Scrape & Rub question
 

Im here in Florida and got a few acres of woods I hunt in my backyard, Rut doesn't usually kick in until the middle of January into February but I put some corn out a few days ago and the trail cam and this nice 7 point was all over it. Today I went back and found a nice rub right beside the tree My camera was on. What exactly does this mean? Im sort of new to hunting and don't know a whole lot about rubs and scrapes, I was also wondering will he start scraping that general area up as well or what? Please help

I think halfbake's signature line says it best... about not knowing because he hasn't talked to a deer. LOL!

N. E. Way... It's a visual social marker. Other deer, bucks, can see and smell the rub. They have glands on their forehead and they leave it on the tree. Also, because it's early there for the rut, it's the onset of the rut about to take place. Bucks first use rubs to remove velvet from their antlers, then later on they start to rub larger trees. Some say when they rub on larger trees, it builds up their neck muscles. This may be true. I don't believe deer do it "to" build their neck muscles like some have said.

Many rubs on the edges of fields and open areas, pretty much like you'll see scrapes, are done under the cover of darkness. When the rut kicks in more, then these rubs and scrapes can be visited any time of the day, until the point is reached where many of them are abandoned to chase does.

Clusters of rubs in thicker areas are a good indication of a buck staging area... a place where he will reside or wait until it gets darker to proceed wherever he's headed; most likely a feed source. Clusters are also an indication you are in/near his bedding area... like right "in" his bedroom.

iSnipe

snipe, your right on track with everything you just said, I could not have said it any better.:deer::patriot:

Thanks Man!!!