A whole bunch of blacktail rubs

[Golddust]

Hey guys,

Yesterday I decided to go out fishing for steelhead since it was a beautiful day and we're supposed to be staying away from other people. Obviously other people had the same idea. I pulled up my GPS and looked up a spot that would be far away from all people - so I could just cover some water and relax and enjoy the day. Unfortunately I didn't get any steelhead - I didn't even have the slightest of nibbles. But I guess as a trade off I ended up finding a few big patches of what I believe are blacktail rubs.

If found the first set of rubs on the way in. It was in a bunch of young alders about wrist thick - the alders weren't shredded up like some of the rubs I've seen - I'm going to try to upload pictures or the video I took. I only looked around for a few minutes but I would say I saw about 15 of these alders that had been rubbed in a very tight area.

On my way back, I walked close to the same path back, but not quite. I found another two groups of alders that had been rubbed up. The 3 groups of trees were about 100 metres away from each other (after consulting my GPS). The same sort of thing. Young alders scratched up. One had of these had some thicker alders that were rubbed - one was about 6 inches in diameter the other was about 8.

My question is - do you think this was one deer? or multiple? Should I be looking around the area for his sheds? Will he be back next year - is this an area of interest or is it a missed opportunity but something to learn from?

Thanks in advance

[MichelD]

Go back at the end of October, early November would be my suggestion.

[Golddust]

Heres a video of a few of them:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS0Of2sUNv4

[tigrr]

Too high for black tail. I'm thinking elk. Any droppings?

[Golddust]

Really? I'd say the majority of the rubs wer 1.5- 4 ft off the ground the one or two a little higher. There was droppings around of both. but right near that area I only saw deer dropppings. I want to put a cam up just to see whats walkign around there. Hopefully it'll pick up a nice big bear

[Rieber]

I agree that this seems too high up the tree to be Blacktail but maybe this one is really aggressive and really bending over the saplings as he shreds them. If you show me these rubs I will explain to you exactly what they are and how to ambush these buggers. :roll:

This also looks similar to the work of the recent hallucinogen harvesting. Inner bark from Alders is being scraped off and then fermented but instead of being distilled, the harvesters are boiling, straining, adding a bunch of sugar and then drinking to experience some most bizarre trips. Hardcore people would just chew the inner bark but that's too bitter and intense for most.

Are there camps in the close proximity?

Cool find by the way.

[Golddust]

http://i.imgur.com/NsALQgj.jpg (https://imgur.com/NsALQgj)

http://i.imgur.com/eOOwLTs.jpg (https://imgur.com/eOOwLTs)

http://i.imgur.com/sVSircR.jpg (https://imgur.com/sVSircR)

http://i.imgur.com/0lSomQe.jpg (https://imgur.com/0lSomQe)

[Blockcaver]

Elk rubs....

[Walking Buffalo]

I agree that this seems too high up the tree to be Blacktail but maybe this one is really aggressive and really bending over the saplings as he shreds them. If you show me these rubs I will explain to you exactly what they are and how to ambush these buggers. :roll:

This also looks similar to the work of the recent hallucinogen harvesting. Inner bark from Alders is being scraped off and then fermented but instead of being distilled, the harvesters are boiling, straining, adding a bunch of sugar and then drinking to experience some most bizarre trips. Hardcore people would just chew the inner bark but that's too bitter and intense for most.

Are there camps in the close proximity?

Cool find by the way.

Wildlife, and not just enlightened humans, often purposefully seek out end enjoy Nature's trippy treats.

Those marks are not from antlers, they're from teeth.

Something was eating the bark.

[Rieber]

Wildlife, and not just enlightened humans, often purposefully seek out end enjoy Nature's trippy treats.

Those marks are not from antlers, they're from teeth.

Something was eating the bark.

Samsquanch?

Well, there was that small herd of elk reported in the field by Annis Road and the Freeway. There have been elk seen on the Hope side of the Coquihalla so they are around the Valley but the absence of elk droppings but abundance of deer dropping is making me think you've found the home of the mythical Fraser Valley Whitetail that are increasing their numbers and sightings. Camera evidence would be cool.

Serious gouges - I sure would like to see the beast.

[Golddust]

Buffalo - Do you have an idea of what was eating them? if so could you explain? I'm intrigued as to what and why they would be eating it?

[MontyLake]

I agree that this seems too high up the tree to be Blacktail but maybe this one is really aggressive and really bending over the saplings as he shreds them. If you show me these rubs I will explain to you exactly what they are and how to ambush these buggers. :roll:

This also looks similar to the work of the recent hallucinogen harvesting. Inner bark from Alders is being scraped off and then fermented but instead of being distilled, the harvesters are boiling, straining, adding a bunch of sugar and then drinking to experience some most bizarre trips. Hardcore people would just chew the inner bark but that's too bitter and intense for most.

Are there camps in the close proximity?

Cool find by the way.


Do you write mystery and adventure as well as comedic fantasy fiction?

[jamfarm]

Were you fishing up the Squamish valley? If so, I'm also thinking they are elk rubs.

[Golddust]

Were you fishing up the Squamish valley? If so, I'm also thinking they are elk rubs.

yup, I was up Squam. From the feedback of everyone I guess its not the blacktails I was hoping for XD

[Islandeer]

Cat scratching?

[Brew]

Elk for sure

[Rieber]

Do you write mystery and adventure as well as comedic fantasy fiction?

Clearly you've never tried this perspective altering elixir.

[ElliotMoose]

In my opinion the pictures with the full peeled of their bark are rubs. The pictures with the single strips missing are teeth marks. Bark is a main part of their diet through the winter. I would say elk but there are also some moose scattered in that country and they love the bark

[MontyLake]

Clearly you've never tried this perspective altering elixir.

Look up any description of the medicinal uses for alder and you will find no reference or warnings to psychoactive or hallucinogenic properties of the plant.

http://medicinalherbinfo.org/000Herbs2016/1herbs/alder/

(http://medicinalherbinfo.org/000Herbs2016/1herbs/alder/)https://botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/a/alder019.html

(http://medicinalherbinfo.org/000Herbs2016/1herbs/alder/)-Medicinal Action and Uses---Tonic and astringent. A decoction of the bark is useful to bathe swellings and inflammations, especially of the throat, and has been known to cure ague.Peasants on the Alps are reported to be frequently cured of rheumatism by being covered with bags full of the heated leaves.Horses, cows, sheep and goats are said to eat it, but swine refuse it. Some state that it is bad for horses, as it turns their tongues black.

(http://medicinalherbinfo.org/000Herbs2016/1herbs/alder/)http://www.naturalmedicinalherbs.net/herbs/a/alnus-glutinosa=alder.php
(http://medicinalherbinfo.org/000Herbs2016/1herbs/alder/)
Medicinal use of Alder:
The bark is alterative, astringent, cathartic, febrifuge and tonic. The fresh bark will cause vomiting, so use dried bark for all but emetic purposes. A decoction of the dried bark is used to bathe swellings and inflammations, especially of the mouth and throat. The powdered bark and the leaves have been used as an internal astringent and tonic, whilst the bark has also been used as an internal and external haemostatic against haemorrhage. The dried bark of young twigs are used, or the inner bark of branches 2 - 3 years old. It is harvested in the spring and dried for later use. Boiling the inner bark in vinegar produces a useful wash to treat lice and a range of skin problems such as scabies and scabs. The liquid can also be used as a toothwash. The leaves are astringent, galactogogue and vermifuge. They are used to help reduce breast engorgement in nursing mothers. A decoction of the leaves is used in folk remedies for treating cancer of the breast, duodenum, oesophagus, face, pylorus, pancreas, rectum, throat, tongue, and uterus. The leaves are harvested in the summer and used fresh.



http://www.ankn.uaf.edu/curriculum/Books/Viereck/viereckalder.html
Medicinal uses:
The inner bark of alder is Tanaina (Anchorage-area Native) medicine; the Natives boil the bark and drink the tea to get rid of gas in the stomach and to lower a high fever. (Kari) The astringent and powerfully bitter bark infusion is used as a gargle for sore throat, to induce circulation, to check diarrhea, and for eye drops.
Alder leaves are used to cure inflammation. Fresh leaves applied to bare feet are good for burning and aching; they are also used as a foot bath when brewed.Bark of the red alder (A. rubra) of the coastal regions and western North America was used by Indians to relieve indigestion and as a tonic and alterative.During the routine screening of southwestern Alaska plants for potential antitumor activity, the stem bark of A. oregona(same as A. rubra)showed significant antitumor activity. Lupeol and betulin were identified as the two constituents responsible for this activity. (Sheth et al.)Other uses:

[elknut]

Anybody hunt Toad River ?...Have you been into the Community pasture ...The aspen have had their bark stripped by their teeth...Elk eat this for winter food ..Any hunter of moose in the Cariboo will also see this in Aspen forests..Very common ...Smaller willows along the forest service roads get their bark stripped by porcupines ...Seen this Grizzly hunting Kinbasket lake ...Rubs are rubs and chewed on is chewed on ...Dennis

[wideopenthrottle]

was used by Indians to relieve indigestion and as a tonic and alterative...this is a quote from your post (#19 post)...when they say "alterative" do they mean "to get to an altered state. ie. to get high?"

NM found the definition
Medical Definition of alterative
(Entry 1 of 2) : a drug used empirically to alter favorably the course of an ailment.

[MontyLake]

was used by Indians to relieve indigestion and as a tonic and alterative...this is a quote from your post (#19 post)...when they say "alterative" do they mean "to get to an altered state. ie. to get high?"

NM found the definition
Medical Definition of alterative
(Entry 1 of 2) : a drug used empirically to alter favorably the course of an ailment.



Alterative Medical Definition | Merriam-Webster Medical ...www.merriam-webster.com › medical › alterative
(https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/alterative)









Medical definition of alterative: a drug used empirically to alter favorably the course of an ailment.

[Would Rather Be Fishing]

Whatever this was, it's cool and a great find. Not an expert but those scapes look pretty deep for an elk???

I am having these images in my head of a bunch of tripped out sasquatches under a tree staring up into the clouds and calling each other "duuude".......

[wideopenthrottle]

sorry to continue the hijack but I was amazed at all the medicinal drugs that they have derived from alder

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6152317/

[Golddust]

sorry to continue the hijack but I was amazed at all the medicinal drugs that they have derived from alder

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6152317/

Interesting paper. I knew willow was used in alot of stuff, but had no idea alder had so many medicinal uses. Anti-cancer drugs too.

[fuzzybiscuit]

Elk. I’ve seen tons of rubs from Elk along the River bottoms when Steelheading north of Campbell River. There may be the odd deer rub too but first look makes me sure it’s Elk.

[REMINGTON JIM]

Elk rubs....

Bingo and this man will Know ! :wink: RJ

[Golddust]

Just checked the camera I had put up. Is it unusual for a bull to still have his antlers? 4 point on cam with both still

[fuzzybiscuit]

Just checked the camera I had put up. Is it unusual for a bull to still have his antlers? 4 point on cam with both still

Nope. I’ve seen them still packing on the Island right until mid-April. It’s amazing how fast they grow...