Did deer and elk do this?
 

All this sagebrush I found is smashed and part of the bark is rubbed off. Do bulls and bucks do this when they are trying to get the antlers off? If so, I can't find any antlers. What's up?
:bash::bash::bash::bash::bash:

They rub off the velvet that way.

It wasn't like this a month ago.

They also tear the heck out of stuff during the rut! I've watched elk demolish a big juniper or pine tree in September out in Wyoming when the rut was coming on. If you're in sagebrush country and it just happened a month ago it wouldn't be elk rut activity though. Are you in mule deer country?

Elk and deer horn the dickens out of anything handy when the rut is in or coming on. It's a "signpost" to other deer that this is their territory. The velvet will fall off naturally on it's own, but rubbing usually occurs about the same time.