What do deer rubs mean?

Before and during the rut, bucks rub trees to mark their territory, work off aggression, and intimidate other bucks. A series of rubs made along a trail or field edge are called rub lines, and provide clues about a buck's travel patterns. Buck rubs also serve as dominance symbols and communication signposts.

Will a buck come back to a rub?

Deer even visit these unique rubs across multiple years. These are referred to as “traditional rubs” because deer make a tradition of returning to use them again and again.

Do big rubs mean big bucks?

Lee Ellis, of Suburban Bowhunter in Georgia, believes that big rubs are more indicative of a deer's personality. “From what I've seen, a big buck is just as likely to rub on a small tree as he is to rub on a big tree.

Should you hunt over deer rubs?

In this scenario, rubs in the cover matter because they were far more likely to have been made in daylight. But one rub doesn't make for a good hunting area. Rub lines are better, not only because they'll show a concentration of sign, but because they'll give you a clear direction that your target buck likes to travel.

Should I hunt rubs or scrapes?

Although scrapes can attract deer and influence their behavior, rubs are a much more effective signpost for deer. As noted by such experts as John J. Ozoga, bucks make rubs to show dominance. That's why mature bucks usually make the most and biggest rubs each season.

How To Read A Whitetail Buck Rub

Do bucks bed near rubs?

Do Big Rubs Always Mean Big Bucks? According to research I've done, the presence of antler rubs on large trees almost always means there's at least one mature buck in the vicinity. This isn't to say that big bucks won't rub small trees—they absolutely will.

How do you read rubs and scrapes?

Fresh scrapes will have loose dirt in the center. A musty smell at a scrape indicates it is very fresh. Both bucks and does will visit the scrape site day or night. Rubs are areas on trees, usually about arm size or smaller, where the bark has been rubbed off by a buck with his antlers and forehead.

What does a cluster of buck rubs mean?

Cluster rubs are found near sanctuaries, staging areas or other places where bucks hang out. Usually made later in the fall, cluster rubs can help you pinpoint a buck's whereabouts, especially if they're made over an extended period. Cluster rubs old and new let you know a buck is spending a lot of time in an area.

What can you tell from a buck rub?

The right rub can tell you the size of a buck's rack, whether he has any beauty points, and how to hunt him. In hilly country, buck rubs that are visible when facing uphill were likely made in the morning as the buck traveled back to his high-ground bedding area.

How many rubs will a buck make?

Karl V. Miller, one mature buck can make 1,000 to 1,200 rubs per year. Considering most rub activity occurs in a time period of about three months, that is 10 to 15 per day. This means a deer herd with an older age structure and balanced sex ratio can produce over 3,000 rubs per square mile!

Do bigger deer rub on bigger trees?

Wider bucks will rub trees and scruff up surrounding vegetation as well. If an additional tree trunk 9 or 10 inches to the right is nicked up, it's safe to say that buck could have a good spread.

Should you hunt rubs during the rut?

During the peak, hunting along rub lines is a lot like being on the right track but the wrong train. Instead, hunt rub lines during the pre-rut when bucks are using a few bedding areas and travel routes.

What time of day are most big bucks killed?

Most of them are specifically between 9:00 and 10:00 in the morning to be exact. It's a proven time, and it could have a lot to do with the common perception among deer hunters that things slow down once early morning is through.

How often do Whitetails check scrapes?

During the two weeks leading up to peak breeding mature bucks can be expected to make between 6 and 12 scrapes every hour they are on their feet.

What's the difference between a scrape and a rub?

Here's the difference . . .

A scrape is on the ground and a rub is on a tree. Yup, it's that simple. Scrapes are what you see when you come across a usually oval shaped patch of bare dirt in an otherwise leaf or grass covered area. It's a good bet there's a low overhanging branch above a scrape as well.

What types of trees do bucks like to rub?

Bucks preferred making traditional rubs on highly aromatic sassafras trees larger than 3½ inches in diameter. Woods hypothesized, “The aromatic qualities of sassafras must enhance its function as a source of olfactory communication by alerting deer in the area that a communication signpost is present.

Do bucks share rubs?

Cluster rubs & bedding

Although bucks share bedding sites during summer's velvet bachelor grouping, by the time the velvet peels off and polished antlers are showcased, bucks gear up for the pre-rut with various rubbing behaviors. This activity occurs around bedding areas before the rut kicks in.

Why do bucks make rubs lines?

Buck rubs are signposts. They are visibly attractive and carry the maker's glandular secretions. Most are made by mature bucks as a show of dominance. Mature bucks are also inclined to rub earlier in the season, rub larger-diameter trees and re-rub trees more often than young bucks.

Do bucks make rubs after the rut?

One of the chief reasons a buck continues to make rubs after the rut is over has to do with his desire to show dominance. By leaving scent from his nasal, preorbital and forehead glands on a rub a buck can influence the behavior of other bucks in his home territory.

How far do bucks bed from does?

Think Big!. While an alignment of food to doe bedding to buck bedding can take place within a space of 200 yards or less in wide-open low cover ag regions, the same can not be said for big woods and wilderness areas.

Where do big bucks go after the rut?

Major Trails, Close to Bedding Areas

As a matter of fact, a post rut buck is going to look for every opportunity they can to find a secure bedding area that is typically close to a food source such a grain fields or turnip plot.