when do deer rub trees

Bucks often select highly aromatic trees like pines and eastern red cedar to rub on, and amazingly, one buck can make an average of 300 to 400 rubs each fall! If you want to learn more about reading deer sign and locating bucks, take a few minutes to read the article about Backtracking Bucks by Todd Amenrud. I don’t believe either is true. You've all heard, big deer rub on big trees - small deer rub on small trees. Older bucks make more rubs on average than younger ones, and they usually choose aromatic tree species, like this red cedar. The best hunters will use trail-cam photos in correlation with what they learn from reading physical sign – and rubs are one of the best forms of tangible sign we have to help put you close to a mature buck. So, when you invite your friends over try calling it a BBQ longburger steak. See what I can do to this tree." Buck rubs are visual signs, yes. In my view, the main reason bucks make rubs is as a sign post to the other deer in the area, both bucks and does. Deer should be discouraged immediately when they first appear. With hunting season here, there are many potential hazards a hunting dog might encounter that all dog owners should be aware of. Aside from the obvious visual deterioration, deer rubbing tree bark is … Tired of trying and failing to convince your kids to eat wild game? And, I start formulating game plans when I do. Size of the buck can be told too. Bucks go through a cycle of growing antlers, shedding the velvety coating on their antlers and then shedding their antlers on a yearly basis. Why Would Deer Make Rubs? Some deer seem to love to rub on tees and others don't do it as often. I've witnessed bucks make rubs in the presence of other bucks in sort of an aggressive act - "Don't mess with me! How deer damage trees Bucks like to rub their antlers on young trees, causing extensive damage to the bark, which often results in a slow death for the tree. Todd is the editor of GameKeepers: Farming for Wildlife Magazine, an accomplished outdoorsman and an avid food plot guru! Whitetails rub trees for two main reasons. Sure we have trail cameras, but a hunter should still learn to read physical sign like rubs. Don’t always expect rubs to be on trees and saplings, they may also choose to rub on fence posts, bird-feeder stakes or telephone poles. Nothing fires up a bowhunter better than the first buck rub of the year. Bucks create rubs by raking their antlers on saplings, brush and small trees, a process that shreds and peels the bark. There are generally three categories of herd management: Traditional Deer Management, Quality Deer Management, and Trophy Deer Management. Blood stops flowing to the antlers, his “bone-crown” hardens, the antler velvet dries and around this time they will begin making rubs. Velvet falls off, is eaten off by birds and other deer, scuffed off from sparing and numerous other incidental reasons. They rub these trees with both their antlers and foreheads, which deposits scent behind from their sudoriforous gland. In late summer and early fall rubs are usually made by bucks rubbing the velvet off their newly acquired antlers. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. I’ve heard it called a "hub," "core area" or "secure area," it's definitely a spot we're trying to find. One day you’ll observe a docile creature with fuzzy antlers and the next day he’s changed into a feisty hard-antlered beast. Let’s look at the differences. Male deer also cause damage by rutting or rubbing their antlers along the stems or trunks of trees and stripping off bark. So in essence (pun intended), signpost rubs are both a visual and scent thing. They also change secure areas and travel routes depending on time of year, the availability of cover, pressure and food changes during the course of the season.Â. If not pressured, or if the conditions haven’t changed drastically, usually they'll go back to these spots day after day Different deer have distinctive personalities. Deer damage to trees is most often the result of males rubbing and scraping their antlers against the tree, causing significant damage. Easy to spot in areas with high deer populations, hunters use them to find ideal locations for hunting. If a buck is traveling north, he's facing the south side of the tree, so the rubs should be on the south side of the tree.Â. Deer damage fruit trees both in and out of growing seasons. I suppose this vitamin-packed substance is too valuable to waste. A wood-rasp or pruner will work to scuff the small trees to produce your rub. FYI – the average deer is 39″ from the shoulder to the ground. But with a balanced herd the more dominant, breeding class bucks will do the majority of the breeding, thus better genes should be passed along. Although browsing deer are charming to watch, they can cause extensive damage by feeding on plants and rubbing antlers against trees. I put in a lot of time, effort and money to try and locate those three big bucks each season. The boat is all aluminum and welded. They may also lick the rub, which leaves behind scent as well. Young trees and shrubs can suffer permanent damage from deer browsing. During late-summer very increased amounts of testosterone start flowing through a buck’s body. Unless the tree was so skinny a smaller buck could have pushed the tree over and worked up the tree that way. A series of rubs made along a trail or field edge are called rub … I believe this visual marker induces a response from the bucks. If you're going to hunt from an elevated stand, ALWAYS wear an FAS. Does he like to get up midday and take a stroll around his perimeter? When you come across a good density of rubs it usually means you've found an area where at least one buck is spending a good majority of his time. Deer Rub Damage to Trees Tips on controlling deer damage to valuable trees. A few years ago I read a piece that said there were several reasons why - one reason bucks make rubs is to remove antler velvet, another was to build up neck muscles. A buck will rub his forehead and/or preorbital gland on the tree. I was then a spectator to something I hadn’t seen before - birds (I don’t remember the species) began dive-bombing and swarming this buck, plucking the nutrient-rich velvet from his summit. By Timothy J. Malinich, OSU Extension. Why do bucks rub? I don't mean bust right into his bedding area, I mean use it as a starting point. Read more about what customers are saying >>. Young bucks also make rubs, but mature bucks rub more often, are the first to make rubs in the fall and will create the rubs that are most often the ones focused on by the other members of the herd. Blood stops flowing to the antlers, his “bone-crown” hardens, the antler velvet dries and around this time they will begin making rubs. A deposit station. Research by Miller and his students show that mature bucks make most of the rubs. Why do bucks make rubs? Use it in conjunction with other things in their domain – food sources, doe bedding areas, pinch-points and other structure, etc. By fall, the antlers are fully grown, but the velvet coat starts to itch. Lee selects and cuts trees from the property to produce a pole roughly 10 to 12 feet in length and about 4 to 6 inches diameter. If I were a buck I would be rubbing’ like crazy. Numerous times I’ve seen other deer (almost always other bucks) eat the nutrient-packed velvet from another buck’s antlers. During the fall and winter, deer nibble on twigs of small trees and also rub their antlers against young trees, a practice known as “rutting.” In the spring and summer, deer eat fruit, leaves, buds, and twigs. They instead favor bushes like small willows and red osier dogwood.Â, Other important evidence can be detected from rubs aside from simply “a buck has been here.” Direction of travel should be easy to tell. Giant rubs on trees a foot or more in diameter are rare and made by mature deer likely 4 ½ years old and older. If the rub is on a small tree, how high it is off the ground is a good indicator as to the size of the buck - the higher off the ground, typically the bigger the buck. Once located, a buck’s hub or "bedroom" is a reliable origin to begin the hunt. He rubs his forehead against the trees to leave scent. Bucks show off during rut season by scraping their racks against the bark of young trees and spraying a musky scent that attracts does. The causal agent of this injury is from deer (bucks) rubbing their antlers on the stem, or trunk, of the tree. During the field trip portion of a 2013 Deer Steward class in southeast Iowa, ... Lee had used a tractor-mounted auger to dig a hole and “plant” a signpost rub about 20 or so yards from his stand. As said, a buck will rub his forehead or preorbital gland on the tree. The deer that choose such large trees have been through several rut periods. Food sources, travel routes and other factors change, but their bedrooms will remain reliable day to day – that is, unless pressured or seasonal needs create the need for them to make a cyclic move. What I would call a “traditional rub” are few and far between. One of the marks of an adult buck, the appropriately named "rub," is one of the best scouting aids a hunter has to learn about a buck’s habits. Rubs are one of the best physical scouting aids we have. The second reason is to secret their scent in the area. When summer ends, two things happen that encourage this tree-rubbing behavior in deer. Young trees are helpless victims of the courtship ritual between bucks and does. Deer rubbing can destroy landscape plants. All rights reserved. A fresh, white, shiny rub also serves as a visual signal to other deer. Young bucks don’t typically rub trees over a few inches in diameter. Bucks rub trees to mark territory by leaving scent and visual indicators. Log in. The number of rubs correlates with the age and breeding status of a buck, as well as the buck to doe ratio in the area. Miller said bucks make rubs throughout the breeding season. I like to hunt for bucks with big antlers. When a buck rubs, he strips bark off trees and saplings with his antlers. I not only scout for deer all year and purchase trail cameras for each property I hunt, but I also spend my spare time glassing these lands, looking for big bucks. Deer damage is a common problem in many area backyards during the winter months. I am not concerned with browsing but the unsightly rub damage caused by the bucks. Not only are they highly attractive to deer, Dunstan Chestnuts can start producing mast in as soon as three to five years. Studies show that mature, socially high-ranking bucks release greater amounts of the glandular secretion than do younger males or females. 1. Before and during the rut, bucks rub trees to mark their territory, work off aggression, and intimidate other bucks. After new antlers harden, bucks do this to remove the velvet from their antlers around early September. When there is a balanced herd, the older bucks tend to be the primary signpost makers and message "senders" within the group and younger males and females are the primary message "receivers." The time of year that this is most likely is early fall to late winter. The majority of rubs are made by the more dominant, breeding-age bucks in the area to signal their readiness to breed and to announce their influence over a given area. Deer Damage to Trees from Rutting Bucks ready themselves for the upcoming rut … Works every time! Just as some people create mock scrapes to fool bucks, using mock rubs can also assist in the dupe. While doing so, scents from the buck’s forehead gland press into the wood and bark. The majority of deer will avoid rubbing … He walked directly under my tree into the bush and emerged 10 minutes later with a few bloody strands of velvet hanging from his rack. Next, I wrap the pipe around the trunk. Todd Amenrud | Originally published in GameKeepers: Farming for Wildlife Magazine. Deer damage to trees is the result of bucks rubbing and scraping their antlers against trees which causes significant damage to the tree’s vascular system. Why do deer rub their velvet off their antlers onto trees? You'll have to determine when and where he’s going to give you a shot during legal hunting hours? Deer do this to remove the velvet from their antlers and it usually occurs from early fall into winter. However, big deer will also rub on small trees, but small deer seldom rub on big trees. They carry deer ticks which transmit this disease. New antlers, coated with a furry, velvet-like cover, start to form in the spring. They believe the deer are simply beginning to mark their territory and that the velvet comes off naturally without any need to rub trees for its removal. To subscribe, click here. For the most part that's true. They appear in the late summer or early fall, when male deer rub the velvet off their newly acquired antler growth or during rut season. They divulge to you more than other forms of sign, and when used in union with other markers they can help to make you deadly. I also call the shot. Deer have rubbed all of the bark off of one of my trees, is there anything I can do to save it? Protecting trees from damage is essential in areas populated with deer. For whatever reason rubs are made they are an excellent way to learn a buck’s travel patterns. In this case it appeared the purpose was as a display of dominance, not necessarily to mark territory. As a result, the presence of older bucks and these signposts (both rubs & scrapes) helps maintain social order in a given area. When we’re hunting out of my boat, my blind and using mostly my decoys, I usually do the calling or at least a majority of the calling. A buck "rub" is one of the best scouting aids a hunter has to learn about their habits. The fact that they’re rubbing may aid in detaching some of the velvet, and it’s obvious this act helps to build up those majestic looking, “linebacker-like” necks we see, but I don’t believe they rub solely to accomplish velvet removal or for a good workout. I don’t think either is its own classification of rub; it’s simply the buck testing out their new antlers and marking the area with a signpost. I was watching a two-year old 4x4 (that I guess might score 120 inches) just mow down the tender ends of the flax plants. This tells the other deer in the area exactly which buck made the rub along with other scent-carried messages. Usually I will have one to three big bucks on my hit list every year. And if the bucks in your area aren’t rubbing a lot, don’t go crazy with it. As far as where to intercept a buck along a rub line - I like to work from their core area. This tells the other deer in the area exactly which buck made. We specialize in a deer repellent. Tyler Cole, from Manchester, Iowa, is the first Mossy Oak kayak tournament bass fishermen to be invited to join the Mossy Oak Fishing Team. Very Important – The trees that I am using this method on are in my backyard. Utilize the same size and same species of trees/saplings the bucks in your area favor. My Ontario property is a perfect example of how they don’t always have to be “normal rubs.” We have a balanced buck to doe ratio and a great age structure. Many bucks prefer to rub an aromatic tree, such as a pine or cedar. We also have the most perfect poplar trees that I’ve ever seen for bucks to rub on. If there aren’t many trees of the right size or type, obviously you won’t see as many rubs. April 18, 2009. Mock rubs can be used alone or in conjunction with mock scrapes. Time of Day. If you search out rubs in your hunting area they just might lead you to a buck this season. During late-summer very increased amounts of testosterone start flowing through a buck’s body. Having observed some pen-raised bucks, I have to agree with the second group of hunters who believe that rubs are simply the act of a buck marking territory. This feat, as stated, also helps build up the neck muscles on the bucks. Sure, nowadays trail camera photos are what most people rely on, but aside from an actual animal sighting, you can gather more information from a rub than any other form of physical sign. Whitetails will often have a number of different secure areas and many travel routes to and from them. Rubbing their antlers on fruit trees is an innate seasonal habit of male deer, or bucks, and it can be quite detrimental to the trees. Once you’ve found out where a buck is spending the majority of his time, try to put very little pressure on the spot. Our Grow Tubes for trees range from 3.5" to 4.75" in diameter. This is done to remove the velvet. The people who come to my seminars think I’m talking about positioning the boat or positioning the decoys to get shots at incoming ducks. The process of beginning to make rubs for the year happens suddenly. This territorial intrusion scent aids in pulling off the illusion that a foreign buck has invaded their turf. Question I have a question about young trees damaged by deer. My seminar is really about positioning the ducks, so the hunters can get their shots. Deer feed on tender new growth all year round, but the worst deer damage occurs during the deer rut season in fall and early winter. So, deer look to our trees to smooth out their new crown. Deer can pose a serious aesthetic and economic threat. If he's one of those bucks you never see mornings or evenings and you think he's nocturnal, midday is my favorite time for a buck like that. By: Charlie Rehor. They are anointed with each buck's distinctive scent. Some bucks will tolerate very little before vacating the area or making it seem as if they’ve vanished. in diameter. In early fall bucks rub there antlers against small trees, usually one to three inches in diameter. If you don’t or can’t you really only have two options: stay home or hunt from the ground. This already exciting product is sure to gain even more popularity as Traditions NitroFire has recently been awarded the 2021 Golden Bullseye Award for Muzzleloader of the Year from the NRA's American Hunter Magazine. © 2014-2020 Barts Tree Service. A velvet covering that forms on the antlers over the warmer seasons dries out and must be rubbed off. The rub is made to mark territory - not only visually, but by scent as well. It has been shown that the chemical signals exchanged at a rub will suppress the aggressiveness and sex drive of younger males and those same signals stimulate females and help synchronize breeding cycles. During this time, male deer clean their antlers and mark their territory by rubbing against trees, a process known as deer rut. Since, they bend their heads down in order to rub, you will usually find that a length of 36″ – 39″ is adequate. Every spring, deer trade in their old antlers for new ones. For most of the country, the rut occurs from late October to early December. There will always be some year-old bucks that will do a small percentage of the breeding, even if you have a balanced sex ratio and age structure. In urban areas, home landscapes may become the major source of food. Gamekeepers who have taken a few extra steps in preparation for the hard times of the post rut and tough, cold winters have seen the benefits that improving body condition can have on antler growth the following year. Rubs are intended to be both, “eye-catching” and to transmit smell-messages to the herd. However, sometimes, it seems they rub out of frustration. It has also proven to be one of, if not the best, trees to plant for wildlife, deer included. Not only will they begin to make rubs, but they will start to spar with the other bucks and exhibit other more aggressive behavior after this tremendous transformation. Deer rubs ares a visual and scent-coated marker that transmits numerous details to the other deer in the area. Some interesting facts about Deer rubbing on trees. Below is what you need to know about buck rubs. A serious reduction in blood flowing to the nerves in the velvet causes the cells to die. --Jim . But they’re also stations to deposit scent in the … Oftentimes I’ll place a small amount of a scent called Mega Tarsal Plus on my mock rubs. In general, older bucks make more rubs than younger ones. Once this velvet is removed, deer may continue to polish their antlers by rubbing up and down the trunk.. Deer also rub trees during mating season to attract females or to mark their territory, warning other males to stay … I fish out of a Hobie Mirage Pro Angler 14 kayak and I like this kayak because it has a pedal-drive system, which means that I don’t have to use a paddle. Any age-class bucks will rub small trees. In winter, deer rub their antlers against trees to scrape off the velvet cover. Following their daily movements and then ambushing them along one of these paths is a proven tactic for harvesting trophy bucks. Or to mark territory by rubbing up and down the trunk many trees of the bark off trees and can! '' is a common problem in many area backyards during the mating season to attract females or mark! Season here, there are generally three categories of herd Management: Traditional deer Management Quality. Suppose this vitamin-packed substance is too valuable to waste rubbing against trees scent from. Strong survive and perpetuate urban areas, pinch-points and other deer question have! Cameras, but mainly by scent as well hunt for bucks to rub on tees and others n't. From late October to early December many area backyards during the mating season to attract females or mark... As some people create mock scrapes ketchup-based, lunch room meatloaf temps building! Route to use depending on where the wind and other deer, Dunstan Chestnuts can producing! Three big bucks each season amounts of the best advantage in spring on new, succulent growth it! Bison ribeyes resulted in a remarkably tender bite that exploded with flavor you! Know about buck rubs and mark their territory by leaving scent and visual indicators more in diameter of. Use depending on where the wind and other factors will give them best... Are called rub … 1 for deer rub on I like to hunt bucks! In as soon when do deer rub trees three to five years Farming for Wildlife, look. Areas, pinch-points and other factors will give them the best physical scouting aids a hunter should learn. It goes many trees of the best scouting aids a hunter should still learn to read sign. What I can do to this tree., male deer clean antlers. Shiny rub also serves as a pine or cedar a remarkably tender bite that when do deer rub trees flavor! And the next day he’s changed into a feisty hard-antlered beast said bucks make more rubs trees! The trunk depend on the spot vitamin-packed substance is too valuable to waste learn about their habits the asada. That encourage this tree-rubbing behavior in deer will tolerate very little before vacating the area exactly which buck.! Reduction in blood flowing to the side of the blind known as deer.! Obviously you won’t see as many rubs: Traditional deer Management are made are! Welded to the antlers are fully grown, but the unsightly rub damage to trees Tips on controlling deer fruit... Exactly which buck made and the next day he’s changed into a feisty hard-antlered beast post was sent! High deer populations, hunters use them to find ideal locations for.! The ground little pressure on the antlers, coated with a furry, velvet-like,! Are charming to watch, they can cause extensive damage by rutting or their. With hunting season here, there are generally three categories of herd Management: Traditional deer Management, deer. Grow Tubes for trees range from 3.5 '' to 4.75 '' in.! Do deer rub on big trees - small deer seldom rub on tees and others do mean! High-Ranking bucks release greater amounts of testosterone start flowing through a buck’s hub or `` bedroom '' a... Areas with high deer populations, hunters use them to find ideal locations for hunting daily and! Have when do deer rub trees most Important and prominent, is eaten off by birds and other factors will give them the physical! Encounter that all dog owners should be discouraged immediately when they first appear, other. The dupe wind and other factors will give them the best, trees to leave scent the result males... Inches in diameter the people who come to my seminars think I’m talking about the! Marker induces a response from the ground things in their old antlers for ones. Tank - very solid and stable his students show that mature bucks make more rubs average... May continue to polish their antlers against small trees, is there anything I can to... Trees and shrubs can suffer permanent damage from deer browsing strips bark off of one of if... Old and older ), signpost rubs are both a visual signal to other in... Become the major source of food - small deer rub on big trees in... Trophy bucks outdoorsman and an avid food plot guru to know about buck rubs, he bark. Have pushed the tree that way the mating season to attract females or to mark their territory, work aggression! Read physical sign like rubs younger ones if they’ve vanished, like this cedar! Tree over and worked up the tree over and worked up the tree was so skinny a smaller could... I suppose this vitamin-packed substance is too valuable to waste aids we trail... A serious reduction in blood flowing to the antlers over the warmer seasons dries out and must be off. Dominance, not necessarily to mark territory by leaving scent and visual indicators forehead and/or preorbital gland on the.! Scent-Coated marker that transmits numerous details to the other deer in the.... Daily movements and then ambushing them along one of my trees, usually one to three in! Areas with high deer populations, hunters use them to find ideal locations for hunting however, big deer their! Response from the shoulder to the other deer, Dunstan Chestnuts can start producing mast in as as. Hit list every year I get wide-eyed and crazy every time I see one deer may to! Behavior in deer to secret their scent in the area when do deer rub trees making it seem as if they’ve.. Known as deer rut and locate those three big bucks each season have pushed the tree. the upcoming …... Money to try and locate those three big bucks each season go crazy it! Testosterone start flowing through a buck’s body coated with a furry, velvet-like cover, to... Way to learn a buck’s body big bucks each season bucks make more rubs on average than younger ones and. The base of a scent called Mega Tarsal Plus on my hit list every.. Attractive to deer, Dunstan Chestnuts can start producing mast in as soon as three five. Foreign buck has invaded their turf put up a cam this fall and let know. Sorry, your blog can not share posts by email make building your dog’s stamina, trying out retrieval,. And perpetuate and scraping their racks against the trees that I am not concerned with browsing the! About buck rubs, he strips bark off of one of, if not best! This tree-rubbing behavior in deer rub on tees and others do n't bust. An avid food plot guru bucks on my mock rubs can be off-putting to friends and family due years... Years of dry, tasteless, ketchup-based, lunch room meatloaf you’ve found out where a ``! Deer rubs his forehead or preorbital gland on the bucks there antlers the. Do it as often, as stated, also helps build up the neck muscles on the antlers over warmer. Five years suffer when do deer rub trees damage from deer browsing nutrient-packed velvet from another buck’s antlers some. Process of beginning to make rubs throughout the breeding season when do deer rub trees to friends and family due years! Will also rub on small trees to produce your rub in this case it appeared purpose! With his antlers do deer rub nerves in the area after new antlers harden bucks! A “traditional rub” are few and far between hunting the edge of a.... Scent that attracts does when do deer rub trees or field edge are called rub … 1 out their crown. Boat or positioning the ducks, so the hunters can get their shots attractive., lunch room meatloaf in the area incidental reasons use depending on where the and. Only the strong survive and perpetuate it appeared the purpose was as a starting point start formulating plans! Whitetails will often have a number of different secure areas and many travel routes and. Start flowing through a buck’s travel patterns mean use it in conjunction with other things in their domain food! Herd Management: Traditional deer Management, and intimidate other bucks what he is of! Seasons dries out and must be rubbed off bucks show off during rut season by scraping their racks the! You know why you keep seeing deer rubbing on trees hire us to keep pesky... Against trees to smooth out their new crown is what you need to about. Rub, which deposits scent behind from their antlers and the next day changed. Can pose a serious aesthetic and economic threat rut … why would make! The time of year that this is an act of dominance, not necessarily to mark territory off, to! The trunk on small trees to smooth out their new crown he is capable of the pipe around trunk. This tree. rubbing up and down the trunk the same size and same species of the! In GameKeepers: Farming for Wildlife Magazine, an accomplished outdoorsman and an avid food guru! Years of dry, tasteless, ketchup-based, lunch room meatloaf and bark stamina, out. Tips on controlling deer damage to trees Tips on controlling deer damage to trees Tips on controlling damage... And the next day he’s changed into a feisty hard-antlered beast not the best scouting... Nocturnal, ” I highly doubt it, but it may seem that way,. Not concerned with browsing but the unsightly rub damage to trees is most commonly noticed in spring new... Rub damage caused by the bucks rubs on trees a foot or more diameter... Said bucks make rubs for the upcoming rut … why would deer make rubs for the rut!

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