jimpok61

I have heard that rubs & tree size have a direct correlation to the size of the rubbing buck. I need some answers. I have seen many rubs this year and the majority of them are on trees with less than 2" diameters. I have also seen a couple on trees with a 4" dia.. Am I correct in assuming that my Bullwinkle has been the bad boy tearing up the larger trees? Also can you guess the size of buck by the height of rub on the trees? We have one more weekend of late Ny bow season and I'd like to try hunting that monsters rub. Any suggestions?

fxbonerhead

not true at all[]where i hunt in georgia,there are at least 20 different trees on the 500 acres that are community rub trees.we have pictures of spikes up to 2 big 10 ptrs rubbing these treeswhat you need to look for is how high up the rub is on the tree.just mho and experience in 35 yrs of huntin.(bow and gun).i killed a nice 8ptr thanksgiving morn.green score 128,232lbs.sasser co.,ga.,at one of the trees that are being used as a community rub tree.oh well just my opinion.good luck.

PABowhntr

I tend to somewhat agree with the above post. There are other factors besides the size of the tree that can help you determine how large the rack is....though I tend to follow the rule of them that though a large racked buck may rub a small tree a small racked buck will rarely rub a large tree.

jimpok61

Thanks men. Keep the replies coming. I know of an ol' timer who swears by the correlation. I'm trying to learn so I can help my son learn from the pros.

WV Hunter

I pretty much agree with PA. I've seen larged rack bucks work over small and large trees....and even seem some med rack bucks work over larger (3"+) trees. But I doubt many small bucks are making the real big rubs (4"- 8"+). Usually that is a good one.

Jeff K

Well I can tell you the small bucks are not rubbing a big tree, the bigger the tree the bigger deer (I have seen deer rub telephone poles!!) and the higher the rub goes up the tree that is how much longer the bucks tines are!

Rack-attack

Depends on what you consider a Big Buck

A wide , mature 80" 6 point can make very big rubs that could probably rival a 160" 12 points rubs.

If you have good sized trees that are torn up good - I would assume that a "racked" buck is doing it - How big the Rack??? - you gotta shoot him to see

And as stated - Big bucks will make little rubs - sometimes lots of them

Good Luck

Antler Eater

I can't tell you how many magazine articles I have read that support the theory that little bucks don't rub big trees. They even get so bold as to say this is the direction the buck was headed in and this is the direction he is going...It makes me laugh and I think it is an unintentional insult to experienced hunters.

Apparently the deer I hunt don't know what they are doing. I have seen them contradict the "experts" time and time again. We are dealing with free ranging wild animals here...there are no absolutes. I have witnessed a fork horn rub a six inch diameter fence post, I mean really work it over. By the same token I have seen good sized deer rub a small sapling and leave in the opposite direction. I guess it just goes to show that the only absolute you can count on is that deer can't read and they don't watch TV.

moose1915

ever seen this: 1 central tree 6-8inches around surrounded by a 2foot diameter scrub brush "perimeter". only the central tree was rubbed, and mauled at that. the deer must have really stretched, worked and wiggled to get his antlers inside the brush to hit this big tree. I hope i'm describing it right.

it was weird, and in this 100foot by 50 foot area he did this 14 times, only on the trees that grew just like that, no other trees.
strange!
moose

Cougar Mag

Big bucks will rub little trees and saplings BUT, just before and during the rut, that new fresh huge rub WAS NOT made by an immature buck or by many bucks, it was made by the dominant buck in that area, most likely a shooter. I've seen too many of these instances.