Help Me Interpret This Rub

[Octang]

I'm hoping you guys can help a fledgling beast hunter out.

I went post season scouting for the first time ever today. (I dang near killed myself hiking 6 miles through the snow) I was a little disappointed at how few deer tracks I found in the snow, however I remember reading that deer bed closer to food sources during the winter, which could explain why I wasn't seeing as much in the middle of the bottomland forest.

However, I did hone in on a couple of areas I suspected a buck may bed, though I didn't find a fresh imprint indicating a deer bedded in any of them recently, I did find rubs among the brush which made me think it could serve as a bed. Area in the photo below, in particular stood out:




I found these rubs around some shrubs inside a marsh that gets very little hunting pressure I suspect, as it is only accessible by boat or via private land access to the west, as shown in the map below:



My questions are this:

Do you think this was a bed? You can see four rubs in the photo, and there were a few more within a few feet that you can't see. The shrubs are nice and thick for concealment.

How big of a deer made this rub? While standing on top of the snow the highest tine mark went well past my hip. There was easily 6" of snow packed under my feet and an undetermined amount of water and ice under the snow.

Thanks for your thoughts on this as I hone my beasting skills!

[rff]

This looks like a great spot from looking at the aerial. I would definitely follow this up once the snow melts and search for sign. Not only find beds but how are they using the land.

[dan]

Looking at the map and the picture, it could be bedding, or it could be staging from bedding. When the snow melts it should be easier to tell for certain. My 1st guess on the rubs would be that they were from an aggressive 2 year old, but I could be wrong. If there is indeed a bed there, I would say its getting used in late October, early November based on the rubs.

[Octang]

This looks like a great spot from looking at the aerial. I would definitely follow this up once the snow melts and search for sign. Not only find beds but how are they using the land.

Thanks, it is an area I honed in on during the late season this year (it is my first year hunting this area). I did a blind hunt around here on my final hunt of the year and was excited to come back here and scout it out better. As you can see there are tons of funnels in the area, plenty of marsh for bedding, and I don't expect to come across any hunters since it is hard to access without a boat.

[Octang]

Looking at the map and the picture, it could be bedding, or it could be staging from bedding. When the snow melts it should be easier to tell for certain. My 1st guess on the rubs would be that they were from an aggressive 2 year old, but I could be wrong. If there is indeed a bed there, I would say its getting used in late October, early November based on the rubs.

Thanks, I appreciate your expertise. I'll certainly be making a trip back there to scout again.

[Octang]

I finished uploading my notes from today's scouting and figured I drop it in here in case anyone had any insights they wanted to share. Like I said, I'm pretty new to this style of hunting so I love hearing thoughts, as many of you see things I probably dont.

I'm planning to come back here when the snow melts, but it is a bottomland area that I am afraid will be underwater as soon as the snow melts, so I may loose all of the sign that is currently under snow.



The rubs I shared the photo of at the beginning of this thread is the location marked as "Many Large Rubs". The location to the north titled "Multiple Rubs" is extremely similar in nature.

[mag1]

Octang, you are a glutton for punishment. I haven't hunted that spot but have felt that would be an awesome spot to get into. I have a buddie that used to live near by it and he used to get back in there. I did cyber scout it, but didn't really want to take my Jon boat to get in there. I think u picked the a good spot near that field. U r right about lack of hunters in there. My buddie said he never seen anyone in there. I want to here your future stories from that spot.

[Octang]

U r right about lack of hunters in there. My buddie said he never seen anyone in there. I want to here your future stories from that spot.

Yeah, my dad always laughs at me because ever since I was a kid I picked the hardest spots to sit. He always said, just remember you need to drag the deer out of wherever you shoot them, but I always figured a hard drag was more fun than a lonely walk!

I'm glad to hear your buddy never sees anyone back there. This year was my first year hunting it, so I don't have a ton of experience back there yet. I'm looking to really learn the area well before I expand into other areas too. There are a number of other boat-only spots within a couple miles of there that I want to check out as well.

I grew up hunting just down the river on an island we leased from a timber company, so it brings back a lot of great memories to be back in that neck of the woods, literally.

[mag1]

I know what you mean. I've heard of some good deer all around that area, there was a good one found dead a number of years back about 1 1-5 miles to the NE of there on private. Lots of good public in those surrounding river bottoms. My buddies dad lives on the big river down stream from there, so he used to run all over those spots. He said there is some really neat spots in there, just hard to get to. Enjoy the adventure. Just be careful if you are out there in the cold. My river trips are on a much smaller branch, but it all comes into the same spot down stream. Wink/wink. I'm in similar areas, anywhere from .5-2 miles in, one spot is a 4+ mile Jon boat ride in. You need tails to tell the kids and grand kids.