I was scouting a new area yesterday and came across something unusual. I found an area, maybe 40 acres, that had many big scrapes with well hit licking branches but hardly any rubs. The rubs i did find were on small ( 1" dia) trees. It seems odd to me to find such great scrape activity but almost no rubs.
Thoughts?
Scrapes without rubs
- magicman54494
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Scrapes without rubs
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Re: Scrapes without rubs
Todd, I ran into the same thing in an area I scouted sunday... I did find big rubs, but 1 of the bigger areas I went thru had scrapes all over, and historicle rubs but no fresh... not sure why, but I see that kind of activity often. in this case the scrape area was where does bed and travel and bucks cruise, when I got to areas with buck bedding thete were both rubs and scrapes everywhere
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Re: Scrapes without rubs
What type of terrain is it Todd? One of my spots there are a bunch of younger (2.5-3.5) year old bucks and has a lot of scrape activity but not a ton of rubs and not a whole lot of big rubs. I think the type of trees in the area make a difference too.
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Re: Scrapes without rubs
dan wrote:Todd, I ran into the same thing in an area I scouted sunday... I did find big rubs, but 1 of the bigger areas I went thru had scrapes all over, and historicle rubs but no fresh... not sure why, but I see that kind of activity often. in this case the scrape area was where does bed and travel and bucks cruise, when I got to areas with buck bedding thete were both rubs and scrapes everywhere
the scrapes were in open oak ridges. I didn't have time to break the whole area down but i plan on getting back in there. i'm torn between scouting elsewhere for now or going back there today. i want to use my time wisely but this spot has me baffled.
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Re: Scrapes without rubs
Tim H wrote:What type of terrain is it Todd? One of my spots there are a bunch of younger (2.5-3.5) year old bucks and has a lot of scrape activity but not a ton of rubs and not a whole lot of big rubs. I think the type of trees in the area make a difference too.
it is a lot of oaks but there is a river running thru it so there is some low land as well.
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Re: Scrapes without rubs
I often find the opposite situation. lots of rubs but not a lot of scrapes. i'm wondering if this is a sign of a lot of young bucks excited by the rut but too young to be aggressive toward other bucks?
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Re: Scrapes without rubs
magicman54494 wrote:I often find the opposite situation. lots of rubs but not a lot of scrapes. i'm wondering if this is a sign of a lot of young bucks excited by the rut but too young to be aggressive toward other bucks?
I was also thinking that. Maybe not a lot of bucks but the ones that are there, could be scrape happy?
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Re: Scrapes without rubs
I would think if its mature bucks, its a small window in the rut, and bucks zraveling to the area from somewhere else... If they spent a lot of time there, there would be rubs. I agree with your keep looking theorie...
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Re: Scrapes without rubs
Maybe a lack of competition between bucks, no serious competition for does in the rut. Big buck doesn't feel compelled to signpost as much when he's only competing with subordinate deer? With all those scrapes they are definitely communicating. Maybe several small bucks laying down scrapes hence the lack if big sign. When the oaks drop and does congregate to feed a buck lays a scrape down to check em and see who is coming in estrus. Just a few thoughts, but it's an interesting observation.
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Re: Scrapes without rubs
What type of trees are around? From what I’ve seen they don’t like to rub on thick barked trees like oaks even if they’re smaller diameter.
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Re: Scrapes without rubs
Lockdown wrote:What type of trees are around? From what I’ve seen they don’t like to rub on thick barked trees like oaks even if they’re smaller diameter.
There are plenty of trees to rub. Pines, popple, maple. That's what seemed odd.
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