Reading A Rub

If I had to put my money on any source of rubs it would be clusters of concentrated rubs. As smaller bucks make fewer rubs you can judge, by the number of rubs, whether or not more than one small buck, or possibly one dominant buck is frequenting the area. Older bucks tend to make more rubs in an area where they prefer to bed and generally feel more relaxed. A line or swath of clustered rubs dictates a high percentage area for connecting with a buck and a good place to hang a stand.

The Tree Debate
I wont go much into which trees deer rub on because a deer will rub on any tree or even fences, telephone poles, or simply tear through a small brush pile. After all, most people aren’t targeting a specific type of tree when searching for rubs. You are searching for the rubs themselves. Most deer in the northern regions prefer the thinner bark of trees such as aspens, poplars, and young maples. Typically they try to avoid trees with many low hanging branches. Further to the south it has been noted that bucks tend to rub more aromatic trees such as cedars, junipers, and cherry. One attribute that most rubs share is the type of tree used for the rub usually has a light colored inner skin or woody area. This makes for a more striking contrast which is easily spotted by both humans and other deer.

When searching directly for rubs a good area to target is a recent clear-cut area where the saplings have risen from the ground once again. These young saplings have a lot of spring to them while their bark is tender and easily stripped. Consequently these areas also provide a lot of new legume growth and attract a lot of deer into the area. You will more than likely find the dominant buck of the area frequenting the clear-cut staking claim to this new buffet of easily accessible food source. An area like this will typically hold deer for several years to come until the trees begin to choke out the undergrowth. Check the area for previous years of rubbing activity by looking for scarring on trees and any type of repeated concentrations. This may well be all the evidence you need to confirm that a big buck has once again survived the hunting season due to other hunters inability to read the signs of a rub.

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