Rub Line Help
 

Im looking for opinions on the rubs shown here. The rub line has about 15 trees identical to the one pictured, with almost identical rubs. All are the exact same type and size of tree. Some rubs are on top of scarred over old rubs on the same tree.

What size deer do you think did this? Any tips about hunting this? I have a picture with my hand in for size reference.

Here is the area where I hunt. The yellow outline is the area that I am able to hunt. The red line is the rub line, and the red circle is one lone scrape on the ground I found.

he rubbed going to the pond after feeding all night, I would access behind the house and meet him at the pond.

You didn't say what side of the tree the rubs are on going to or coming from the water? Instinct tells me there on the water side meaning he is bedded somewhere along the pond. Play the wind and hunt close to the water but don't get to close or you will bump him.

Yup, they are on the water side. They run parallel on side of a small ridge. I have no clue if he is coming in/going out. I hope to set a cam up in the next day or two to see when he is coming through.

My opinion is that you should hunt back in the woods and take your chances of him going either way. Without seeing the deer - there is no way to tell if it is a huge spike or a small 4 point. So I wouldn't base my hunt on a rub line.

Deer makes rub lines at times to show other bucks that this is his territory, while other times they do it just to burn off a little steam. Either way - the rub line is usually the edge of his territory and unless you find recent scrapes - I wouldn't pay it much mind.

My opinion is that you should hunt back in the woods and take your chances of him going either way. Without seeing the deer - there is no way to tell if it is a huge spike or a small 4 point. So I wouldn't base my hunt on a rub line.

Deer makes rub lines at times to show other bucks that this is his territory, while other times they do it just to burn off a little steam. Either way - the rub line is usually the edge of his territory and unless you find recent scrapes - I wouldn't pay it much mind.

I woud guess all night time activity, They are strange rubs, huge trees.
I that house is your entry point i would start hunting near that point just below that house that buck could be bedded anywhere, like that pennisula out in the middle of that field. too get a pic of him make a scrape next to his put some buck pee in it or whatever hang a camera up highpoint down over the scrape so u don't spook him.
good luck.

I swear to all things that are holy....... If you don't know what your talking about please just refrain from posting. You really think a spike is rubbing that tree? I agree that small bucks have been known to rub some pretty good sized trees, but more times than not, that is not the case. A rub line is the edge of a bucks territory? Your not even on the radar with that one. Just another hint of advice, Mr. Deerhunter, rublines are 100 times more productive than scrape lines.

To the original poster, you need to get on this and quick. If I can find the post I made a couple years ago in the bowhunting forum on how I killed a 140" gross 8pt off of his rubline I will post it in here. I found this bucks rubline in the last few days of October. I followed his rub line all the way to his bed and actually busted him off of his bed. In all honesty, that is what I attended to do. I then set up a trail cam and checked it 4 days later and found that he was coming out of his bed with about 20 min. of shooting light left and heading to a big cornfield. I finally got the right wind on Nov. 8th that year and like clock work he came by me with about 10 min of light left. I shot that deer and backed out and found him piled up in his bedding area the next morning. If I can't find that thread I will post the pics, trail cam photos, and complete story again.

I absolutely love hunting rub lines. I have a friend that has success year after year hunting rub lines. If your interested I have a book wrote by Greg Miller on hunting rub lines if you would like to read it.

I just want to add that those are the weirdest rubs I've seen. Maybe its the pics, but I've never seen a buck rub on a oak that size before. Got any more pics of the other rubs on that line?

Have to agree with 2lunger here..........
Several times i have looked at a rub and concluded it was a big deer. For example ...I have seen rubs on a clump of trees. The buck had mainly rubbed the center tree but You could tell how wide he was by the marks left on the outer trees of the clump.