do small rubs equal small bucks?
 

Hi,
Man, I am hunting in Ohio and have heard a deer running through the woods that sounds like a horse my last two times out but haven't seen it yet. However, when I goto where I hear him I see small rubs on trees. Nothing that would make you go "whoa, this deer has to be a monster". So do small rubs (small rubs on small trees) mean that this deer has a small rack?

RE: do small rubs equal small bucks?
 

Big bucks can make small rubs, but small bucks cannot make big rubs.

RE: do small rubs equal small bucks?
 

In a word...........NO!

Sorry Rory/MO meant to quote the original poster.

RE: do small rubs equal small bucks?
 

you usually can tell by how the rub looks, if it looks small but has defined scratches in it, or lines, this is done by brow tines and hence not a small buck, of course could be a basket rack and not large in size, but can assure that it isnt a spike or 4 pointer...I have tracked a stalked 100's of bucks over small scraps and rubs...good luck

RE: do small rubs equal small bucks?
 

sorry friend but thats an incorrect statement.......or i should say only half incorrect. the first half is true but the second half, "small bucks canot make big rubs" is not true. ive tracked my bucks everyyear and i dunno how many times ive caught a "small buck" rubbing a 6 or 7 inch diam. tree! all deer have different personalities. much like ppl do. some young bucks thing they are kings and pick on the bigest gnarliest tree in the woods while others rub smaller inch size saplings. what i look for to determing how "big a buck" is by a rub, which ill say is not a really good method of sizing a buck anywyas, is to guage how high off the ground it is. and how long the rub itself is. older bigger bucks also USUALLY have junk around the bases that really tear a tree up wear younger bucks dont so much and tend more to "shine" a teee rather then tear it up. look for tine marks and such.

but like i said a rub really is a piss poor indication of how big a buck his. the best method for me when tracking is to look at the stride of the track and the width of the hoove. the legnth doesnt really mean much w/ me. ive tracked bucks that have long feet only to find a light weight spindley 6 or 8 pt staring me in the face. like tall lanky teenagers w/ size 15 shoes young buckj can have long toes. i also look at the stagger of the track. a big buck has a big chest, his track will be staggerd and toed out pretty hard.

the next thing ill look for is to see where the buck fed on some ferns or dug for some acorns or beech nuts and see where he stcuk his horns in the snow. thats a real good indicator of how wide and how many points he has. ill look for beds too, big bucks leave big beds. theres tons of sign i look for that i could ever possably list them all.

sorry i went on a rant but i get right into big bucks man! lol

RE: do small rubs equal small bucks?
 

I dont think so. Big deer can just not hit certain trees as hard, while other trees nearbywill be demolished

RE: do small rubs equal small bucks?
 

We have footage of a spike rubbing a 6" tree under our stand last year.

Generally speaking, the big aggressive rubs are made by big aggressive deer. I didn't see these monster rubs up in Michigan because a "Big mature" buck wasn't living in any of the areas that I hunted.

I also personally believe that the larger the number of mature bucks in an area, the more agressive the sign. They just have more reason to be "pissed" and have a bit more rage pumping in their veins.

I believe bucks rub for multiple reasons. First, to leave a scent post. Second, to work agression out of their system (same thing we humans do at the gym by pumping iron), and building strong neck muscles that will be used when fighting. Third, to remove velvet (early in the season). And forth, because they have a rack on their heads and they need to do something with it (bordom). Why some bucks only rub small trees, while others rub large trees; is just dependent on the individual deer. They are all wired a little different just like humans!

RE: do small rubs equal small bucks?
 

Also, and IMHO, more importantly, the big rubs are, in my expierence, located in wind transition areas: places where the wind suddenly and consistently changes directions. These are areas where the wind tends to betray the deer, and the big bucks know where it occurs. The scent/activity they create at these rubs will attract deer to those areas and the big bucks will clock that spot from a distance, especially during the rut, watching the other deer's reaction to judge the safety, then move in

RE: do small rubs equal small bucks?
 

Big bucks rub on small and big trees, but small bucks don't rub on big trees.

RE: do small rubs equal small bucks?
 

why do ppl keep saying this!!!?!?! have you read this some wheres or something?? the piles of small bucks ive CAUGHT RED HANDED rubbing small trees must not have gotten the memo huh?

RE: do small rubs equal small bucks?
 

I have to agree with Todd, I have seen small bucks rub on big trees. I have witnessed this twice, but they didnt tear the tree up just rubbed it a little. I think if you find a large tree rubbed and really torn up that is the work of a nice deer. Oh and yes big bucks will rub a small tree as well.

RE: do small rubs equal small bucks?
 

Good information. I can't get any good tracks....all I know is that I've heard it running and it sounds bigger than anything I've heard in the woods in 20 years of hunting. It has a very deep snort too. I'm losing sleep thinking about it!

RE: do small rubs equal small bucks?
 

do small rubs equal small bucks?
yes

RE: do small rubs equal small bucks?
 

last week I shot a 7 pointer with my bow and all around where I was hunting there was some pretty nice rubs on trees about 8 inches around soI think a small buck can make a big rub if it wanted too and a big buck could make small rubs..... and Im hunting ohio too

RE: do small rubs equal small bucks?
 

I go by the damage done and heighth rubbed. For instance somebody mentioned gouging vs shining a tree.....also limbs and stuff torn up and how far apart and how high theyre broken.

RE: do small rubs equal small bucks?
 

I witnessed this yesterday while in the stand. A 5-inch spike came in and rubbed a 4-5 in diameter treeright before my own eyes, and i use tothinksmall buckswouldn't rub a larger tree. It was a tree that had been rubbed by a much larger 6 pt that i killed 2 weeks ago, and the rub was originally made by the 6 pt- i would think.Anyway, he rubbed it for 15 minutes straight with his tiny spikes.

RE: do small rubs equal small bucks?
 

A big 8pt I shot a few years ago, rubbed 20+ different tree's as he walked towards my shooting lane. They ranged from the smallest saplings, to well grown tree's.

There is absolutely no way the size of a rub can dictate the size of the deer.

RE: do small rubs equal small bucks?
 

I've seen 4 pointers make rubs on 6 inch diamter trees, and all bucks make rubs on 1-2 inch trees, especially along their rub routes.