Buck tree species rub preference

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Ognennyy
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Buck tree species rub preference

Unread postby Ognennyy » Thu Oct 20, 2016 11:12 am

Every rub I've ever found has been made on either an Alder, or a Black (Water) Birch. They both seem to have smooth, thin bark. Perhaps it's that it's easier to get through that bark with small antlers, and I've only ever found rubs from immature bucks?

I live in the foothills of NY's Adirondack mountains and it's the only place I've ever hunted, or looked for deer sign. Has anyone else noticed preferences for a certain tree species when it comes to buck rubs?


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Hawthorne
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Re: Buck tree species rub preference

Unread postby Hawthorne » Thu Oct 20, 2016 11:23 am

Staghorn sumac. Everywhere it seems a patch is there's rubs. Even along roads. Basswood is another favorite.

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Ognennyy
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Re: Buck tree species rub preference

Unread postby Ognennyy » Thu Oct 20, 2016 11:28 am

Interesting, Hawthorne. Did a quick google image search on those two trees. Those both look like they have bark similar to Alders and Black Birch. So I really wonder then if this is just a favorite rubbing post for bucks with smaller antlers?
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Re: Buck tree species rub preference

Unread postby oldrank » Thu Oct 20, 2016 11:33 am

Poplars, white pine, sumac n cedars get hammered around here..

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Re: Buck tree species rub preference

Unread postby Lockdown » Thu Oct 20, 2016 11:47 am

They love the fast growing and smooth barked trees. I've seen them walk by hundreds of yards of rubbable trees/thickets without leaving anything. Then when you run into a popple stand it's ripped to shreds.

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Re: Buck tree species rub preference

Unread postby csoult » Thu Oct 20, 2016 11:51 am

Here in pa if there is striped maple.... there are rubs.
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Where I hunt in Ohio it seems to be all about Cedar.

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Re: Buck tree species rub preference

Unread postby csoult » Thu Oct 20, 2016 11:53 am

I think it's striped maple.

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tbunao
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Re: Buck tree species rub preference

Unread postby tbunao » Thu Oct 20, 2016 11:55 am

NY here as well, hill country and a little bit of beaver swamp. Hills I find a lot on cedar, poplars, alders and sumac. Two of the largest rub lines I've ever seen here (telephone pole and thigh diameter) were all on cedar or pine

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BigHills BuckHunter
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Re: Buck tree species rub preference

Unread postby BigHills BuckHunter » Thu Oct 20, 2016 12:07 pm

I hunt hardwoods but some cedar on the property. I've noticed the bucks like rubbing on them. Some of those rubs are year after year.

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Zona
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Re: Buck tree species rub preference

Unread postby Zona » Thu Oct 20, 2016 12:42 pm

csoult wrote:I think it's striped maple.

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X2.....yes it is striped maple. Cedar trees are rare around here but I have seen many that are sign post rubs.
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Ognennyy
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Re: Buck tree species rub preference

Unread postby Ognennyy » Thu Oct 20, 2016 12:46 pm

Checking out all these species, they all look pretty similar in the fast growing thin bark like others have said above. The only one that seems like it doesn't belong is Cedar. That bark looks very rough. Or is it thinner and smoother on younger specimens?

Here's one I found last year on a Black Birch on the edge of a swamp. At the time I thought Black Birches were just diseased Alders, until I looked at the leaves. I guess my initial impression was that this was probably a 3 year old buck or so? It starts down very low, but does come up close to waist level. The shotgun for scale had an 18" barrel on it.


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Thanks for all the feedback.
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Re: Buck tree species rub preference

Unread postby rempse2 » Thu Oct 20, 2016 1:28 pm

In the north east, I usually find them on striped maple, black birch, cedar and hemlock - the cedar and hemlocks trees are less abundant but tend to get the bigger rubs.
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Re: Buck tree species rub preference

Unread postby csoult » Thu Oct 20, 2016 1:31 pm

I think, and I could be wrong, that it's more about visibility.

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Re: Buck tree species rub preference

Unread postby mattdox » Thu Oct 20, 2016 1:41 pm

I think they'll rub any of the perferred browse species. Really seem to like the sumac around me.

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Re: Buck tree species rub preference

Unread postby DeerDylan » Thu Oct 20, 2016 2:30 pm

Like Zona and csoult with Striped Maple. Hemlock, pines and a certain kind of Bush that I don't know the name of is the majority.

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