Bucks and Rubs ?

[J. Holden]

I drew a permit for a piece of state land near where I live in IL.  When scouting I found a fresh rub.  My question is, can you tell which way the buck is coming from when he approaches the rub?  I'm assuming they come towards it and not circle around and then come in.  Just wondering.  The tree he rubbed on is in the middle of a field and there's trails going every which way around it.  Just trying to figure out the best ambush sight at the fields edge.  Thanks!

-Jeremy  

[bornagainbowhunter]

nope.  You need to digure which way he will come in by the lay of the land.  There is usually a staging area just outside of a field or food plot.  If there is a draw or ridge coming into the field, that will be a good spot to look over.  You just need to figure out where he is coming from.  

A rub in the middle of a field don't show any sign of direction at all.

God Bless,
Nathan

[J. Holden]

Thanks Nathan.  If you can picture a rolling grass land about 3 or 4 football fields square with a ridge along it's eastern edge.  This tree is about 1/3 down from the ridge, hidden from the field, just off a heavily used deer trail.  The trail leads towards a hardwoods area to the South and possibly bedding/cover to the North.  I'm thinking that this rub is getting approached as the deer leaves the cover (North) and heads towards food (South - hardwoods).

Going over it again in my head I also recall seeing an unusual amount of deer pellets along this trail.  Both clumped together and several spots of seperate pellet's.  I re-read an article about pellet's and it stated that the composition, seperate or a clump, refers to what they're feeding on not the sex.

So, based on that I'd say they're eating the grass and leaves in the field and also the mast to the South.

We shall see...

-Jeremy