Never too late to move. Climbing stands offer ease of mobility as another option.

 

Bill Triton, heck no it ain't too late to hang a stand. But you ain't got to be right on top of the scrape to see the big bucks. Although its a good feeling to see scrapes from your stand, it ain't necessary. It sounds like you are just fine the way you are right now. If you see does, thats a really good thing, just keep the wind in your favor, have a grunt tube nearby and a bottle of Doc's Deer Scents "Double Doe" and you should have a good chance at a nice buck. But I would leave your stand right where it is unless you can put up an alternative stand in that area that would help you out in different wind situations. ??

 

I figured maybe it might be since people go set their stands up 1 week or so ahead of time... Just figured I'd ask and strike up another topic since I wasn't sure.

 

I have had many times when I have put a stand up in a new location and had deer in shooting range that same night. So as others have said no it is not too late to put up a new stand. As far as your current stand location I would consider everything involved and perhaps move that stand a bit if necessary. If your current stand location is giving you shot opportunities you may be fine. However if you have a tree that is a bit better and offers shot opportunities that would not be possible in the old location then by all means move. Personally if I were putting another stand up I would not put it that close to the other one as it does not give me as many hunting options as putting it in an altogether different spot. Setting it somewhere else allows you to hunt other wind conditions and perhaps get a better feel for the deer activity in the area.

 

I agree with Bkr it's not too late to move if you really feel you have to but if your seeing Does I'd stay put. With the rut coming the bucks will be looking for the Does.
If the scrape is only 40yrds you still have a good chance seeing him since he'll probably only work the scrape a few minutes,if at all, then look for the Does in the area. Keep hunting the Does & let them bring in the Bucks. Good Luck it won't be long!!

Oh yeah, it's snowing here in Springfield as I'm typing

 

Bill I agree with the others here. I'll put a few out if I get down this weekend. I'll also put a few out the Saturday before Gun season comes in. It never has seemed to make a difference. As Bkr said, I have had deer walk up as little as an hour after moving a stand. Go for it Buddy.

 

Bill,

I've killed many a buck over the years by relocating or setting a second stand based upon sightings as the season progresses. More than once I've moved a stand at lunch and taken a buck that evening.

I would not move a stand just to watch a scrape ever. If this scrape happens to be on a trial used heavily by does, or in a constriction or funnel area (my favorite during the rut), or a trail the bucks use to parallel a Field edge, and I'm sure of the activity, then I would move it or add a second stand. I personally believe way too much time is spent in a stand over looking scrapes, add another feature to the location and then you have something

In fact I think your chances are best in a new stand the first time in it and diminish somewhat every day after that. The more times you walk to the same stand the more scent and disturbance you create, the more likely that every deer knows you are in the area. It's like trying surprise someone in their own house by hiding in their living room. It's pretty easy the first time but gets tougher after that.

During the rut just concentrate on the does, and if you can find ANY natural feature that creates a funnel or narrow area that the deer with naturally travel through, just sit there all day and watch the show, it's a fun time to hunt.

 

There are a lot of highly held ideas out there in the hunting world about this or that, repeated over and over on hunting shows and hunting magazines. Some is probably true, some is probably not as founded in fact as in belief.

Spend as much time in the woods as you can and come to what works best for you.

This was part of a study that I read that was very interesting.

"As we begin to think we understand the purpose of the scrape we then observe activity by deer which will not fit the pattern that we have established. To illustrate this, recently we have found that does make scrapes too, and to further complicate matters, they make these scrapes regardless of the breeding season."

Reproduced with permission from MSUcares.com.
Copyright 2001 by the Mississippi State University Extension Service. All rights reserved

 

I would suggest moving your stand. I hate hunting from the same stand over and over. If a deer busts you in a stand they start checking it out before walking near it. I've seen deer come into a field and look up right at a stand. I have a climber so its a little easier moving to a different tree.

 

good place for your stand is between the bedding area and the food plot, get into their rhythem, and find a place between them and place a little corn or cider to make em halt and you can get a shot. you don't have to be right on top of them actually they may be a little less nervous if you are not putting your scent in the area of the scrape. Just a suggestion.

 

I agree with Lundy. I have hunted scrapes without any sightings. I have read alot that says it is a very temporary and private activity. Limited to pre-rut and we're now entering into the rut time over the next ferw days.