RE: rubs indicate size of deer
 

I have to disagree with you, I think the heght of tine marks is the best way to determine size of rack. Even if a small rack and large rack buck are the same size, the tines on a good buck can easily reach over 15 -20 inches over his head. When I find a rub with tine marks past my chest (I am 6ft-1in),on a tree that will not give and bend, there is a very,very good reason to believe this is a mature large racked buck.

I still wouldn' t hunt the rub, unless there was a good line of them inside a bedding area. Now my blood is boiling just thinking about it:D

RE: rubs indicate size of deer
 

I have seen small bucks making rubs on large trees and I have seen large bucks make rubs on small trees. The only sure way to tell if you are hunting a rub line of a big buck is to see the buck in the process of making the rub. I have been fooled more than once by the little bucks.

RE: rubs indicate size of deer
 

One thing to consider, just because you see a smaller buck hit a rubline in which you thought was a good buck, doesn' t mean that isn' t a good bucks rub. Sometimes deer will rub on other deers lines, usually not a small (inferior) buck on a dominant but I have seen that happen before.

I do you can gauge by the height and quality, but wether that deer is a big 4x4 or a real bruiser 5 x 5 that is the hard part to disguish. Tracks also are not a clear way, you may have an over the hill downslide who is carry big feet but smalls sticks:D. Best way is to see him and use all the other factors that help point you to what the animal caliber is. Hunting season is too short to put all your eggs in a rub basket[8D].

Anybody notice that larger (mature deer) tend to rub eye level and smaller (immature deer) tend to rub below eye level? I have noticed this to a small degree here, not sure if this a characteristic or just chance? Wondering what some you others have seen? Thanks (maybe a new theory to add to the debate;))

RE: rubs indicate size of deer
 

Skeeter..you are correct.The larger bucks with a good rack will rub at a higher level than a spike or fork horn. The rub will be on a sturdy tree and some times go within a foot of the ground. When can see individual tine marks on a four inch diameter tree I know this is a nice big deer, and start to look for other sign in the area to see if I can pattern him. Sometimes they will fool you. One year I thought I had a big buck only to have it turn out to be a middlin' sized 6 point.Put him in the freezer anyway! This years turned out to be a nice sized deer with a tiny 8 point rack, not an old deer either, healthy too, just a very small rack. Walked right up to my stand, so I did the right thing...put him in my freezer.

RE: rubs indicate size of deer
 

if they have big tines they can snap off threelimbs. but i do beleive that the bigger the rub the bigger the antlers

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