Once the 25th of October rolls around hunting starts to ramp up. The beginning of the rut begins during this time frame. During this pre-rut you will see an increase in scrapes, rubs, and sparring, but what, how, and when should you pay attention to these deer signs and behaviors. The hunting strategy for this week of the deer season should be dependant and smart based off of a bucks movements and behaviors.
This is the only time of the season that hunting scrapes makes sense, but the reality is scrapes are not extremely useful. But scrapes and rubs along trails, and other deer sign, makes sense because the buck is on a normal pattern, searching for does. Hunting these areas that are travel routes between food and bedding areas will create more encounters during the daylight activity of late October.
On this episode of Muddy’s Whitetail Watch, join Bill Winke as he discusses the last week of October, hunting scrapes, hunting rubs, and the truth behind deer sign during this time period. Bill also dives into the advantage of being mobile with hang-on tree stands, with the addition of Muddy’s treestand backpack straps.