The rut is behind us, and as deer seasons wrap up, we’re seeing an exciting uptick in activity at scrapes! This is a pivotal time for deer to communicate and determine which ones have made it through the season. Setting up cameras now is a fantastic way to catalog the survivors. With bucks likely exploring new territories once occupied by harvested mature bucks, you have a wonderful chance to discover and study your target buck for the 2026 hunting season. Embrace this opportunity—there’s so much to learn and look forward to!
Happy New Year!
I was pleasantly surprised to capture footage of this buck working the vine scrape. Before Christmas, I applied some Head-Scratcher Gland Lure to the vine in hopes of attracting new bucks. The 8-point buck in the video is a fantastic-looking animal that managed to survive the Pennsylvania hunting season. I will definitely be looking for his sheds and keeping a close eye on him!
Work Those Tarsal Glands
This is a fantastic illustration of how a buck utilizes its tarsal glands! Deer engage in this communication year-round, regardless of season or weather. Just watch as this buck skillfully clears the snow to mark his territory with scent. It’s amazing how they balance on their front legs while rubbing and urinating on their tarsal glands. Check out the rich color of those glands! This impressive buck is absolutely on the “Hit List” for next year!
Son of TT8
TT8 was the name of the buck I harvested on the first day of the 2025 Pennsylvania archery season. I believe this buck is one of his offspring. The buck that comes to work, the BuckRope, has the same rack characteristics that TT8 had. TT8 looked almost identical to this buck when he was a 3-year-old. The buck really likes the Head-Scratcher Gland Lure that I put on this rope. This buck will be added to the “Hit List” for the fall.
Standing Ovation
Young deer love to communicate at scrapes! Check out this young deer as it gets incredibly excited about the unique scents deposited on the vine. The deer is so enthusiastic that it stands up to take in every scent. This is a fascinating video!
Sticker
When deer stop to work on scrapes, it provides a great opportunity to observe them. Initially, I thought this was a buck I had captured on camera throughout the season, but I was mistaken. I do not have any videos of this particular buck. How do I know? It’s the sticker point that is coming off the deer’s left base; that’s a distinctive feature. This is a beautiful young deer, and I hope he stays around and becomes a regular on my SpyPoint cameras.
The Culprit
Look at his guilty expression! This 8-point buck just finished working the BuckBranch that is located in the tree behind him. Notice how high the BuckBranch is in the tree. The buck really worked it over before leaving it high up. I will need to go down and address that issue, adding more gland lure. Bucks are actively announcing their presence on my property. I’m looking forward to a great season in 2026!
