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Buck rubs? #8489676
Yesterday at 11:32 AM
Yesterday at 11:32 AM
Joined: Dec 2010
Central, SD
Law Dog Offline OP
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Law Dog  Offline OP
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Joined: Dec 2010
Central, SD
So in the rut we find buck rubs often, yet the deer are polished now but I haven’t come across one rub yet? So do they use brush or cedars to get the first velvets removed or does it just fall off? Always wondered how that worked.


Was born in a Big City Will die in the Country OK with that!

Jerry Herbst
Re: Buck rubs? [Re: Law Dog] #8489687
Yesterday at 11:58 AM
Yesterday at 11:58 AM
Joined: May 2018
SW Georgia
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Wanna Be Offline
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SW Georgia
I’ve seen a few here that I’m guessing were from rubbing velvet off. Starting to see some scrapes and have bucks visiting them as well.

Re: Buck rubs? [Re: Law Dog] #8489689
Yesterday at 12:03 PM
Yesterday at 12:03 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
AR
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TurkeyWrangler Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
AR
I've found one small one this year. It has been a very warm fall so they may just be thinking screw it, it's too hot for this darn.

Re: Buck rubs? [Re: Law Dog] #8489690
Yesterday at 12:05 PM
Yesterday at 12:05 PM
Joined: May 2009
Champaign County, Ohio.
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KeithC Offline
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Champaign County, Ohio.
I've seen birds, starlings and grackles, eating the velvet off of domestic whitetail deer antlers. The deer tolerate it and maybe like it.

Crows apparently eat velvet off of deer antlers too.



Birds eat parasites off of antlers in velvet too.



Keith

Re: Buck rubs? [Re: Law Dog] #8489788
Yesterday at 03:08 PM
Yesterday at 03:08 PM
Joined: Dec 2010
Central, SD
Law Dog Offline OP
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Law Dog  Offline OP
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Central, SD
Just wondering how they are getting polished before the rut starts just seems odd I’m not coming across any rubs once the rut starts they will be everywhere then.


Was born in a Big City Will die in the Country OK with that!

Jerry Herbst
Re: Buck rubs? [Re: Law Dog] #8489793
Yesterday at 03:25 PM
Yesterday at 03:25 PM
Joined: May 2009
Champaign County, Ohio.
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KeithC Offline
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Champaign County, Ohio.
I think the birds are very thorough at eating the velvet. It would be hard for a buck to get all the tiny pieces out of the crevices by rubbing. Obviously those pieces come out. I think birds are what do a lot of the velvet removal. Some insects probably help too.

Maybe someone else who has been around domestic deer, which are of course easy to observe, will chime in.

Keith

Re: Buck rubs? [Re: Law Dog] #8489797
Yesterday at 03:29 PM
Yesterday at 03:29 PM
Joined: May 2009
Champaign County, Ohio.
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Champaign County, Ohio.
"It can also be eaten off by other deer or birds and any velvet that does hit the forest floor is quickly scavenged by mice and other critters because of its high nutrient content."

https://www.deeranddeerhunting.com/deer-scouting/deer-behavior/furry-crown-deers-antler-velvet

It makes sense that deer would eat the velvet off of other deer too. They could lick the antlers clean and shiny.

The people I knew who raised "trophy" deer, kept the non breeding bucks alone, as much as possible, so they wouldn't damage their antlers, or even kill each other. So there were no deer to eat and lick off the velvet, only birds.

Keith

Re: Buck rubs? [Re: Law Dog] #8489798
Yesterday at 03:33 PM
Yesterday at 03:33 PM
Joined: Apr 2009
South Ga - Almost Florida
Swamp Wolf Offline
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South Ga - Almost Florida
If you aint finding many rubs...then you aint got many bucks.

Down here at the Georgia-Florida line it has been rut crazy for about 10 days now....we are about to crest over the rut peak.

Ive found one small piece of dried velvet at the base of a rub....about 20 years ago.

Last edited by Swamp Wolf; Yesterday at 03:35 PM.

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Re: Buck rubs? [Re: Law Dog] #8489803
Yesterday at 03:42 PM
Yesterday at 03:42 PM
Joined: Dec 2010
Central, SD
Law Dog Offline OP
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Law Dog  Offline OP
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Joined: Dec 2010
Central, SD
Ruts not here yet it’s a few weeks off the horns are polished and I’m wondering why there’s no sign of rubbing in the woods now.


Was born in a Big City Will die in the Country OK with that!

Jerry Herbst
Re: Buck rubs? [Re: Law Dog] #8489806
Yesterday at 03:45 PM
Yesterday at 03:45 PM
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Marion Kansas
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Yes sir Online content
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Marion Kansas
U just ain't finding it

Re: Buck rubs? [Re: Law Dog] #8489817
Yesterday at 04:17 PM
Yesterday at 04:17 PM
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One time I found a piece of velvet about eight inches long hanging from a licking branch.

Re: Buck rubs? [Re: Yes sir] #8489821
Yesterday at 04:40 PM
Yesterday at 04:40 PM
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midland, michigan
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Originally Posted by Yes sir
U just ain't finding it

This

Re: Buck rubs? [Re: Law Dog] #8489825
Yesterday at 04:54 PM
Yesterday at 04:54 PM
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SD
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SD
Hey Jerry, over here to the east I’m seeing plenty of rubs. Something I’ve always noticed and found interesting is that we have some cedar and pine patches in certain areas. The bucks that patrol those areas always have a dark brown hue to their antlers, vs the ones that are always destroying my apple and maple trees…. lol. When out ditch parrot hunting this past weekend found several fresh rubs and came across 4-5 scrapes as well. About to start sitting in tre stand a bit more often, once these darn Asian beetles and noseeums die the next couple nights hopefully!! Good luck


Thread snitch non reporter #2
Re: Buck rubs? [Re: Law Dog] #8489827
Yesterday at 04:57 PM
Yesterday at 04:57 PM
Joined: Dec 2007
NE Missouri
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NE Missouri
They start rubbing in first part of September here. Does are starting to come in estrus in NE Missouri. Saw some light chasing last weekend.

Ol' dad

Re: Buck rubs? [Re: Law Dog] #8489830
Yesterday at 05:02 PM
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Bucks rub the area they are in. Early rubs are normally in spots bucks summer and early fall Pre rut is when their range expands and they mark their territory so others know they are around. Spot rubs and scrapes can happen when a buck gets fired up from a doe being around or letting bucks know he’s in the area
Rub lines are a different story.

Re: Buck rubs? [Re: Law Dog] #8489834
Yesterday at 05:17 PM
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Originally Posted by Law Dog
Ruts not here yet it’s a few weeks off the horns are polished and I’m wondering why there’s no sign of rubbing in the woods now.

Bedding/staging areas

Re: Buck rubs? [Re: Law Dog] #8489972
Yesterday at 09:06 PM
Yesterday at 09:06 PM
Joined: Dec 2010
Central, SD
Law Dog Offline OP
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Law Dog  Offline OP
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Central, SD
I’m in central MO now heading home then back again to MO early next month I’ve been walking a lot and moving stands around I put up a blind and have been trimming trees not seeing much for rubs yet. No bucks out in the fields yet in the daytime.

I watched a large group of does out in a grassy field the other day a buck showed up they scattered pretty fast. Seeing a good number of does and yearlings been passing on them looking for a bigger lone doe. Weathers cooling off I’d like to stay but the neighbors heading to LA to hunt and I need to take care of his critters until he gets back.


Was born in a Big City Will die in the Country OK with that!

Jerry Herbst
Re: Buck rubs? [Re: Law Dog] #8489988
Yesterday at 09:20 PM
Yesterday at 09:20 PM
Joined: Dec 2007
NE Missouri
ol' dad Offline
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NE Missouri
Originally Posted by Law Dog
I’m in central MO now heading home then back again to MO early next month I’ve been walking a lot and moving stands around I put up a blind and have been trimming trees not seeing much for rubs yet. No bucks out in the fields yet in the daytime.

I watched a large group of does out in a grassy field the other day a buck showed up they scattered pretty fast. Seeing a good number of does and yearlings been passing on them looking for a bigger lone doe. Weathers cooling off I’d like to stay but the neighbors heading to LA to hunt and I need to take care of his critters until he gets back.


What area of Central Missouri are you hunting?

If you're not seeing any rubs there probably are not any mature bucks living nearby. However that doesn't mean you won't get the chance to shoot one in these next few weeks.. They are going to start ranging out anytime now. Some of the biggest deer that I've ever shot was during Halloween weekend and came from farms a mile or two up or down the river.

Ol dad

Re: Buck rubs? [Re: Law Dog] #8490011
Yesterday at 09:37 PM
Yesterday at 09:37 PM
Joined: Dec 2016
Jackson Co, KS
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Jackson Co, KS
Deer will eat the velvet as it is shed as well. Just like cows will eat afterbirth, reduces scent to attract predators. They will rub their antlers on all types of vegetation. The rubs on saplings and larger do polish antlers and help to strengthen their necks as they prepare for the rut.

Re: Buck rubs? [Re: Law Dog] #8490019
Yesterday at 09:54 PM
Yesterday at 09:54 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Coldspring Texas
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Coldspring Texas
… I like to rub them down with a salt pepper and chilli powder blend


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