Buck Rubs Already

[alwaysonthemove]

My brother and I just came back from the hunting shack. We were trimming shooting lanes and checking the area out before archery starts. We noticed about 30 rubs on the trees already. Some rubs were smaller sapplings while others were on trees with a six inch diameter. We have seen two mature bucks 1 is 145 4 1/2 year old that we have been watching the last two years. The other is 140 were assuming he is 3 1/2. We hunt 80 acres and have done our best to promote larger deer.

Ate the numerous rubs from them 2 mature bucks starting to mark there territory? Seems kinda early for that?

Also what a bumper crop of acorns we have there this year. Hopefully they will be eating them under our stands come sat. morn.

[Archerysniper]

Not only are they rubbing allready but I have found lots of scrapes in one of the properties I hunt they all are around white oaks that have dropped massive amounts of acorns this year

[alwaysonthemove]

yeah we noticed a couple of scrapes too. But I assume they were made by either scratching the ground or doe's scratching and peeing on the ground.

[splakeshaker]

I have gotten trail cam pics of bucks with their velvet off during the last week of august this year. I've never seen that so early before. May very well be an early rut this year. Especially, since others have noticed signs as well. It does seem rather early to me also. I haven't seen rubs or scraps in my neck of the woods yet though. I haven't really been looking for that yet but next time when I'm scouting I'll be looking a little closer for those signs.

[Archerysniper]

I just moved my cam over the scrape by my stand tonight so I will let you know what is going down,normally I dont find my first scrapes till the first part of oct and they are on the field edges what gets me is the ones I found have the licking branch started and are in the middle of 40 acres of acorns.

[96trigger]

Scrapes here in SEMN already. Had one guy say that he saw a buck making scrapes on the field edges first hand. Very early. But everything down here appears to be about 2 weeks early. Many of them are still in bachelor groups but are starting to break up.

[alwaysonthemove]

I do not believe that the rut is starting I believe it is bucks starting to mark there territory. LIke hey get out of here this is my land. The bachelor groups are breaking up.

I have seen in the past doe's make some sort of communication scrape also with out a buck pestering the scrape. especially early on.

[Archerysniper]

No the rut is not starting but they are marking thier territory alot earlier this year

[walleye365]

got a nice rub by my trail cam no pic of the buck yet.

[harvey lee]

I have seen rubs and scrapes this early for many years. No rut, just a few bucks doing their thing. Many but not all bucks are still in velvet.

I would be suprised if I did not see them this early. Now, when I start to see them the 2nd week of October, then they have my attention.

[T.S128]

I have seen rubs and scrapes this early for many years. No rut, just a few bucks doing their thing. Many but not all bucks are still in velvet.

I would be suprised if I did not see them this early. Now, when I start to see them the 2nd week of October, then they have my attention.

exactly. nothing exciting really. good to know the deer are in your area but im never too concerned with the small scrapes as they are usually part of a scrape line. you can find this in large numbers. the scrapes i get excited about are the big ones, (3x3 and mcuh bigger)these are communtiy scrapes and are visited by most bucks in your area especially the big boys. however dont get too worked up about huntin near then as they are mostly visited at night. unless you get a good rain they will freshin them up. good luck huntin

[leech~~]

We just put up our Bow stands last weekend in a nice little oak area, and there was one "car hood" scrap and a few others already. We do have the cam's setup but are not going to be able to check them until the week after opener.

[kudu63]

I believe the rubs are most likely from the bucks trying to loose their velvet. In my area I have noticed some bucks out of their velvet for a week now on my cameras. My most recent pictures shows some bucks with some velvet still hanging on their antlers.

[B. Amish]

their velvet falls off in less than 24 hours. bucks don't need to rub it off.

if you see rubs before the 15th of september, you can probably bet that they're from older bucks. the ones that start popping up in october are boring to me, thats when all the 1.5 year olds start screwing around.

i've always seen early scrapes when there is a large concentration of bucks in one area. probably a preferred food source that the deer are concentrating on. i don't think the scrapes mean much at this time, other than the earlier you see them, the better chance it's from an older buck.

[96trigger]

Regardless of what they mean or what makes them. I think the main point is that it gets the blood flowing. I know it gets me pretty excited knowing the the first "stage" of the rut is starting. I know that the full blown rut is a long ways off, but its like preseason football. It means nothing but still nice to know that regular season is fast approaching.

[harvey lee]

You got it 96. One also then knows that you have some bucks in the area. Who knows what size buck is making them?

[B. Amish]

in my book, the #1 way to kill a big buck is to hunt where big bucks live. any piece of evidence that can point you towards a big bucks bedding area, travel routes, or food source can't be ignored. early rubs and scrapes might be part of that evidence. you shouldn't just write it off as ho-hum, it's that time of year.

[Bear55]

I have alwasy noticed a flurry of rubbing activity early in the year, then things slow down until closer to the rut. I basically think that the bucks are getting their first tast of hard bone and they kind of have an itch that needs scratching. They don't need to rub to remove the velvet but they do it anyway.

[Cedarcreek]

Bucks rub there velvet off on trees it begins to itch when the horns harden. Also deer make scapes year round to mark territory. they don't mean anything until late october or early november to breading activity. usually scapes this early won't be used often or again. Rubs are much the same. size of the tree can lead to deer size but not always. hunting rub and scapes is not very effective early.

[Musky Buck]

Agreed Cedar, I have 9 bucks using 1 alfalfa field, but that's just playtime until it's a bit darker then they are all in my yard horsing down acorns. 3 had velvet and 4 didn't and 2 it's shredded hanging there. 2 are shootable and 7 are first timers. There were some rubs on the field edge. What's been interesting is the does and fawns are steering clear of this somewhat bachelor herd, these bucks chase each other around some and are greedy while eating acorns etc. My T-cam should be in my yard, just getting skunks and coons and cats for the most part where I have it now.

[Big Buck Buster]

Agreed Cedar, I have 9 bucks using 1 alfalfa field, but that's just playtime until it's a bit darker then they are all in my yard horsing down acorns. 3 had velvet and 4 didn't and 2 it's shredded hanging there. 2 are shootable and 7 are first timers. There were some rubs on the field edge. What's been interesting is the does and fawns are steering clear of this somewhat bachelor herd, these bucks chase each other around some and are greedy while eating acorns etc. My T-cam should be in my yard, just getting skunks and coons and cats for the most part where I have it now.

Looks like you won't have to travel far for opener..

[willyfahey]

I found some rubs and scrapes around the food plots where I hunt and do I have the itch. I don't think they can be ignored. I wouldn't hunt over them this time of year but they are definately a great tool to put you on track to outline where they are moving.

[Archerysniper]

Scouted a new 217 acre peice tonight and found scrapes and the some fresh rubs the size of my thigh. Is it saturday yet

[riverrat63]

any rubs and scrapes now are bucks maping out there home, but there are some does go in to estrus around the 12-15 of oct thows are the older does u will start seeing more fresh scrapes around.