SouthernStrut56

I checked out a piece of property yesterday that I haven't hunted since early last season. I walked off the road about 10 yards and found a SERIOUS rubline coming from a cutover into some pines. I followed it up onto a hill and down the other side towards a bedding area. I found a total of 22 rubs on different sized saplings within about an acre or two. Needless to say I hunted itall day todaybut no luck, it's too hot down here in Alabama. This is the question.....Does the number of rubs in an area give any clue as to how big the buck making the rubs might be? The trees are anywhere from as big around as a coke can and as small around as a 12 gauge shell. I've never in my life seenthat manyrubs in that small of an area.

RWK

May-be not it might be a area that they just like to screw up some trees.

PastorHunter

You can tell more about the size of a deer by the size of a rub than the number of rubs made. I would tend to think that a bunch of rubs would indicate several bucks in the same general area. As to the size of the trees, big bucks will rub both small and large trees, but small bucks rub small trees. I would say; however, that a coke can size tree is getting to be a good size buck.

SouthernStrut56

I know there's at least one big buck in there by the size of some of the trees he's rubbing on, just wanted to know if there was any way I could tell if they were all rubs from one single buck or several different bucks. It's probably just one rubbing on whatever he can get his antlers around. Thanks

timbercruiser

Stick up a game camera.

metaldonnieg

I have a slightly different question regarding them. I found one out behind my house while rabbit hunting and my dad says, though he isn't a deer hunter, that I should get out there and watch it because he'll visit that same spot every day. Is this true? I'm a newbie to deer hunting so I have a lot to learn. Please be gentle hehe.

SouthernStrut56

If you only found one rub it could mean that the buck is staking out his territory for the rut and will work the area harder when his does come into estrous, or it could be a mock rub that he may never visit again.

SouthernStrut56

Yeah I'm gonna have to put my camera out on this spot for sure here soon. Right now I've got my game camera trying to catcha giant 8 point rubbing a cedar tree on a different piece of property. Wish I had about 10 of those cameras.

petasux

I watched a buck work a tree one morning that was as big around as my calf.He was just a spike, no browtines or anything.He had probably 9 inch spikes though and they curved out enough to let him get around the tree.I personally enjoy finding rubs, it tells me there deer in the area, but dont put much stock in them as far as gauging whats making them or if theyll even return to the sight in the daylight.

Put a trailcam out once in a thicket near a foodplot that was clear full of rubs, went through a roll of film in two days.There were I believe 13 different bucks that came through there in two days, every one of them between 11:00 at night and 3:00-4:00 in the morning.

chr103yod

I think if you look at the average size tree they are rubbing you can get an idea of the size of the buck. If they are mostly 4-6in trees I think you got some nice buck running around. If they are 1-2 in trees probably 1 1/2 yr old. Also look how high on the tree the rubs are bigger bucks make taller rubs. With that many rubs I would think you have at least 3 buck using the trail. Hope this helps.