Significance of elk rubs?

[brotherjack]

So, today, while wandering around the bush seeing nothing alive that wasn't a squirrel, I run across a series of elk rubs in a more/less straight line. They were all maybe 10 feet off the side of a game trail that runs through this draw I was exploring. There were 3 that I found before I decided to back out of the area without contaminating it with my scent any more than I already had. Two of them were about 5 yards apart, the third about 30 yards down the trail.

I assume these are elk rubs, because they are so big. The start a little more than ankle high, and the bark is peeled down to bare wood clear up to about 7 feet off the ground. The smallest of the trees was about as big around as a bottle neck and about 15 foot high (it had been bent over and rubbed clear up to the top), and the biggest was about as big around as my wrist. I sniffed them, and they didn't stink like I've heard bull elk rubs should, but if they're a week or two old, I don't know if that proves anything... I also saw some elk sign that was fresh, but not like "today" fresh - maybe 2 days old.

Anyway, anyone know if the multiple rubs in an area like that means the bull likely comes through there a lot, or do they just thrash some trees wherever they happen to be and move on out of the area for breeding season? In other words, do you think it would be productive if I set up downwind of the spot in question and watched?

Thanks in advance...

[BCHunter]

I assume these are elk rubs, because they are so big.

heres an Elk rub from a fly in trip i did last year





http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/40DSC02568-med.JPG

[brotherjack]

heres an Elk rub from a fly in trip i did last year


Mine looks a lot like that, even same size and same/similar species of tree. Only difference I can see, is that the ones I found go down a lot lower to the ground than that one does, and the trees in general are significantly more thrashed than that one is (stripped down to bare wood - no bark at all left on them in the rub area).

[brotherjack]

Sigh.... sunup to sunset in the bush, not one single stupid thing moved - other than a couple hundred squirrels. Saw deer jumping all over the road going in and coming out, and 2 cow elk on the way in.

Never heard anything interesting other than the odd hunter bugling off in the distance now and then (easy to tell - bugle... 5 minutes... truck starting... no more bugle...).

We had an awesome field of view overlooking several elk rubs in a relatively clear area of bush, but nothing big enough to go crunch in the bush came within earshot of the spot. We did the whole bowhunting-style scent control routine, a scent drag and a hanging rag with with horny cow elk urine, and made like a hoochie mamma ever half hour or so, etc... Nothing..

I don't know why I bother doing this - I never come home happy after a day of elk hunting...

[Cappy]

I'd just be happy to get out. Have been stuck with work so far this season and have only managed 2 day trips so far. By now I would have usually had at least a 1 week trip and a couple day trips thrown in.

[1/2 slam]

Brother,


Sounds like you had a good day. Better than a day at the office.

[rock]

Elk hunting is a hit and miss, but if I find a wallow, I'll hang around for sure, I come home happy no matter what, no phone can't wait tell I retire.

[brotherjack]

Yeah, I know, my attitude is awful right now, and knowing that doesn't help me any... I'm just frustrated after 3 years of hunting almost every day of the season and not even ever seeing a legal bull (or even one big enough to bother counting points on). Wouldn't be so bad if I thought this was normal to hunt a lot and never see an elk - but virtually everyone I know who hunts gets their elk every year, and come back gab'ing about the 3 legal ones they saw that were "a little small", before they shot the big 8 point monster on the second day of the hunt, and blah blah blah. Good for them.

I really am going to just give this up and go hunt white-tail for a while. I love doing that, and I'm actually pretty good at it. I don't know that I've ever been whitetail hunting and not seen at least a couple small ones. I always come happy after hunting whitetail...