Hunting Long Rub Lines

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


JonNc
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2017 12:24 am
Status: Offline

Hunting Long Rub Lines

Unread postby JonNc » Tue Feb 16, 2021 1:59 pm

I found a rub line in December that consisted of roughly 20 rubs over 200 yards. The rut here is around mid November and I suspect most of these rubs were made early Nov from the looks of them. It was near the “high” part of the ridge. This isn’t what I consider hill country, just slight elevation.

I’ve found early season rub lines and those are obviously bed to feed pattern. I’ve never found a rub line this long that I suspect is a cruising trail. My cams indicate a lot of daylight movement Nov 1-16 just a few hundred yards away. This is a spot that I don’t think a human has been in years. My guess is this would be a good spot to catch one cruising during pre-rut as they are starting to seek more in daylight just before they start breeding. Has anyone had success hunting rub lines such as this? Would you agree it sounds like a cruising trail? No obvious food sources here, just a transition where they can catch daytime thermals. This is a very thick property throughout. Thanks!


User avatar
brancher147
500 Club
Posts: 1414
Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2017 3:46 am
Location: West Virginia
Status: Offline

Re: Hunting Long Rub Lines

Unread postby brancher147 » Tue Feb 16, 2021 11:55 pm

Yep sounds like cruising. Some bedding I was hunting this year had a similar rub line that went for probably 1/4 mile. I was hunting it more based on bedding than the rub line but I killed 2 bucks and a doe there mid November. I had a camera there and had a bunch of young bucks and a few shooters in daylight. I don’t think I had pics of either buck I shot though.
Some do. Some don't. I just might...
JonNc
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2017 12:24 am
Status: Offline

Re: Hunting Long Rub Lines

Unread postby JonNc » Wed Feb 17, 2021 2:22 am

brancher147 wrote:Yep sounds like cruising. Some bedding I was hunting this year had a similar rub line that went for probably 1/4 mile. I was hunting it more based on bedding than the rub line but I killed 2 bucks and a doe there mid November. I had a camera there and had a bunch of young bucks and a few shooters in daylight. I don’t think I had pics of either buck I shot though.


Thanks for the response. I've actually learned alot from your posts in the past, so thank you.

Did you give your particular spot any sits earlier in the season or just save it for when you expected pre rut movement?

I've debated trying a late Oct sit there, hoping to catch a buck living there on a pattern before rut. Then try it again closer to rut. I just have to be careful about not spooking them bc I have a spot about 250 yards away that was on fire first two weeks of Nov with daylight bucks almost every day. Maybe I'm overthinking it. As long as my scent isn't blowing to the other spot I should be good.
User avatar
Tim H
500 Club
Posts: 2811
Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:37 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090396597022
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Hunting Long Rub Lines

Unread postby Tim H » Wed Feb 17, 2021 2:53 am

This sounds like a stretch where the bucks cruise through. In a bigwoods setting I'd imagine them to be on a circuit meaning they could hit this spot over 3-7 days depending on how far the bucks are traveling. What is nice about this, barring any significant changes in terrain and pressure, you could expect the bucks to use this circuit annually at the same time period each year. Take note that there should be doe bedding adjacent to this area. At least I'd predict that.
rhagenw
Posts: 414
Joined: Sun Jan 26, 2020 6:37 am
Facebook: Rhagen Wiederholt
Status: Offline

Re: Hunting Long Rub Lines

Unread postby rhagenw » Wed Feb 17, 2021 5:18 am

To echo on what Tim said I believe this is a circuit and possible leeward hill side? I hunt mostly what I would call ridge country not true hills like other may see, The leeward cruising/bedding is very accurate in my part of the country...might look at the dates on those cameras and look up the historical weather
User avatar
brancher147
500 Club
Posts: 1414
Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2017 3:46 am
Location: West Virginia
Status: Offline

Re: Hunting Long Rub Lines

Unread postby brancher147 » Wed Feb 17, 2021 7:37 am

JonNc wrote:
brancher147 wrote:Yep sounds like cruising. Some bedding I was hunting this year had a similar rub line that went for probably 1/4 mile. I was hunting it more based on bedding than the rub line but I killed 2 bucks and a doe there mid November. I had a camera there and had a bunch of young bucks and a few shooters in daylight. I don’t think I had pics of either buck I shot though.


Thanks for the response. I've actually learned alot from your posts in the past, so thank you.

Did you give your particular spot any sits earlier in the season or just save it for when you expected pre rut movement?

I've debated trying a late Oct sit there, hoping to catch a buck living there on a pattern before rut. Then try it again closer to rut. I just have to be careful about not spooking them bc I have a spot about 250 yards away that was on fire first two weeks of Nov with daylight bucks almost every day. Maybe I'm overthinking it. As long as my scent isn't blowing to the other spot I should be good.


I started getting good daylight pics of big bucks on the first good cold front in late October which I think was Halloween and actually wanted to hunt it that day. I tried it once before that and learned the wind was really crazy and realized I needed really specific conditions to successfully hunt it. I just didn't have enough time (it was real hard to get to and took a lot of time) and the right weather to hunt it until mid November. I know there were bucks bedding and using the rub line early season it was just too hard to get to without spooking them and they weren't daylight active enough to travel far enough from bedding. I did a kill zone post on the spot if you want to check it out. Good to know my posts have helped someone... 8-)
Some do. Some don't. I just might...
JonNc
Posts: 91
Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2017 12:24 am
Status: Offline

Re: Hunting Long Rub Lines

Unread postby JonNc » Mon Feb 22, 2021 3:49 am

Thanks, I looked but couldn’t find that post.

Update on the spot that prompted this post. I went back yesterday to prep a tree and pick up a cam I put out when I found it mid December. I had around 7 bucks and a few does using it in daylight. 3-4 shooters. Seems like they are using it quite a bit even late season. Could be good all season, just have to decide if it’s worth the intrusion before pre rut. Thanks for the feedback.


  • Advertisement

Return to “Deer Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Jonny and 85 guests