Scraping, like rubbing, allows a buck to make his presence known by dispensing gland scent throughout his area. Typical scraping behavior involves leaving scent from a buck's preorbital and forehead glands. 

 All deer use scrapes to communicate with one another throughout the year, but they become more visible during the rut because deer have more urgent information to relate.  Scrapes are often (mistakenly) thought of in terms of territorial markers made by only a single buck, and/or only during the rut.

The RiPstik is a beacon that provides everything bucks (and does) are looking for to communicate with the herd. True communal scrapes can not be made with curiosity scent, and or, urine... It takes glands for true communication.