Is this a rub?

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Bobson

Bobson

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Kendall County, TX
Went scouting today, in an area where I will be hunting this fall and deer have been seen as recently as about a week ago. However, every deer I've seen in the area has always been just does and fawns, I've never personally seen a buck here. Not saying they aren't here, just that I haven't seen them.

So anyway, spent a little while in the woods today, in an area I know no humans have walked in the last year (private property owned by a guy I know). I saw what I took to be game trails throughout the woods, and verified that with a few deer prints (one such pic is attached below).

So I found what might (?) be a rub. I've never seen one before, but read about em, and this looks like it might be one... but I wanted to see what you guys with experience say. The "tree" in question is about as thick as a can of soda, and the rubbed section is about 4' off the ground, give or take six inches.

I did look for velvet near the rub (if that's what this is), and on the ground in the immediate area. Didn't find anything. For all I know this might just be bark that fell off a tree, or a rub from a year or more ago? I'm not even sure if this is the time of year when bucks would be rubbing. Kinda flyin' blind here.

Thanks.
 

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looks like it's an old rub, last season maybe. There wouldn't be any velvet around it this time of year, not until September. New spring antlers are just about 4 " tall now, so nothing to rub.

If you're in blacktail country, keep an eye on this neighborhood! But be very careful not to spook him.
 
Rubs occur during the latter stage of antler growth and the rubbing ends a month or two before the hunting season begins. Watching for a buck near a rub is like closing the barn door after the horse is gone--unless it's near a regularly used trail, of course.

During the rut, bucks will make a "scrape", scraping the ground and peeing. Scrapes are good places to keep under observation, since Bucky will come back for a return visit, and other bucks also show up to check it out.
 
The rut is generally in the late fall, right?

The rub pictures in my first post was found around 75 yards from the print I found (also pictured). The ground around/in the print was very moist, and I know there are several deer using the area regularly. So while I'm no expert, I'm thinking that was a fairly fresh track. Even if that rub was from last year, or even older, I'm hoping the buck who made it is among the deer using the area regularly.

But I guess there's no way to be sure at this point.
 
Could be from last year, or even the year before. Might also just be a dead tree with bark falling off. Hard to tell from the photos.
 
Look for fresh rubs in that area next Sept. and Oct.Look for scrapes on the ground.Areas of cleared leaves with a muddy foot print and maybe a broken twig on a branch above it.
 
Okay. Does this tree size and height seem right for a rub? I remember reading that bucks generally pick young trees that are more narrow than others, but still strong enough that they won't bend over. This particular tree was about as thick as a can of soda.

Also, for the height - about 4' off the ground?

Just so I have a better idea of what to be looking for come Autumn.
 
Four feet up for a rub is not normal around MN, and we've got nice big bucks.
I'd say that 18-32 inches is more realistic. Picture a nice sized deer with head down, "pushing and fighting the tree".

Good luck next fall.
 
Thanks for the help, guys. Guess I'll keep scouting and try not to put too much pressure on em for now. I found a great tree I can get into and about 20' up without a ladder or anything else. When I saw it I thought it would be a good place to sit and watch for a few hours, as it overlooks many of the trails I found. Might just go up there and hang out for a couple hours Saturday morning, and see what happens.
 
Bobson,

Attached is a picture of a rub from our woods in the fall. I took the picture during hunting season a few years ago. It had been recently made by a very nice 10 point who met his end near there.
The bottom of the rub is 10-12 inches off the ground. The center, approximately 22-24 inches and the top maybe 30 inches or so. The tree is pop can size.

The old story goes; the bigger the tree, the bigger the buck. Take that with a grain of salt, but pop can or slightly larger is as big as I've ever seen. Frequently, yearling bucks rub thumb sized stuff. Aside from getting the itchy velvet off, I believe they like to feel a little "pushback".

Hope this helps!

1CF16B88-16B8-4CF1-8800-664BC4C64506.jpg
 
The fact that the tree is dead with rotting wood leads me to believe it is not a rub at all. Deer don't pick that type of tree to rub on. Around here some type of pine or cedar tree is more popular if in the area. I think they like the scent.

There are 2 types of rubs. When the velvet starts coming off in late summer they seem to prefer smaller brush to aid in scraping off the velvet. The bigger rubs like in the above photo are later during the rut. They are made to mark their territory and warn other bucks.
 
Get yourself a good mineral salt block and set it out. I have two salt blocks and a protein block behind the cabin fifty feet up the hill behind a stump so the blocks will not roll down hill. I have a game cam set up so I can see what is coming in besides deer and elk......so far no bears.

Last month I could barely tell the bucks from does as the bucks just had bumps.
 
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