Rubs

[la river]

How much time do you spend around rubs and rub lines? Do the bucks come back to rubs frequently? And why? Found two good areas with 5-6 rubs in them and havent seen any deer around those areas! Two big rubs right behind my property and can spend lots of time there, really waiting for some snow but there deffinatley starting to rut in reg 6.

[hunter1947]

I have seen island deer come back to the same rub that they had made the year before on a tree.

I have never seen this on smaller tress but on big trees like a 6 inch cider tree or an alter tree .

I saw the rubs on cider tress the same one year after year get rubbed ,I think that the do this on big tress so they can tell other bucks that they are in the same area so watch out for me.

[Jelvis]

Rubs who knows rubs? It's a mystery to many but what does it tell ya when you see a rub on a tree? What is that buck saying or is he just takin it out on a tree anytree?
Like a boxer hittin the heavy bag takin it out on the bag cuz the bag can't hit back.
Or is it a sign to remember for him? Like when a person marks a tree to remember he was there or to remember that spot for a particular reason.
Maybe a person can read too much into rubs or maybe the person does'nt read enuff into a buck rub.
From what i've read in hunting books and magazines it can mean things other than a way to build neck strength.
Lets hear what you figure into a rub so when I see the next rub I'll take what you say and use it to read a rub properly. Does a buck rub all season?
Jel-rubs a tell tale sign or just a work-out till the real fight

[sneg]

i found some spot with a number of trees with rub signs.also there were several antlers around plus very clear deer trails with signs. however it all looks like signs of deer from late season,when all in snow and deer shed antlers. i have seen lot of early season signs. i do not know why deer does that,but i know i m gonna check this spot just before season end

[Jelvis]

I've seen trees that were like two inches around and some four inches and broke right off, so you'd think more hunters would hear this happening when the buck was doing it. I heard one but I thought someone was hitting a tree with a hatchet and I was mad when I realized how ignorant I was. My uncle told me it was a huge buck in the rut busting a tree while the buck was in a rut rage. Unless they do it mostly in the dark what do you think or should a person sit and listen on a ridge for awhile?
Jel--a big buck thrashing a tree trunk as big as a flagpole

[johnk]

How about when Jelvis rubs you the wrong way? Would that be the epitome of "rut rage"?

[RayHill]

I think deer just don't like trees and can't use saws

[Jelvis]

johnk I could never wear your hat cuz like it would go right over my eyes, ears and fall right around my whole head cuz of so much hunting knowledge in that cranium of yours the hat size is enormous my friend.
The bucks could get outrageous because of "Rut Rage"
Have you seen a tree trunk shattered and broken by a brush buster? It's awsome! Marking his territory like a wild dingo in Australia along a line east, west, north and south in the outback Jack I mean john ok.
Jel--like a wild dingo dog.

[4pointer91]

I'm waiting for this bad boy to return ...he has made a couple trips back to these rubs but not at the times I have been by. Now I will have to try for him with the bow. I have seen his tracks in the snow and know his direction of travel, it is consistant with the side of the tree the rub was made on.

[Jelvis]

Yah--4pointer91 the buck rubs in the direction he is going is is that what you experienced? What else can you tell us like how far apart if you know that, cuz it must be hard to pattern sometimes. And is it the outer perimeter of his range along the edge of his territory if you can tell would be great to hear. Nice photo wow bigger tree bigger buck?
Jel

[johnk]

johnk I could never wear your hat cuz like it would go right over my eyes, ears and fall right around my whole head cuz of so much hunting knowledge in that cranium of yours the hat size is enormous my friend.
The bucks could get outrageous because of "Rut Rage"
Have you seen a tree trunk shattered and broken by a brush buster? It's awsome! Marking his territory like a wild dingo in Australia along a line east, west, north and south in the outback Jack I mean john ok.
Jel--like a wild dingo dog.

Haha, Jelvis. Actually I'm a much more accurate shooter when my hat is covering my eyes.

Four years ago up on Savona Mtn., in the timber just off a brand new cutblock found a rub on the side of a ridge. A lone tree in between two boulders had been savagely raked and the funny thing is the buck would've had to step over the boulder and put his hooves in between the two just to reach the tree. Don't know why they feel the strong urge to rub a certain tree and will go to great lengths to do so.

A week later on the same cutblock I had a groundblind in one of the slashpiles at the back of the block and observed a 1x2 muley stop at a small rub on a sapling, sniffed that rub up and down 2-3 times and then bolted off that slash like he just smelled death!

Do predators like wolves and cougars connect rubs with deer and do they hunt rub lines like us? Have seen some evidence of this especially on fir ridges but am not convinced one way or the other.

[4pointer91]

Yes, his rubs appear to be along the outside perimeter of his territory. With the recent snow I'm hoping to investigate the area more using its tracks for further verification. The rubs I saw were quite far apart except for the one posted ...it was 30ft from another. Not sure why they do this?

[Sitkaspruce]

I think with WT, they are all part of the scrape line and become a marking post for other deer. I hunted this guy for three years and only saw him twice, both times the day after the season ends, on Nov 21st. He was a clean 5x5 that would score around 160/165.

Here is what first got my attention
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Sitkaspruce/TrailCam05027.jpg

and there is another one there, but he was smaller
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Sitkaspruce/TrailCam05018.jpg

And then I found this the next year and hunted the area hard
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Sitkaspruce/OurFirstTrip072.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v489/Sitkaspruce/OurFirstTrip071.jpg

As far as I know, he was still running around as of last year.

Cheers

SS

[la river]

Sitka very impressive rub!! Found a few more rubs since asking this question, I have always paid close attention to rubs but have never been around when a buck has been by them. However a bucks range during the rut is how big? Could be here one day and miles away tomorrow only to return a couple days later. This year I have found some regular sized rubs but have found three that make me think we are dealing with a big honker buck!! I have put my trail cam out back where I found two big rubs and will be hunting hard after this weekend!!

[la river]

I was out yesterday only to have to work 3-12 hr shifts this weekend and what happens...5" of snow! Damn, if only that happened the last 2 days off.
I had a run in last year with this buck I call chocolate(big dark brown antlers) Had one chance for a possible head shot but head shots arent my thing. Came across him again after checking a couple fresh rubs, fresh snow with bark on top, then found another rub then another where he totally ripped up an 8ft pine and left, found chunks(branches) from the pine 100yds away then saw him and his harem bugger off, he still had some branches attached to his head gear. He is one of those honker bucks that give me nightmares. Makes me 2nd guess head shots but I still probably wouldnt take it. Hoping from the size of the rubs behind my place that he is back!! OOHH I only hope!!

[Jelvis]

Muley Makin rubs--neck muscles swelling and rubbing the scent gland excretion from the scent glands by the corners of his eyes on the tree. Banging is thick rack of chocalot coloured antlers hoping the sound carries over to that buck thats been sneaking in on his does and their yearlings. In his territory and he's got it marked all around. He won't tolerate this any longer and is going to put the run on that upstart trying to date his ladies. Those are his marks and that is that no buck enters or he will pay.
After all thats his bedroom a personal place and I hope you don't get caught in there.
And he says hit the road Jack and don't come back slack!
Jel-hit the road

[Jelvis]

Sitkasprucetree--thats awful big scrape for a sitka blacktail isn't it? Maybe a small spike/fork or am I all wet?
Jelly---huge rub!

[johnk]

Moose of any size won't rub that low on a tree, Jelvis!

[Jelvis]

I would'nt get in such a hurry and assume that, johnnyk cuz assuming is making an ASS- out of U + ME making an Ass out of U and Me, for instance the moose had a birth defect and it's front legs were only half as long as a normal young bull moose for instance or the tree was up on the side of a dirt bank and the moose was able only to rub low on it? What do you think of those apples? Anythings possible right? lol.
Ok so I was all wet I admit it now! Cheesh I just thought that rub was awful big for a sitka blacktail or maybe a small elk? Never know. What about a lynx using it as a scratching pole? I bet no one thought of that eh?
Jelly---that rub is huge! I was wrong I'm guessing.

[Sitkaspruce]

Sitkasprucetree--thats awful big scrape for a sitka blacktail isn't it? Maybe a small spike/fork or am I all wet?
Jelly---huge rub!

Jelly, read my whole post and look at the pictures. I do believe that they are WT's, and the rub is from a WT.

SS

[Jelvis]

OOOOhhh that explains it a whitetail thanx for that must of had a huge neck to do that. Love to see that massive buck.
Jelly-whitetail buck rub that is amazing.

[johnk]

Geez, Jelvis! Does someone have to take you by the hand and lead you through the forum??

I believe SS posted that photo last year and I am in as much awe this time as I was then!

[whitetailsheds]

Rubs, to me, tell of one thing...there was a buck here. That's it! I have found no rhyme or reason to them, no patterns or routines, nada.
Pay more attention to scrapes and their licking branches above. These are advertisements for bucks, they do establish and check a line or network of them.
I got some of my best whitetail video of a buck that was maintaining a scrape line. Looked like an enraged bull pawing and throwing dirt and leaves around. Then he'd stop and chew/ lick and rub his orbital glands on an overhanging branch.
Each time I'd blow on a grunt tube, he'd start pawing and pissing on his tarsal glands. He was some pissed off.
It's on a Bill Jordan/ Jim Shockey clip type video, (VHS, LOL!!) from waaay back.
G