May want to take a look at this article, Reading Rubs and Hunting Rub Routes. It's found around halfway down this page:

here

If we utilize the assumption that the size of the rub indicates the size of the buck...then we can make these assumptions, also....(In MY area):

#1 - There are no "large" racked bucks

or

#2 - I just haven't found their rub trees (the large racked bucks)

I base this on the fact that I've never seen a tree over 3" in Diameter with a rub on it.....and I am in my woods a LOT.

I have to assume that IN MY AREA.....they utilize the same trees (size).....OR....there are no "large" (P&Y) caliber bucks.

I wouldn't bet on either scenario being fool-proof.

This is a rub, LOL

Of course it could.You must be new to hunting right?

Height is more important...I also like to think the deeper the gouges in the tree the more likely a mature buck did it...two reasons for that, larger deer have rougher antlers and the idea that bigger bucks can really tear up a tree easier (I know smaller deer are plenty strong, I just theorize it is correlated to energy willing to be exerted)...however I know a lot depends on the type of tree, a spike could tear up a 4" sumac very easily.

[quote]ORIGINAL: parkerchamp

Ok, here's some more food for thought...

I've always been under the impression that deer make rubs for TWO different reasons, depending on the time of year.

1. During early season, they are simply making rubs to clean their antlers when the velvet starts coming off. Obviously, a mature buck can't fit a six inch tree in the small space between the different points, so this leads me to believe that young deer AND mature deer will mostly rub small saplings.

2. Later in the season, during the rut, deer make rubs to mark their territory, so it is likely that the more mature deer will rub larger trees than younger deer, and they will make them in the heaviest travel areas so that the majority of the herd will see them. Also the more dominant bucks will make "rub lines" to help mark the territory.

As I said, I don't know if this is completely accurate, but that's the way I've been taught since I started hunting.
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Despite what most people think deer do not rub there antlers to get the velvet off they only rub to let other deer they are using this area,I watched a dvd on a study done on a 3000 acre ranch over 25yrs in texas and this was there conclusion so that's good enogh for me.Rubs are nice to see though!