Here's your sign!

[Brian Krebs]

I am going to take known biology; mix it with my experience in the field ( over 40 years) and some total unknowns. I am not sure if it will make a bit of sense: but it might lead us to an answer.
                                                           
First off; are you seeing last years rubs? If your not seeing ANY rubs - then your probably not in an area that the deer rub. Find an area with OLD rubs; and look for new ones; and then you might be onto something.                      
                                                  But assuming that you are seeing old rubs; and not new rubs... well then it gets down to the WHY.                                                                                               Frist off why do bucks rub? I have heard that they do it to get the velvet off; I am not sure about that - although I have found some velvet at or in rubs. Others say rubs are for practice; building up neck muscles. Others say its to mark and area as the bucks territory.                  
                                                  Well - I believe deer rub trees to do several things; but upmost is to make the tree 'sweat' sap. When they return; they get their newly velvet shed and pure white antlers covered in sap; and then they rub their antlers on the ground ( or on burned trees )etc: to darken them.
 They also will rub scent on the rubs; and that might just be territorial.                
  I believe that later- when the rut is on big time; the bucks get chasing does; and they are known to travel long distances. If they come accross other rubs; then they know they are in a 'safe' area frequented by other bucks.          
                                                  I know if I find a rub; and get down on one knee; I can see another rub from the rub; and I can follow ridge contours and trails to get from feeding areas to bedding areas.                
                                               
 If you pardon the pun here; but I will go out on a limb and wonder if higher temps; or lower rain amounts can decrease the ability of certain trees to produce enough sap for the deer to bother with them. Another words; a certain type of tree or location of past rubs might not get the attention that other trees in other areas get- because of the ability of the tree to produce sap. Yep a long shot with only one eye open; but... it might explain why certain areas that have had rubs: don't this year.                  

 Bucks lose their velvet when their hormone control is tickled; and here with elk and deer I see does coming into what I call a 'false heat'. That seems to induce the older bucks and bulls; to shed their velvet. And it takes another 28 days for the spikes and forkies to shed their velvet; as I don't think they are mature enough to react chemically to the first doe or cow heat.        
                                         
 Everything should be out of velvet now; and the deer should be darkening their antlers. Like I say that takes sap and dirt or charcoal or some other source of the darkening; and that might include bark from a particular tree.                                              
Out here its pine trees and river or creek bottom saplings - like willows etc. Even big bucks here will use a pencil sized sapling in wet ground to rub. We had a wet spring but really dry long summer. Pine saplings here that normally up high are used for rubbing were untouched this year.
                                                     
                                                 
Well - I think you need to expand your rub search to new areas; and I think you will find the rubs. I hope somebody reads what I wrote here and can tear out the bad; toss it out and tear out the good: and put it in a form we can understand.
                                               

  I remember when people called rubs 'scrapes'; and had no idea what a scrape was. I also remember in 1964 - hearing deer make noises and being laughed at: for thinking deer made ANY noise beyond 'buck snorts'- which were alarm snorts from bucks and does. Now we know better about a lot of things.  The rubs we are just beginning to understand- in my opinion.  
                                               
 good luck with your scouting and hunting !!!

[T.J.]

Thanks for the input Brian! That's some interesting reading. To answer the questions yes I see tons of old rubs all over the place. I have gone to four diffrent spots in the last week and a half that I know have tons of old rubs. But nothing really new. I'll be out a lot on thrusday and hopefully that switch will flip and we'll see some stuff. Thanks for the replies!

[Molson]

Good post Brian.  That's the kind of thinking that leads to better understanding of deer behavior.  I don't neccessarily agree or disagree with your observations regarding sap content, but your thoughts on rub lines and travelling bucks are outstanding.  

When you think about it, rub lines lead to feeding areas and bedding areas.  Those are the places to find does.  The buck that made the rub line is spending time in the area so he's going to be taking advantage of the terrain and wind in his travels.  Leaving scent on the rub assures other deer the sign is fresh and was actually made by a deer.  What better way to ensure breeding success than to tell every buck who comes by where the does are and the best way to get to them.