Odonata

I own 230 acres in Northern MN. I have scouted tirelessly around the entire property. Our property has a 60 acre field planted with soy beans, clover, and other goodies. Last monday night I saw 50 deer - no lie. It was a good night on the field. However, in my scouting, I haven't found ANY rubs/scrapes that get my attention. Small sapplings, basketball sized scrapes, etc. Small sign - Nothing gagger sized.
Does anyone know what I am missing? We have seen a few smaller bucks, and a few bruisers on our property, and the majority is does.
Why am I not finding typical large buck sign. I know they're there. Any thoughts?

slugman

I was in the woods over the w/end scouting before ML season. Saw tracks & beds like you wouldnt beleive, but no scapes or rubs. I think the warmer climate is delaying the rut. At least in my neck of the woods

EASTXHUNTER

The size of a scape will tell you nothing about the size of the buck that made it. In if I remember reading an artical in Field & Stream some years ago stating that a good % of larger scrapes are made by smaller bucks. Therory being a smaller buck is trying to claim ground and a larger buck is trolling faster keeping smaller bucks at bay.

Deerslayer_37

the size of scrapes has nothing to do with size of deer. a scrape is like a dog and a fire hydrant. kinda like a communtiy bulletin board. all the deer whizz in them so they know who's in the area. the larger the scrape, generally the more its being use. big bucks usually create big rubs although small bucks will use them once established. lack of sign would get me kinda distressed. you should be seeing alot of sign, though use of it will taper off now that therut is pickig up

slayer

BeardsnSpurs

cardeer

Keep lookin they are scraping somewhere

Trustee

Try eliminating some does but at the same time the bucks will be close this time of the year.

jrbsr

If you find a rub with a scrape under it .

Then set up close to it and hunt it every day for a week.

The buck that made it will check it some time in a week.

And maybe you can get a good shot.

Good Luck.

jrbsr

splithoof

im sure that you will find some rubs somewhere on that land keep looking.
i found no scraps and one of the bigest rubs iv ever seen two weeks ago and i sat
about 50y from it and used some doe urien and a doe bleat call and a 8pt ran past me
twice befor i could get off a shot. so i hit the bleat agine and he came up behind me to my right and he was grunting we was in a trot so i hit the bleat when he got 25y away
and i took my shot and down he went. That was the first time i ever got to call in a buck
and it was awsome to see him runing around like that.
well back to the rub. I dont think the buck i got is the same one that made the rub i saw
becouse the tree it was on was about 2 feet wide oak and it was slick where the buck was rubing it. waht do you think?
im sure you will find some.

OHBowhunter

I don't think a deer would rub a 2 foot wide tree. Maybe a coon climbing the tree.