The Corn Moon, also known as the Harvest Moon, occurs in September, signaling that archery season is just around the corner for most hunters. In the past, I would begin creating my mock scrapes around the time of the Harvest Moon, as it seemed that bucks were becoming more active during this period. Bucks would shed their velvet, change their food sources, and establish their social hierarchy. Nowadays, I maintain scrapes year-round, and my main tasks involve hanging new cameras or relocating existing ones deeper into the woods.
Timber Ridge Scrapes
A few days before the Harvest Moon, I started to notice bucks active during the daylight hours, working scrapes in the timber. This community scrape, located on a ridge of the 40-acre farm, experiences plenty of activity from September through December. I observed a buck using his nasal gland to scent-check both the licking branches and the scrape itself. When he interacts with the high-licking branches, he tends to tip his head back, allowing me to see the length of his main beams. Watching this great scrape interaction is truly exciting!
Outside Bedding Areas
Scrapes located near bedding areas start to gain significant attention in September. A horizontal scrape that runs along a main trail often attracts deer, causing them to stop and investigate. An 8-point buck, fresh out of velvet, is scent-checking the BuckBranch and the ground. Many young bucks and mature does have been visiting this scrape, and this buck is gathering information about who has been there. Notice that he is emerging from the bedding area at 7:30 a.m. The influence of the Harvest Moon on deer movement is impressive.
Early Arrival
The Harvest Moon occurred on September 7th, and my cameras were busy capturing images of deer visiting scrapes before sunset. Activity began around 3 PM and continued until dusk. A beautiful 8-point buck stopped at one of my inside corner BuckRope scrapes. As you can see, the buck is using his forehead and preorbital glands to work the rope. If you look closely at the bean field in the background, you can see that the deer have caused significant damage to the crops.
Come a Little Closer
More and more bucks are appearing at the scrapes with hard antlers. Now is the time to apply your field judging skills to assess their scores. The 3.5-year-old buck in this video is expected to score between 115 and 125. He is very symmetrical with decent length on his main beams, but his antlers lack mass. The average length of his G2s and G3s is about seven inches, and his inside spread measures 16 inches or more. I have a soft spot for a beautiful 8-point, but I will let this one walk if I see him during the early season.
Savage Forehead Action
A group of bachelor bucks visited the ridge scrape at 7:30 AM on their way to feed in the bean field. Early morning activity was high on September 9th, as indicated by all of my SpyPoint cameras. One buck I recognize well, who frequently visits this scrape, appeared without his velvet. Watch as he works the mini rope scrape with his forehead. Now that his velvet has shed and his testosterone levels are rising, his forehead gland will become very active. Bucks will be highly active at scrapes over the next few weeks. Be sure to set up your cameras now!
