Rubs and Scrapes
09-19-2002, 10:26 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: / / USA
Posts: 49
Rubs and Scrapes
I have grown up in a family that loves deer hunting needless to say i never go into it untill this last 3 years. I love it, even if I don't see anything I still love being out doors all morning. I see doe all the time but I am waiting on the buck. Anyway, I have never seen a scrape or a rub. What are the deer doing this for, and when do they do it, all year around or is there a certain part of the year.
09-19-2002, 11:25 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Spring Grove, Pa. USA
Posts: 2,120
RE: Rubs and Scrapes
Buck rub on trees for a variety of reasons.One is to strengthen their neck muscles for the upcoming breeding season.Another is to lay scent to let other deer that he's in the area.Some people believe that they rub to remove the velvet.Other deer will rub the same tree,also.Just remember-big bucks rub big trees.As for scrapes-that's another sign-post deer make.A buck will scrape out an area by pawing at the ground.Then he pees in the dirt.When you find a scrape,look for a branch over it that is chewed on.That's the sign of an active scrape.Other deer will also use this scrape,too.It's all about communication between the deer in that area.There's more to it but these are the basics.
09-20-2002, 12:00 PM
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location:
Posts: 620
RE: Rubs and Scrapes
Im like jimpic when it comes to rubs and scrapes. A rub is on a tree, a scrap is on the ground. Jimpic pretty much explained it. Another sign to look for when scouting is beds. Look for a place under brush or low brached trees that looks like it has been swept. If you find where they are bedding you have a good Idea as to where they will be coming back to. A good way to bring bucks to you is to find out when the rut starts and get a set of rattling horns. Rattle for about 30sec to a min.. During that time Scrape the brush around you and I even know guys who stomp the ground as well. Wait for about thirty min. before doing it agian. If bucks are around they will usually try to find the fight. Good luck.
09-20-2002, 04:28 PM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Marengo il USA
Posts: 50
RE: Rubs and Scrapes
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>JimPic said Just remember-big bucks rub big trees <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>
Ceaser if you happen to see a rub no matter the size of the tree you still could be hunting a nice trophy. A big buck will rub on any tree.
you start hunting and you suck, you keep doing it till you dont suck
Ceaser if you happen to see a rub no matter the size of the tree you still could be hunting a nice trophy. A big buck will rub on any tree.
you start hunting and you suck, you keep doing it till you dont suck
09-20-2002, 08:40 PM
#7
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Saskatchewan Canada
Posts: 6,921
RE: Rubs and Scrapes
Cord, deer make rubs well in advance of the rut, they use it start strengthening their neck muscles for the up coming mating season. Scrapes will start before rut too, but long after you start see rubs. You'll often see V-type scrapes once the bach. groups start to dispate and then the big scrapes are laid down. However IMO and experience scrapes don't produce the results like the rublines do, so I really hunt the rublines.
Yes, scrapes are on the ground and rub on the trees. What Jimpic was saying is primary or active scrapes have a licking branch above them, this where the buck will chew on and leave more scent. He also was saying, generally that the bigger bucks need a bigger tree to work their neck muscles. While it is true large dominant bucks hit the saplings, they will also need those larger based trees (if available) to further prove their dominance. So look for trashed areas of saplings, broken branches (especially up high) and him tackling the larger trees as well...then you know their is a big boy in the area. Another key is how high the rubs are up the tree, sometimes you'll see nice sized rubs down low, that doesn't mean he's big, but if you see it graduate upwards of the tree. Like Jimpic said, many deer will frequent rubs, so don't be put off or discouraged when a small immature buck appears and what seems to be a great large buck rubline or scrape. They will all inhabit the same area and instictively they do these rituals to prepare for their turn.
This is something that you will learn with practice, it's no different than rattling and calling. You need to experience it and learn, pointers and basics from others help in the learning curve, so don't be affraid to ask.
Yes, scrapes are on the ground and rub on the trees. What Jimpic was saying is primary or active scrapes have a licking branch above them, this where the buck will chew on and leave more scent. He also was saying, generally that the bigger bucks need a bigger tree to work their neck muscles. While it is true large dominant bucks hit the saplings, they will also need those larger based trees (if available) to further prove their dominance. So look for trashed areas of saplings, broken branches (especially up high) and him tackling the larger trees as well...then you know their is a big boy in the area. Another key is how high the rubs are up the tree, sometimes you'll see nice sized rubs down low, that doesn't mean he's big, but if you see it graduate upwards of the tree. Like Jimpic said, many deer will frequent rubs, so don't be put off or discouraged when a small immature buck appears and what seems to be a great large buck rubline or scrape. They will all inhabit the same area and instictively they do these rituals to prepare for their turn.
This is something that you will learn with practice, it's no different than rattling and calling. You need to experience it and learn, pointers and basics from others help in the learning curve, so don't be affraid to ask.
