How to read rub lines

[Northcountryman]

Ok , so I went out to a new spit yesterday with a buddy , not expecting much cuz no Pre scout , and ended up stumbling across one of the most pronounced rub lines I have ever seen!! Easily over a dozen trees rubbed in a straight line gradually going parallel and slightly diagonally up a ridge. After laying down pins of this on my app, I studied the map and topography and made perfect sense to me that he was traveling in the easiest line or pathway uphill requiring the least amount of energy and also , sort of an edge transition zone . What I’m trying to figure out though , is if he’s rubbing as he’s approaching bedding cover or prior to going up to feed , as , I can’t tell . The rub lines appear to end at the top near the power lines and there’s some really thick briar bushes in there , so much that it would be very difficult for a person to walk through . Is it bedding ? Here’s pics of some of the rubs ; looks like a fairly Nice sized sized buck Made them, right ?

[Northcountryman]

I couldnt help but reply to my own topic cuz , VERY upset right now . Just drive over to that spot to look around a little more and try to figure out if he’s bedding or feeding , and , to my chagrin , came across the Body of a beautiful buck , Dana horns . Pic is posted below . I know there’s no way of knowing if this is him but I feel , in my heart , that it is . Looks like somebody shot him and removed horns for a trophy ; either that , or came across him dead and removed them . My feeling is some dipshit poachers jacked him at night when he came out in the grassy area to feed by 17 just for the rack . Very upsetting and very disappointing, to say the least . Should I even bother to hunt this spot now considering what I discovered ? 

[Northcountryman]

[SpacemanSpiff]

Stuff like that makes me sick

[Robhuntandfish]

That sure sucks. See any bullet holes ? If close to road maybe it was hit and someone just cut the horns off. Would think most , not all, but most would take the meat.  

Either way that sucks 

[Northcountryman]

Doesn’t look he was hit to me but maybe I’ll go back and try to roll him over with gloves ; side showing looked clean and no bullet holes at least 

[Northcountryman]

Just went over and turned him over ; absolutely was not hit and pretty sure he wasn’t shot either , rifle or bow . I wonder how and why he died then ? Old age ? There’s nothing coming out of his mouth indicating that hemorrhagic disease so idk. Ate something that made him sick ?

[NYBowhunter]

Not all hits by a car are apparent by looking at the surface, most times it will require removal of the hide to reveal he was hit by a car.

[GreeneHunter]

That sucks .... Hidden Trail Cam's ! Although might be too late !

[Northcountryman]

Update : called DEC and officer came and inspected the carcass . She said buck had a broken leg so , it’s likely he was indeed hit and died and subsequently, town workers may have dragged him to that spot and removed the antlers . Who knows for sure , but again , what a shame . I’m wondering now though should I still try to but that Spot or is it a waste of time ? I’m sure other bucks would eventually , move into his territory but right away ? Doubt it 

[BowmanMike]

i hit a doe with my truck a few weeks ago going 55. She didn't look too bad considering i never even hit the brakes. I would have thought she would be mush,which she probably was on the inside. I considered taking some of the meat but was sure it was going to leave a bad taste in my mouth. My truck is just getting fixed now.

It is hard to tell the size of a buck from the rubs. Generally the higher it is the bigger the buck.

[Bigfoot 327]

I would not assume that the rubs are the work of just one buck. Any buck that comes by will probably add his "two cents".

[BowmanMike]

I listened to a podcast with Greg Litzinger,he learned a lot about rubs. He said he saw one while scouting that he swore was made by a big buck and he put a cam on it. He went back to check it months later and it was this little spike rubbing the tree,over and over and over again. So there are always exceptions to the rules.

 

[Northcountryman]

10 hours ago, Bigfoot 327 said:

I would not assume that the rubs are the work of just one buck. Any buck that comes by will probably add his "two cents".

I hope you’re right !! Gonna try again in the am and see if they’re a any other bucks around , and hey: maybe my buck isn’t dead after all!! Lol 

[cdbing]

I had my trail cam monitoring a rub (3 trees/rubs close together all being worked) behind the house for 2 weeks in video mode. In that time, the rub was hit night and day by a 7 pt and a spike who have been regulars. You'd think it was a huge buck by the size of the rubs, but the camera showed otherwise. The bucks would even eat some of the stripped/frayed bark and does also stopped by to sniff the rub.

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[Steve D]

On 11/29/2020 at 6:59 AM, Northcountryman said:

Easily over a dozen trees rubbed in a straight line gradually going parallel and slightly diagonally up a ridge.

MOST bucks will choose a particular species of tree to rub, will seldom rub on a different kind and will be identical in size and height from rub to rub. If there are multiple kinds of trees with rubs then more than likely there are multiple bucks. 

For example if you have one rub on a cedar and one on a maple there are more than likely  two different bucks. The height,  pattern, and size of the rub will be the same or similar from tree to tree.

For example if two cedars are being rubbed; one a 4" tree and the other is a 8" tree, the rubs are at different heights more than likely it is two different bucks.

If a series of rubs on the same type of tree are identical in different areas it would a relatively accurate means to determine his travel route...at least while he was making rubs.

The number of rubs in an area is not a good indicator of the number of bucks. One buck can and sometimes will rub a number of trees. The different kinds of trees rubbed will be more of a good indicator.

[Kmartinson]

Bucks bed near top of leeward ridges in thick spots. 

[Northcountryman]

1 hour ago, Steve D said:

MOST bucks will choose a particular species of tree to rub, will seldom rub on a different kind and will be identical in size and height from rub to rub. If there are multiple kinds of trees with rubs then more than likely there are multiple bucks. 

For example if you have one rub on a cedar and one on a maple there are more than likely  two different bucks. The height,  pattern, and size of the rub will be the same or similar from tree to tree.

For example if two cedars are being rubbed; one a 4" tree and the other is a 8" tree, the rubs are at different heights more than likely it is two different bucks.

If a series of rubs on the same type of tree are identical in different areas it would a relatively accurate means to determine his travel route...at least while he was making rubs.

The number of rubs in an area is not a good indicator of the number of bucks. One buck can and sometimes will rub a number of trees. The different kinds of trees rubbed will be more of a good indicator.

Yeah? Ok , looking at the pics , I know the biggest tree was a hemlock and I think one of the smaller trees with the double split was as well . The smoothest bark trees I believe are beeches but not sure . Would that be 2 bucks then ? 

[Northcountryman]

1 hour ago, Kmartinson said:

Bucks bed near top of leeward ridges in thick spots. 

Yes , I agree . If I’m able to hunt there tomorrow, I’m setup not too far from one of those spots I surmise to be a bedding area. I would like to take a pic but don’t wanna go traipsin around too much and alert them to my presence so , slip in to my climber and that’s that 

[Kmartinson]

Hunt it blind, go in at end of season with gun and jump it. 

[Steve D]

6 hours ago, Northcountryman said:

Yeah? Ok , looking at the pics , I know the biggest tree was a hemlock and I think one of the smaller trees with the double split was as well . The smoothest bark trees I believe are beeches but not sure . Would that be 2 bucks then ? 

Correct.....but it doesn't mean just because they rubbed there they will be back any time soon.

If the next rub can be found it can be a indication of his travel route but sometimes they may be a 1/2 mile or more apart and difficult to pattern or find. A identical rub on the same type of tree at or near the same approximate height as the first one found is more than likely the same buck. An excellent way to prove it is to put a cam on the first rub you find and one on the second identical rub (if you find one) and you will easily tell if it is the same one. A lot of rubs does not necessarily mean a lot of bucks.

 It takes a lot of time,  patience , and boots on the ground to pattern one this way. It is also pointless this time of year because the guy on the next ridge over could already have him in the freezer.

[Bigfoot 327]

I saw trail cam pics in a "deer Magazine" once of 5 different bucks working the same rub. And the bucks were not all the same size or height.