I need some reassurance...


HitRmisS

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I was just watching a hunting show on the versus outdoors channel, I won't say the name. My question is what I have always known as a ground scrape he called a rub and then went on to say what I know as a rub (hooked tree or bush) was called a scrape. Now have I always just been misinformed or is it him? He also made the comment that because the rub was on a big tree that it was a big mature buck. However I have seen with my own eyes and have also heard other people tell of seeing small immature 4 and 6 points rub on 6 inch trees and make ground scrapes 4 ft in diameter. I'm not trying to bash the guy it just seems that some of what he says as fact he should clarify as more of an opinion.

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Re: I need some reassurance...

While I am sure smaller bucks will at times rub big trees, I have never seen it. Generally speaking the larger buck hit bigger trees. It has something to do with strengthening their necks for the rut and fighting, that is why the larger bucks necks get swollen, from working out in a way. The bigger trees have less give to them making the bucks work harder to trash it.

And you are right, rubs are on trees, scrapes are on the ground.

Wigs

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Re: I need some reassurance...

I agree Wigs, with the point that larger bucks normally work the bigger trees he just made it seem like that was always the case and I know different. Also I have seen this exact episode before but gave him the benefit of the doubt that maybe i misuderstood but this time i payed close attention and had another buddy watching with me.

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Re: I need some reassurance...

[ QUOTE ]

While I am sure smaller bucks will at times rub big trees, I have never seen it. Generally speaking the larger buck hit bigger trees. It has something to do with strengthening their necks for the rut and fighting, that is why the larger bucks necks get swollen, from working out in a way. The bigger trees have less give to them making the bucks work harder to trash it.

And you are right, rubs are on trees, scrapes are on the ground.

Wigs

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree, rubs are on trees and scrapes on the ground. And Big bucks big trees, small bucks, small trees.

I'd also like to add That although big bucks will also tackle smaller brush and trees, a smaller buck will rarely tackle a larger tree.......except: in the instance of a community rub, which is a special rub, different from all others, in the sense that every buck in the neighbourhood, big, small and middle of the road, will visit that tree, over and over again during the post rut and beginning of the rut.

My buddy Ken and I, were fortunate enough to have at stand about 20 yrds from a community rub about 6 or 7 years ago. It was kinda awesome seeing a big buck come in and work the large tree, and then only 1/2 hr later, watch a spiker come in and do the same thing.

The only draw-back to being that close to that particular rub, is that it didn't appear until just before the rut, and there was no shooting lane cleared to it from the stand to get a clean shot of any kind.

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Re: I need some reassurance...

[ QUOTE ]

While I am sure smaller bucks will at times rub big trees, I have never seen it. Generally speaking the larger buck hit bigger trees. It has something to do with strengthening their necks for the rut and fighting, that is why the larger bucks necks get swollen, from working out in a way. The bigger trees have less give to them making the bucks work harder to trash it.

And you are right, rubs are on trees, scrapes are on the ground.

Wigs

[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed.

Rubs on trees and scrapes on the ground.

Big tree rubs most likely means bigger racked deer but like anything else not 100% of the time.

Scrapes can be by any deer from a button buck copying and dad to a spike or I have even seen doe scrape up a hot scrape site.

However the buck gets a swollen neck during the rutting stages due to hormones, not workin out. LOL

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Re: I need some reassurance...

You know I think I saw the same show a while back. Was an older man, dont remember his name, but he was claimed by the other on the show to be some type of authority figure on hunting, and he was totally wrong in what he said in regards to the scrapes and rubs. As far as the trees, generally speaking a small antlered deer will not usually rub a large tree, but large antlered deer will rub large and small trees.

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Re: I need some reassurance...

[ QUOTE ]

While I am sure smaller bucks will at times rub big trees, I have never seen it. Generally speaking the larger buck hit bigger trees. It has something to do with strengthening their necks for the rut and fighting, that is why the larger bucks necks get swollen, from working out in a way. The bigger trees have less give to them making the bucks work harder to trash it.

And you are right, rubs are on trees, scrapes are on the ground.

Wigs

[/ QUOTE ]

i agree 100% but they also rub to mark territories too

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