Big Woods signpost rubs

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Singing Bridge
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Big Woods signpost rubs

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Wed Jul 08, 2020 6:45 am

Based on the brief youtube video I placed here on the Beast in my "Singing Bridge Outdoors" hunting journal, I was asked and excellent question...

Along the lines of, "why is that signpost rub significant to you... what piece of the puzzle does that represent for you..."

My reply... "Singing Bridge Outdoors
21 hours ago
It identifies that an area of big woods is holding mature bucks. Although bucks travel far, farther in big woods than anywhere, the big woods environment is the most difficult to locate mature bucks. Plus, it gives me confidence that mature buck bedding i locate nearby will have a great chance of holding one of these bucks. My family and I have killed piles of good bucks within a mile of this sign post rub."

A link to my Singing Bridge Outdoors hunting journal here on the Beast;

https://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewtop ... 91&t=55221


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Re: Big Woods signpost rubs

Unread postby greenhorndave » Wed Jul 08, 2020 7:10 am

Singing Bridge wrote:Based on the brief youtube video I placed here on the Beast in my "Singing Bridge Outdoors" hunting journal, I was asked and excellent question...

Along the lines of, "why is that signpost rub significant to you... what piece of the puzzle does that represent for you..."

My reply... "Singing Bridge Outdoors
21 hours ago
It identifies that an area of big woods is holding mature bucks. Although bucks travel far, farther in big woods than anywhere, the big woods environment is the most difficult to locate mature bucks. Plus, it gives me confidence that mature buck bedding i locate nearby will have a great chance of holding one of these bucks. My family and I have killed piles of good bucks within a mile of this sign post rub."

A link to my Singing Bridge Outdoors hunting journal here on the Beast;

https://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewtop ... 91&t=55221

That was me :D

I asked because I have uncovered a few of those in scouting. As you said, they look a little different than a run-of-the-mill rub. I’ve probably heard the name signpost rub before, but I didn’t fully understand it. So thanks!

I have a good idea of bedding possibilities with one, but the other is a mystery. It’s all tamaracks, cedar and poison sumac and I only scouted it when there was snow and ice and didn’t get back to it.
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Re: Big Woods signpost rubs

Unread postby MichiganMike » Wed Jul 08, 2020 8:01 am

Singing Bridge wrote:Based on the brief youtube video I placed here on the Beast in my "Singing Bridge Outdoors" hunting journal, I was asked and excellent question...

Along the lines of, "why is that signpost rub significant to you... what piece of the puzzle does that represent for you..."

My reply... "Singing Bridge Outdoors
21 hours ago
It identifies that an area of big woods is holding mature bucks. Although bucks travel far, farther in big woods than anywhere, the big woods environment is the most difficult to locate mature bucks. Plus, it gives me confidence that mature buck bedding i locate nearby will have a great chance of holding one of these bucks. My family and I have killed piles of good bucks within a mile of this sign post rub."

A link to my Singing Bridge Outdoors hunting journal here on the Beast;

https://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewtop ... 91&t=55221



I often wonder if these big mature bucks are that smart to where they use a signpost rub to throw off hunters or predators. Their sense of a chess game if you will. Use it as a decoy so they don't give off their location or whereabouts. Highly unlikely- but it makes you think and wonder.
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Re: Big Woods signpost rubs

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Wed Jul 08, 2020 8:17 am

MichiganMike wrote:
Singing Bridge wrote:Based on the brief youtube video I placed here on the Beast in my "Singing Bridge Outdoors" hunting journal, I was asked and excellent question...

Along the lines of, "why is that signpost rub significant to you... what piece of the puzzle does that represent for you..."

My reply... "Singing Bridge Outdoors
21 hours ago
It identifies that an area of big woods is holding mature bucks. Although bucks travel far, farther in big woods than anywhere, the big woods environment is the most difficult to locate mature bucks. Plus, it gives me confidence that mature buck bedding i locate nearby will have a great chance of holding one of these bucks. My family and I have killed piles of good bucks within a mile of this sign post rub."

A link to my Singing Bridge Outdoors hunting journal here on the Beast;

https://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewtop ... 91&t=55221



I often wonder if these big mature bucks are that smart to where they use a signpost rub to throw off hunters or predators. Their sense of a chess game if you will. Use it as a decoy so they don't give off their location or whereabouts. Highly unlikely- but it makes you think and wonder.


In my experience you are right on the money with this, but we need to clarify what we are looking at. I have found signpost rubs that definitely throw off hunters... most of the time we need to realize that these rubs are made well after dark in major buck interaction areas. Most of the time, not always. For example, when Dan came to Michigan to do a scouting workshop we found a big signpost rub on some high ground close to the road. This particular rub was made well after dark and lots of bucks went by it.

Opposite of this are big woods signpost rubs that no hunter gets to... ever. Find one of these that is hit during daylight and you have found a great "area" for daylight buck movement. I hope that makes sense.
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Re: Big Woods signpost rubs

Unread postby Tennhunter3 » Wed Jul 08, 2020 8:27 am

I used to hunt a tremendous amount of signpost rubs before I found the beast. I saw many young bucks one and two year olds from these spots but never the mature bucks in daylight.

What a signpost rub tells me.
Is their is at least 2 mature bucks on a property if the property had only one mature buck it would not need to be rubbed.

It could be that 2 different buck groups territory overlaps in that spot.

My cams show mature bucks check signpost rubs at night from downwind. A hunting public video did show a few pics in daylight throughout the year long camera over a signpost rub. Most daylight pics were after a rain.

In my areas of terrain these often appear year after year in the same spot usually a nighttime feeding area. Often a hunters ladder stand within 50 yards of it.

And occasionally on the end of a point with scrapes. I think these are often territorial rubs. Some experts say bucks arent territorial but I know that certain bucks don't want others of equal size on their turf. Deer definitely have different personalities.

They are very exciting to find but in my opinion serve very little purpose hunting. Most of where I've seen the most older bucks has very little or no sign.
Last edited by Tennhunter3 on Wed Jul 08, 2020 8:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Singing Bridge
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Re: Big Woods signpost rubs

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Wed Jul 08, 2020 8:30 am

Tennhunter3 wrote:I used to hunt a tremendous amount of signpost rubs before I found the beast. I saw many young bucks one and two year olds from these spots but never the mature bucks in daylight.

What a signpost rub tells me.
Is their is at least 2 mature bucks on a property if the property had only one mature buck it would not need to be rubbed.

It could be that 2 different buck groups territory overlaps in that spot.

My cams show mature bucks check signpost rubs at night from downwind. A hunting public video did show a few pics in daylight throughout the year.

In my areas of terrain these often appear year after year in the same spot usually a nighttime feeding area.

And occasionally on the end of a point with scrapes. I think these are often territorial rubs. Some experts say bucks arent territorial but I know that certain bucks don't want others of equal size on their turf. Deer definitely have different personalities.

They are very exciting to find but in my opinion serve very little purpose hunting. Most of where I've seen the most older bucks has very little or no sign.


Great information T3. I think this describes what the vast majority of hunters encounter when finding a signpost rub. I typically do not hunt them either.
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Re: Big Woods signpost rubs

Unread postby MichiganMike » Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:15 am

Singing Bridge wrote:
MichiganMike wrote:
Singing Bridge wrote:Based on the brief youtube video I placed here on the Beast in my "Singing Bridge Outdoors" hunting journal, I was asked and excellent question...

Along the lines of, "why is that signpost rub significant to you... what piece of the puzzle does that represent for you..."

My reply... "Singing Bridge Outdoors
21 hours ago
It identifies that an area of big woods is holding mature bucks. Although bucks travel far, farther in big woods than anywhere, the big woods environment is the most difficult to locate mature bucks. Plus, it gives me confidence that mature buck bedding i locate nearby will have a great chance of holding one of these bucks. My family and I have killed piles of good bucks within a mile of this sign post rub."

A link to my Singing Bridge Outdoors hunting journal here on the Beast;

https://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewtop ... 91&t=55221



I often wonder if these big mature bucks are that smart to where they use a signpost rub to throw off hunters or predators. Their sense of a chess game if you will. Use it as a decoy so they don't give off their location or whereabouts. Highly unlikely- but it makes you think and wonder.


In my experience you are right on the money with this, but we need to clarify what we are looking at. I have found signpost rubs that definitely throw off hunters... most of the time we need to realize that these rubs are made well after dark in major buck interaction areas. Most of the time, not always. For example, when Dan came to Michigan to do a scouting workshop we found a big signpost rub on some high ground close to the road. This particular rub was made well after dark and lots of bucks went by it.

Opposite of this are big woods signpost rubs that no hunter gets to... ever. Find one of these that is hit during daylight and you have found a great "area" for daylight buck movement. I hope that makes sense.


Oh absolutely makes sense- any rub in open timber, near roads or hiking trails etc in Michigan are definitely after dark. Ive seen them work rubs and scrapes shining (during legal hours). I'm wondering though- what your definition of big woods is? I think big woods Im thinking wide open timber/oaks etc. But I could be wrong. Thanks for your insight!
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Re: Big Woods signpost rubs

Unread postby MichiganMike » Wed Jul 08, 2020 9:23 am

Tennhunter3 wrote:I used to hunt a tremendous amount of signpost rubs before I found the beast. I saw many young bucks one and two year olds from these spots but never the mature bucks in daylight.

What a signpost rub tells me.
Is their is at least 2 mature bucks on a property if the property had only one mature buck it would not need to be rubbed.

It could be that 2 different buck groups territory overlaps in that spot.

My cams show mature bucks check signpost rubs at night from downwind. A hunting public video did show a few pics in daylight throughout the year long camera over a signpost rub. Most daylight pics were after a rain.

In my areas of terrain these often appear year after year in the same spot usually a nighttime feeding area. Often a hunters ladder stand within 50 yards of it.

And occasionally on the end of a point with scrapes. I think these are often territorial rubs. Some experts say bucks arent territorial but I know that certain bucks don't want others of equal size on their turf. Deer definitely have different personalities.

They are very exciting to find but in my opinion serve very little purpose hunting. Most of where I've seen the most older bucks has very little or no sign.



Well put! I think this sums it up pretty accurately from my experience too. I made the mention how I wonder if a real mature buck does it intentionally to throw off hunters or predators. Kind of a reach but these things are SO smart...Especially in pressured land in Michigan. They look up in the trees as much as the ground.
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Re: Big Woods signpost rubs

Unread postby oldrank » Wed Jul 08, 2020 1:43 pm

I'm gonna throw something out that may be crazy. From my experience with sign post rubs they show direction to bedding, but are seldom near bedding. I believe when a buck leaves bedding he either leaves bedding fast or stages very near until dark and then moves fast to his destination. So there may be rubs near bedding but then nothing for a few hundred yards. Then that's where I usually start finding those sign post rubs. They could be marking a few different things. I have seen them mark trails out of fields and usually marking some type of corner feature or trail intersections. Usually they are very visible and I believe bucks use them as road signs as much as scent markers.... The same as a single tree in an open field. It is a visual marker to deer and they will use it to navigate large open fields.
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Re: Big Woods signpost rubs

Unread postby oldrank » Wed Jul 08, 2020 2:04 pm

I also don't hunt the rubs but pay attention to actively on them as an indication of bucks in the area.
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Re: Big Woods signpost rubs

Unread postby Trout » Wed Jul 08, 2020 2:10 pm

You guys ever seen a double sign post? Both of these signposts were 8-10" in diameter.

Screenshot_20200707-220259_Gallery.jpg


Hill country, followed them back to bedding on the ridge, bed is on the uphill side of this tree.

Screenshot_20200707-220712_Gallery.jpg


Neither signpost had a lot of wear and tear at the time, there were a few tine marks, but it wasnt like either was opened up into a full rub. I would like to throw a trail camera on these this year during season and see what I see.
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Re: Big Woods signpost rubs

Unread postby ODH » Wed Jul 08, 2020 3:49 pm

Singing Bridge wrote:Based on the brief youtube video I placed here on the Beast in my "Singing Bridge Outdoors" hunting journal, I was asked and excellent question...

Along the lines of, "why is that signpost rub significant to you... what piece of the puzzle does that represent for you..."

My reply... "Singing Bridge Outdoors
21 hours ago
It identifies that an area of big woods is holding mature bucks. Although bucks travel far, farther in big woods than anywhere, the big woods environment is the most difficult to locate mature bucks. Plus, it gives me confidence that mature buck bedding i locate nearby will have a great chance of holding one of these bucks. My family and I have killed piles of good bucks within a mile of this sign post rub."

A link to my Singing Bridge Outdoors hunting journal here on the Beast;

https://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewtop ... 91&t=55221


Thanks for sharing all of this content. Here are two sets of related questions:
1) how are you connecting sign in the big woods? Meaning sign post rubs with beds which based on your reply above could be as much as a mile away from that rub? Do you find bucks tend to head in the direction of the rub when they get up?
2) you mentioned one of the reasons bucks are there is because people are not. But it sounds like you cover the territory pretty thoroughly. And if that’s right then it seems bucks put up with a lot of intrusion. What steps are you taking to keep from disturbing them too much? Will you walk the same ground more than once? When do you stop walking it and let it rest?

Thanks
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Re: Big Woods signpost rubs

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Thu Jul 09, 2020 10:02 am

Trout wrote:You guys ever seen a double sign post? Both of these signposts were 8-10" in diameter.

Screenshot_20200707-220259_Gallery.jpg

Hill country, followed them back to bedding on the ridge, bed is on the uphill side of this tree.

Screenshot_20200707-220712_Gallery.jpg

Neither signpost had a lot of wear and tear at the time, there were a few tine marks, but it wasnt like either was opened up into a full rub. I would like to throw a trail camera on these this year during season and see what I see.


Beast rubs, looking forward to your pics.
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Re: Big Woods signpost rubs

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Thu Jul 09, 2020 10:18 am

Thanks for sharing all of this content. Here are two sets of related questions:

1) how are you connecting sign in the big woods? Meaning sign post rubs with beds which based on your reply above could be as much as a mile away from that rub? Do you find bucks tend to head in the direction of the rub when they get up?

With more than one buck hitting it it is often rubbed on both sides. When it isn't I pay attention to the likely direction he was travelling when he hit it on his circuit... toward or away from known buck bedding. Most but not all of the time I find these rubs where two popular buck travel routes intersect. I don't see it as a destination for the bucks but when their travel routes intersect they advertise... some are hit during the daylight if you are close to a buck bedding area.

I have local bucks (live there most of the year) and I have transient bucks that show up to be near the does during the rut phases. When the local buck smells / detects other bucks crossing his travel circuit trees start getting banged.

2) you mentioned one of the reasons bucks are there is because people are not. But it sounds like you cover the territory pretty thoroughly. And if that’s right then it seems bucks put up with a lot of intrusion. What steps are you taking to keep from disturbing them too much? Will you walk the same ground more than once? When do you stop walking it and let it rest?


Off season scouting is the key to reduce disturbance. When July and August roll around and up to and during season I spot check travel funnels far enough away from buck bedding to keep from disrupting their patterns. I use tracks and droppings mostly to identify big woods bucks. Rubs and scrapes if they are there but they are not as consistent. Trail cams are great but I don't have a hundred of them so reading sign is important to me, especially tracks.


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