It’s time to get serious about your deer stand. As October turns to November, dramatic changes will take place in deer behavior and you want to be sure you are ready. This post from the Scout website features Mark Keyser laying out a three part plan to increase the probability of deer success.
Make a Mock Scrape
Creating a mock or fake scrape is Keyser’s first suggestion, a point that’s worth elaborating. He uses a shovel ( a garden rake works as well), but you must get serious about moving earth. A pointed stick will do in a pinch, but make sure that you dig and scatter dirt down to the black earth. Once done, if you stand downwind of that location, even a human can smell the “fresh earth” scent. This aroma will attract deer, but you can make the site more alluring by using scents.
Location, Location, Location
If you know a location where bucks made natural scrapes last fall, use that same location for a false scrape. Look for the tell-tale licking branch and you an expect for bucks to take over the scraping spot and create an even more alluring scrape. Set up a tree stand 20 yards down wind and watch for bucks to check the spot even farther downwind. Set up for a prevailing wind and only hunt that stand on days when the wind is right. Choosing to force-hunt the stand may alert a big buck of your presence and he will probably avoid the area all together.
Two More Good Ones
Kayser does a great job of laying out his killer deer stand strategy and you are bound to learn a trick or two. Here’s his take on YouTube:
