aging rubs the right way

[ghoasthunter]

i always see it on forums you tube you name it. everybody shows a rub and say look at the shavings this is fresh... this is not true shavings can get covered in an hour on a windy day or can lay on top of leaves for months. you can age buy shavings an a real fresh rub thats a couple days old though as wood shavings dry they will start too curl up. go out and shave a stick with a rasp then monitor it a couple days in a row try it on several preferred tree species some in sun some in shade some dry weeks some wet ones every tree species will have a unique dry time if you look closely.
now lets do this the right way and its all about the wood itself on the tree different trees do different things pine bleeds changes color on bark and inner wood and even starts growing black mildew looking spots. this is the best way too age a rub because this happens over a time frame no matter the tree species they all have a uneque way of aging. so go out and look at rubs you know were made at certain times and see how they look now. take pics of fresh ones then come back in winter scouting and look at them. pay attention too location and build off that deer frequent certain areas more often than others during the season deer use rubs for marking buck bedding doe bedding food locations rubs are a social marker territorial it goes on and on. once you can put this all together and age a rub you can really dial in on time frames dont look at just one single clue but instead look at the big picture, and visualize the scenario unfolding.

[freezeAR]

Building self bows really helps to see how much moisture is in wood. With experience you can get a good idea how long a "shaving" has been produced. Wood is hydroscopic and will draw and expel moisture. The smaller the piece the faster it dries out.
Good post, similiar to using tracks rubs can be very helpful.

[headgear]

Lockdown did a rub aging study, tons of great info and photos in it.
http://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewtopic.php?t=47279

[BBH1980]

i always see it on forums you tube you name it. everybody shows a rub and say look at the shavings this is fresh... this is not true shavings can get covered in an hour on a windy day or can lay on top of leaves for months. you can age buy shavings an a real fresh rub thats a couple days old though as wood shavings dry they will start too curl up. go out and shave a stick with a rasp then monitor it a couple days in a row try it on several preferred tree species some in sun some in shade some dry weeks some wet ones every tree species will have a unique dry time if you look closely.
now lets do this the right way and its all about the wood itself on the tree different trees do different things pine bleeds changes color on bark and inner wood and even starts growing black mildew looking spots. this is the best way too age a rub because this happens over a time frame no matter the tree species they all have a uneque way of aging. so go out and look at rubs you know were made at certain times and see how they look now. take pics of fresh ones then come back in winter scouting and look at them. pay attention too location and build off that deer frequent certain areas more often than others during the season deer use rubs for marking buck bedding doe bedding food locations rubs are a social marker territorial it goes on and on. once you can put this all together and age a rub you can really dial in on time frames dont look at just one single clue but instead look at the big picture, and visualize the scenario unfolding.

Good post. Here's one for you. As you know I'm in NEPA. Rolling farm. As I drive back roads I often see rubs right along the road in the weirdest places. Many of them are tall on trees and have generational rubbing in the immediate area within feet of new ones. There could be as many as 15-20 of them and as little as one or two. But always has generational. Now these are areas I know deer like to cross the road. What's odd is you follow the trail away from the road.... no more rubs. I have seen this in way to many places for it to be some kind of coincidence... What's your thoughts?

[ghoasthunter]

i always see it on forums you tube you name it. everybody shows a rub and say look at the shavings this is fresh... this is not true shavings can get covered in an hour on a windy day or can lay on top of leaves for months. you can age buy shavings an a real fresh rub thats a couple days old though as wood shavings dry they will start too curl up. go out and shave a stick with a rasp then monitor it a couple days in a row try it on several preferred tree species some in sun some in shade some dry weeks some wet ones every tree species will have a unique dry time if you look closely.
now lets do this the right way and its all about the wood itself on the tree different trees do different things pine bleeds changes color on bark and inner wood and even starts growing black mildew looking spots. this is the best way too age a rub because this happens over a time frame no matter the tree species they all have a uneque way of aging. so go out and look at rubs you know were made at certain times and see how they look now. take pics of fresh ones then come back in winter scouting and look at them. pay attention too location and build off that deer frequent certain areas more often than others during the season deer use rubs for marking buck bedding doe bedding food locations rubs are a social marker territorial it goes on and on. once you can put this all together and age a rub you can really dial in on time frames dont look at just one single clue but instead look at the big picture, and visualize the scenario unfolding.

Good post. Here's one for you. As you know I'm in NEPA. Rolling farm. As I drive back roads I often see rubs right along the road in the weirdest places. Many of them are tall on trees and have generational rubbing in the immediate area within feet of new ones. There could be as many as 15-20 of them and as little as one or two. But always has generational. Now these are areas I know deer like to cross the road. What's odd is you follow the trail away from the road.... no more rubs. I have seen this in way to many places for it to be some kind of coincidence... What's your thoughts?

the road is a edge bucks could run right down the shoulder at night. ive also fond some good bedding right along roads when i see rubs. it could also simply be a common area deer cross and turns into a sign post rub area.

[greenhorndave]

Lockdown did a rub aging study, tons of great info and photos in it.
viewtopic.php?t=47279

Aw, now that’s a great thread! Thanks for reposting HG and to LD for doing it.

Ghoast, I’ve noticed similar. What gets my attention is when the shavings are wet. You can literally feel the moisture in them. (obviously on dry days) And the color hasn’t faded at all... perfectly matches the wet wood. Haven’t seen a ton that fresh, but its nice to find them when you do.

Like this one. The wood and shavings were equally wet. I think it literally was an hour or two old because I bumped the buck right near them.

[Bigb]

I always judge a rub by the shavings on the tree, not usually on the ground. You can usually tell my looks if the shavings on the tree are old by their curling. If they are fresh, they are usually very straight and almost stringy The older they get, the harder they get and depending on the tree, the more they curl up. We don't get many rubs on pine trees (mainly because we don't have any)

[Lockdown]

Great topic. Doing the rub study that headgear posted really opened my eyes to the differences. Feeling the rub itself (mainly the shreddings still attached) and shavings on the ground seemed to be the best "one size fits all" indicator for me. Looks alone were very misleading. And the way the pine differed was pretty eye opening.

[Mnbowhunter12]

I came across a unique situation for me and found fresh shaving on the fresh snow 2 different times in December. I got a big 8 on camera checking a scrape that had also been opened up in mid December. This was heavy pressured public in mn and our buck to doe ratio is very doe heavy in this area. I also was out coyote hunting in January and saw the big 8 with his nose to the ground as if it was November. Being that the buck made it threw the season, and he was rubbing the area up in December do you guys think he will be back this fall or was it just a pressure and seasonal related situation?

[GreatWhiteOak]

Thanks for sharing I will do this for this year.