Back tracking past season encounters...

[Babshaft]

Holy Smokes that rub is high, that must be a huge deer

When I first saw a rub like that I thought it was moose sign (heck maybe it is, I’m still learning and not the best woodsman). But after I saw this buck I’m more and more confident it’s his rubs.

When I saw him the second time (first time I bumped him and didn’t get a good look) I thought I was looking at cattle. Then I realIzed I’m nowhere near farm country haha. He turned his head and all I saw were massively tall tines. As he walked towards me I’d guess he’s over 250lbs. I can’t visually score racks well, but his rack looked like it was 2 feet across, brow tines looked to be 9-10”.

Really excited to see if I can’t find his specific beds. It’ll be easier when the snow melts I think.

[Whitetailaddict]

I'm definitely going to do this. I have a suspected bedding area I found cyber scouting late last season. I'll admit that I over hunted this spot because I saw the biggest buck I've ever seen on the hoof. First sit I saw a basket 8 - it was an observation sit. Second sit I bumped the big guy moving in - he was feeding at an oak tree that was dropping late right near the suspected bedding. Third sit I shot the basket 8 - it was my first bow buck so I was ecstatic. Wasn't a great shot and he made it to a neighbouring property where I wasn't able to recover him. Fourth sit I saw the big guy at 40 yards, but wasn't able to get a clean shot so he walked. Fifth and final sit I saw a basket 6.

I've scouted the other side of the swamp when we had a warm spell and because of the snowI couldn't any bedding but did find some sign that I expect is his. Lots of rubs like this one:


My question is should I wait for the snow to leave before I go back in there to scout for bedding? I'd love to pinpoint the specific area and figure out the satellite bedding. I was lucky that I'd had a lot of the predominant SW wind and never got busted. I have 2 feet of snow (it's Canada eh) and it's -20 celsius right now haha.

Do you have any elk in the area? That's the highest rub I've ever seen and seems unlikely a whitetail did that unless the snow was packed which allowed it to rub higher. I've seen rubs extend to chest height but not start that high. Maybe a whitetail did it I just don't want you chasing sign from something other than your intended target.

[EdC]

yea it is a very high rub didn't think they would be that high
I had an encounter myself with a huge buck, nothing for the rack
all I really could see was how huge his knees where
looked like I was looking at a cow just like your impression
I was so shook up my shot landed fractions below him, that buck has to be dead now years ago
I hope his siblings are running around and now I'm better prepared

[tgreeno]

I also like doing this. Especially because alot of my sets were first sits ever this season. Last year was my first year doing this.

My problem is, I don't see that many mature bucks each season. Only saw 2 this season. So, the list is short. I've been spending more of my time finding "better" bedding areas. So next year I will hopefully have many more mature buck encounters to back track

[Horizontal Hunter]

I'm definitely going to do this. I have a suspected bedding area I found cyber scouting late last season. I'll admit that I over hunted this spot because I saw the biggest buck I've ever seen on the hoof. First sit I saw a basket 8 - it was an observation sit. Second sit I bumped the big guy moving in - he was feeding at an oak tree that was dropping late right near the suspected bedding. Third sit I shot the basket 8 - it was my first bow buck so I was ecstatic. Wasn't a great shot and he made it to a neighbouring property where I wasn't able to recover him. Fourth sit I saw the big guy at 40 yards, but wasn't able to get a clean shot so he walked. Fifth and final sit I saw a basket 6.

I've scouted the other side of the swamp when we had a warm spell and because of the snowI couldn't any bedding but did find some sign that I expect is his. Lots of rubs like this one:


My question is should I wait for the snow to leave before I go back in there to scout for bedding? I'd love to pinpoint the specific area and figure out the satellite bedding. I was lucky that I'd had a lot of the predominant SW wind and never got busted. I have 2 feet of snow (it's Canada eh) and it's -20 celsius right now haha.

Doesn't look like a rub to me it's way too high. It's probably moose eating the cambium layer on the tree



Bob

[Dewey]

This is exactly what I do and by far my favorite part of scouting. Nothing better then seeing a good buck and then get in there and unravel his bedding area and how he travels back and forth to it. This year with lack of snow has been great for this. I also do this on bucks I kill because more often than not another mature buck will take over primary beds relatively quickly.

[d_rek]

This year I plan on re-scouting the property I killed my best bow buck at. Having him show up challenged my assumptions about which deer were bedding on the property. Turns out the bedding area is actually great doe bedding and it pulls in bucks from neighboring properties. Though based on his movement he couldn't have been bedding far to show up during daylight to cruise the bedding funnel.

Since I didn't have any big buck encounters on public land my goal will be to identify places where they might be. Hopefully this upcoming season i'll be able to 'back track' those encounters

[Babshaft]

Do you have any elk in the area? That's the highest rub I've ever seen and seems unlikely a whitetail did that unless the snow was packed which allowed it to rub higher. I've seen rubs extend to chest height but not start that high. Maybe a whitetail did it I just don't want you chasing sign from something other than your intended target.

Thanks man, I appreciate it. They reintroduced elk a few years ago a few hundred kilometres away. I haven’t seen any in the area, but it’s possible they’re here. Looking at that picture I think there’s a bit of an affect going on. The snow is packed a little there from the freezing rains we had earlier in the year so whatever it was was able to rub higher. The rub looks like it’s at my head but if remember correctly it’s just around my neck. The moose rubs (that I can confirm) I’ve found all start at my head and go further than I can reach.

Here’s another picture of one that looks really deceiving because of where I’m standing. I can see what look to be individual time marks in the tree but I’m not certain moose, deer or elk now tha we’ve added that to the mix hahahahaha.



This one looks really high, but there’s a down tree and it’s on a little hill. Standing next to the tree it probably only came up to the top of my chest.

yea it is a very high rub didn't think they would be that high
I had an encounter myself with a huge buck, nothing for the rack
all I really could see was how huge his knees where
looked like I was looking at a cow just like your impression
I was so shook up my shot landed fractions below him, that buck has to be dead now years ago
I hope his siblings are running around and now I'm better prepared

Me neither! Hopefully you find his siblings!

Doesn't look like a rub to me it's way too high. It's probably moose eating the cambium layer on the tree



Bob

Thanks man, that’s a possibility as well. To they leave teeth marks? When I get back in there I’ll take better pictures and pay closer attention to them.

[Bubbles]

I'm definitely going to do this. I have a suspected bedding area I found cyber scouting late last season. I'll admit that I over hunted this spot because I saw the biggest buck I've ever seen on the hoof. First sit I saw a basket 8 - it was an observation sit. Second sit I bumped the big guy moving in - he was feeding at an oak tree that was dropping late right near the suspected bedding. Third sit I shot the basket 8 - it was my first bow buck so I was ecstatic. Wasn't a great shot and he made it to a neighbouring property where I wasn't able to recover him. Fourth sit I saw the big guy at 40 yards, but wasn't able to get a clean shot so he walked. Fifth and final sit I saw a basket 6.

I've scouted the other side of the swamp when we had a warm spell and because of the snowI couldn't any bedding but did find some sign that I expect is his. Lots of rubs like this one:


My question is should I wait for the snow to leave before I go back in there to scout for bedding? I'd love to pinpoint the specific area and figure out the satellite bedding. I was lucky that I'd had a lot of the predominant SW wind and never got busted. I have 2 feet of snow (it's Canada eh) and it's -20 celsius right now haha.

I'm pretty sure that's moose eating the bark off trees and not a rub. It's very high, and you can also see the individual tooth marks . These fooled me for a while thinking massive bucks were using the area, when in reality a moose walked by and fed for a bit.

[Babshaft]

I'm pretty sure that's moose eating the bark off trees and not a rub. It's very high, and you can also see the individual tooth marks . These fooled me for a while thinking massive bucks were using the area, when in reality a moose walked by and fed for a bit.

Okay, thanks man! The teeth marks definitely threw me off. I thought they were tine marks. When I saw all the massive deer tracks and large poop pellets I tried to put 2 and 2 together...now it’s not adding up haha.

Thanks for all the help guys.

[RidgeGhost]

I've scouted the other side of the swamp when we had a warm spell and because of the snowI couldn't any bedding but did find some sign that I expect is his. Lots of rubs like this one:

Holy Smokes that rub is high, that must be a huge deer

Must be elk hunting, or super short....or hunting the Shaq of whitetails

[RidgeGhost]

I have backtracked a couple so far this year. But mostly looking for new spots to add to the inventory. Being new, my inventory is pretty light on really good beds

[magicman54494]

I totally agree with this. Tracking them in either direction is by far the best learning tool out there.
If someone wanted me to teach them how to hunt I would tell them to first go out and track 100 mature bucks noting their every move. Watch how they travel the land, where they bed, what and where they feed. After doing this, the student could be the teacher.

[stash59]

I've scouted the other side of the swamp when we had a warm spell and because of the snowI couldn't any bedding but did find some sign that I expect is his. Lots of rubs like this one:

Holy Smokes that rub is high, that must be a huge deer

Must be elk hunting, or super short....or hunting the Shaq of whitetails

Finally zoomed in on the pic instead of chocking it up to Babs being a midget. For sure it's from a moose or elk eating the bark.

[Babshaft]

I've scouted the other side of the swamp when we had a warm spell and because of the snowI couldn't any bedding but did find some sign that I expect is his. Lots of rubs like this one:

Holy Smokes that rub is high, that must be a huge deer

Must be elk hunting, or super short....or hunting the Shaq of whitetails

Finally zoomed in on the pic instead of chocking it up to Babs being a midget. For sure it's from a moose or elk eating the bark.

Hahahahahaha babs isn’t the tiniest baboon and he’s not a midget either...unfortunately.

I’m thinking I’m gonna be the Dan of moose bedding if I keep this up haha.

Now I really need the snow to melt so I can back track him to his bedding. I have the general area figured out, I just need to put my boots on the ground, go past the moose sign, and find the actual beds.

Thanks again for the help. If I hadn’t posted that, I’d be wondering why I was really seeing a lot of moose next October haha.