the active scrape.  I'll be posting pictures of some of the critters that stopped by for a sniff. 

Plus a pile of additional pictures - so many you might just get bored.  (Of course if you're bored you should stay away and not visit here).  It's The Revenge of the Trail Camera!

click on image  to enlarge