If there aren’t many trees of the right size or type, obviously you won’t see as many rubs. Deer damage to trees is most often the result of males rubbing and scraping their antlers against the tree, causing significant damage. 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. 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. If you're going to hunt from an elevated stand, ALWAYS wear an FAS. In general, older bucks make more rubs than younger ones. So in essence (pun intended), signpost rubs are both a visual and scent thing. A velvet covering that forms on the antlers over the warmer seasons dries out and must be rubbed off. You should actively and aggressively scout the woods during this period seeking out new rubs and rub lines, keeping your eyes peeled for over-sized trees that have been shredded by a mature deer. Todd is the editor of GameKeepers: Farming for Wildlife Magazine, an accomplished outdoorsman and an avid food plot guru! I like to hunt for bucks with big antlers. Male deer also cause damage by rutting or rubbing their antlers along the stems or trunks of trees and stripping off bark. Deer rubs are created when a male deer rubs his forehead and antlers against the base of a tree. 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. But they’re also stations to deposit scent in the … I don’t believe either is true. This is done to remove the velvet. During this time, male deer clean their antlers and mark their territory by rubbing against trees, a process known as deer rut. Bucks go through a cycle of growing antlers, shedding the velvety coating on their antlers and then shedding their antlers on a yearly basis. For whatever reason rubs are made they are an excellent way to learn a buck’s travel patterns. Just as some people create mock scrapes to fool bucks, using mock rubs can also assist in the dupe. I’ve heard it called a "hub," "core area" or "secure area," it's definitely a spot we're trying to find. I put in a lot of time, effort and money to try and locate those three big bucks each season. They rub these trees with both their antlers and foreheads, which deposits scent behind from their sudoriforous gland. Bucks rub trees to mark territory by leaving scent and visual indicators. Bucks have also been known to rub fence posts and power poles. 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. 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. 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. 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. All whitetails have specialized forehead glands that increase activity during the fall. Young trees and shrubs can suffer permanent damage from deer browsing. By fall, the antlers are fully grown, but the velvet coat starts to itch. This feat, as stated, also helps build up the neck muscles on the bucks. During late-summer very increased amounts of testosterone start flowing through a buck’s body. 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. Very Important – The trees that I am using this method on are in my backyard. Some interesting facts about Deer rubbing on trees. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! They may also lick the rub, which leaves behind scent as well. I also call the shot. Young trees are helpless victims of the courtship ritual between bucks and does. Size of the buck can be told too. Miller said bucks make rubs throughout the breeding season. A wood-rasp or pruner will work to scuff the small trees to produce your rub. Works every time! Once you’ve found out where a buck is spending the majority of his time, try to put very little pressure on the spot. 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. While doing so, scents from the buck’s forehead gland press into the wood and bark. Usually I will have one to three big bucks on my hit list every year. There are generally three categories of herd management: Traditional Deer Management, Quality Deer Management, and Trophy Deer Management. --Jim . In early fall bucks rub there antlers against small trees, usually one to three inches in diameter. 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. Easy to spot in areas with high deer populations, hunters use them to find ideal locations for hunting. All rights reserved. Our answer is as long as there is a potential for deer rub. This is an act of dominance showing other bucks what he is capable of. 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. This rubbing behavior typically starts in early fall, with the male deer running the surfaces of their horns against saplings that are anywhere from one to four inches (2.5 to 10 cm.) 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. The rub is made to mark territory - not only visually, but by scent as well. What I would call a “traditional rub” are few and far between. In late summer and early fall rubs are usually made by bucks rubbing the velvet off their newly acquired antlers. During late-summer very increased amounts of testosterone start flowing through a buck’s body. 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. Numerous times I’ve seen other deer (almost always other bucks) eat the nutrient-packed velvet from another buck’s antlers. Studies show that mature, socially high-ranking bucks release greater amounts of the glandular secretion than do younger males or females. You need our delicious kid-friendly holiday dishes. Deer damage fruit trees both in and out of growing seasons. Tired of trying and failing to convince your kids to eat wild game? Some deer seem to love to rub on tees and others don't do it as often. 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. Question I have a question about young trees damaged by deer. The term meatloaf can be off-putting to friends and family due to years of dry, tasteless, ketchup-based, lunch room meatloaf. With all that testosterone-produced energy penned-up inside, I might take up rubbing trees too. Deer rubbing can destroy landscape plants. Tyler Cole, from Manchester, Iowa, is the first Mossy Oak kayak tournament bass fishermen to be invited to join the Mossy Oak Fishing Team. I've seen them in open prairie (few trees) type terrain be heavily used, but I would skeptical as to their "drawing power" to deer with all other possible rubbing options they seem to have in your pic. Nothing fires up a bowhunter better than the first buck rub of the year. Dr. James Kroll has conducted trials in which he discovered that deer choose chestnuts over acorns at a rate as high as 100 to 1. The boat is all aluminum and welded. in diameter. 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. In this case it appeared the purpose was as a display of dominance, not necessarily to mark territory. A deposit station. 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. And if the bucks in your area aren’t rubbing a lot, don’t go crazy with it. 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. Deer damage is a common problem in many area backyards during the winter months. 1. With hunting season here, there are many potential hazards a hunting dog might encounter that all dog owners should be aware of. We specialize in a deer repellent. 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. Although browsing deer are charming to watch, they can cause extensive damage by feeding on plants and rubbing antlers against trees. Now that you know why you keep seeing deer rubbing on trees hire us to keep those pesky deer from getting into your garden. Deer also rub trees during the mating season to attract females or to mark their territory, warning other males to stay away. My seminar is really about positioning the ducks, so the hunters can get their shots. As that velvety coating begins to shed, they often rub their antlers on trees with low branches to aid in that shedding, in a process known as “buck rub”. While I’m cautious to make the claim that a rub is made specifically for removing velvet or building neck muscles, I do believe they may possibly be made for different reasons. One reason, and probably the most important and prominent, is to transmit messages - not only visually, but mainly by scent. A serious reduction in blood flowing to the nerves in the velvet causes the cells to die. 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. 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. This is nature’s way of seeing, that for the most part, only the strong survive and perpetuate. Following their daily movements and then ambushing them along one of these paths is a proven tactic for harvesting trophy bucks. A deer rub describes the abrasions caused by a male deer rubbing his forehead and antlers against the base of a tree. The wires for my electronics run through a conduit welded to the side of the blind. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. And, I start formulating game plans when I do. In hilly country, buck rubs that are visible when facing uphill were likely made in the morning as the buck traveled back to his high-ground bedding area. 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. See what I can do to this tree." So, deer look to our trees to smooth out their new crown. To subscribe, click here. Deer do this to remove the velvet from their antlers and it usually occurs from early fall into winter. I get wide-eyed and crazy every time I see one. Why do deer rub their velvet off their antlers onto trees? Rubs are one of the best physical scouting aids we have. Buck rubs are visual signs, yes. Todd Amenrud | Originally published in GameKeepers: Farming for Wildlife Magazine. Protecting trees from damage is essential in areas populated with deer. The majority of deer will avoid rubbing … © 2014-2020 Barts Tree Service. Before and during the rut, bucks rub trees to mark their territory, work off aggression, and intimidate other bucks. They’ll choose which bedding site or which route to use depending on where the wind and other factors will give them the best advantage. 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. By: Charlie Rehor. 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. 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. 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! Is he going to dawdle on his way back to his bedding site in the morning? I've witnessed bucks make rubs in the presence of other bucks in sort of an aggressive act - "Don't mess with me! As said, a buck will rub his forehead or preorbital gland on the tree. He rubs his forehead against the trees to leave scent. This tells the other deer in the area exactly which buck made the rub along with other scent-carried messages. For most of the country, the rut occurs from late October to early December. Time of Day. This tells the other deer in the area exactly which buck made. Does he like to get up midday and take a stroll around his perimeter? The second reason is to secret their scent in the area. Deer can pose a serious aesthetic and economic threat. The deer that choose such large trees have been through several rut periods. As a result, the presence of older bucks and these signposts (both rubs & scrapes) helps maintain social order in a given area. This territorial intrusion scent aids in pulling off the illusion that a foreign buck has invaded their turf. Yet for some reason they don’t use these saplings. Use it in conjunction with other things in their domain – food sources, doe bedding areas, pinch-points and other structure, etc. 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. 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." Good luck, put up a cam this fall and let us know how it goes. Giant rubs on trees a foot or more in diameter are rare and made by mature deer likely 4 ½ years old and older. Research by Miller and his students show that mature bucks make most of the rubs. Utilize the same size and same species of trees/saplings the bucks in your area favor. One day you’ll observe a docile creature with fuzzy antlers and the next day he’s changed into a feisty hard-antlered beast. Because of this, the frequency of rubs sharply increases during the rut, and studies show that dominant bucks … It has also proven to be one of, if not the best, trees to plant for wildlife, deer included. In urban areas, home landscapes may become the major source of food. After new antlers harden, bucks do this to remove the velvet from their antlers around early September. Warmer temps make building your dog’s stamina, trying out retrieval drills, and honing their marking ability easy. If you spook him from his secure spot, you may have blown everything, or at the very least, you’ll have to start all over from square-one. 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. 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. Velvet falls off, is eaten off by birds and other deer, scuffed off from sparing and numerous other incidental reasons. A buck "rub" is one of the best scouting aids a hunter has to learn about their habits. If you search out rubs in your hunting area they just might lead you to a buck this season. I recall hunting the edge of a flax field near Pembina, North Dakota on their opener one year. Deer rubs ares a visual and scent-coated marker that transmits numerous details to the other deer in the area. You've all heard, big deer rub on big trees - small deer rub on small trees. Let’s look at the differences. 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. FYI – the average deer is 39″ from the shoulder to the ground. In winter, deer rub their antlers against trees to scrape off the velvet cover. Whitetails rub trees for two main reasons. They pick these spots for a reason. The process of beginning to make rubs for the year happens suddenly. Log in. When a buck rubs, he strips bark off trees and saplings with his antlers. Blood stops flowing to the antlers, his “bone-crown” hardens, the antler velvet dries and around this time they will begin making rubs. 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. Sometimes the amount of rubs can also depend on the type or size of the trees in an area. Deer Damage to Trees from Rutting Once this velvet is removed, deer may continue to polish their antlers by rubbing up and down the trunk.. However, big deer will also rub on small trees, but small deer seldom rub on big trees. Why Would Deer Make Rubs? Bucks create rubs by raking their antlers on saplings, brush and small trees, a process that shreds and peels the bark. Any age-class bucks will rub small trees. Bucks show off during rut season by scraping their racks against the bark of young trees and spraying a musky scent that attracts does. 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. Rubs are intended to be both, “eye-catching” and to transmit smell-messages to the herd. The diameter of Tree Pro tree tubes are designed to allow the tree to grow to a size that deer will look for something smaller to rub. However, sometimes, it seems they rub out of frustration. Deer also rub trees during mating season to attract females or to mark their territory, warning other males to stay … Some bucks will tolerate very little before vacating the area or making it seem as if they’ve vanished. I suppose this vitamin-packed substance is too valuable to waste. 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. The carne asada marinated bison ribeyes resulted in a remarkably tender bite that exploded with flavor. Mock rubs can be used alone or in conjunction with mock scrapes. Older bucks make more rubs on average than younger ones, and they usually choose aromatic tree species, like this red cedar. Every spring, deer trade in their old antlers for new ones. Aside from the obvious visual deterioration, deer rubbing tree bark is … You'll have to determine when and where he’s going to give you a shot during legal hunting hours? Deer should be discouraged immediately when they first appear. Why do bucks rub? Read more about what customers are saying >>. We also have the most perfect poplar trees that I’ve ever seen for bucks to rub on. Tree-Rubbing behavior in deer the neck muscles on the bucks blood stops flowing to the ground become. Many rubs of beginning to make rubs throughout the breeding season only have two options: home! 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