Buck Rubs???

[Widowbender]

I was walking a piece of property today that I have permission to hunt. We are currently thinning a stand of pines and I was there inspecting the harvest. I noticed a new set of rubs that wasn't there a couple of weeks ago(oops, harvest inspection turned into scouting trip     ). This rubline extends for about 300 yards and the only trees rubbed were cedars in the 3-5 inch diameter range. My question is this: Do some bucks prefer a certain species (hardwood, pine,cedar, etc.)of tree to rub? I just found it odd that even though there were plenty of other kinds of trees in that size range that this buck (or bucks)rubbed only the cedars.

David

[Steve Kendrot]

Its been my observation that they seem to prefer cedars for rubbing over other species wherever/whenever they are available.

[Aeronut]

We have Cedar trees here that are rubbed every year.  Some are around 12" in diameter.  Where there aren't many Cedars I routinely check every one that I find in the woods.  The christmas tree growers around here hate the deer because they damage the new seedlings unless they circle them with fencing.

Dennis

[hunt it]

Deer prefer cedars and coniferous trees over all others because these trees have much greater scent/smell over others. I would also imagine that these softwoods would feel alot better to rub than say walnut. That being said they do not rub the poplars at all that I've seen around these parts.

[bearhair]

Around my place the aspen all have scars from previous years rubbing even though cedars are close by.  Perhaps it has something to do with tree availability where they want to leave their mark.

[Killdeer]

There are no cedars where I hunt, but we have red spruce, red pine, and hemlock. I have seen them rub small spruces, but usually they rub striped maple and beech trees.

Killdeer

[kctreeman]

Deer around here, KCMO, like the cedars.  Something about the smell.  Dennis if you need help getting those deer rubbing 12" trees give me a call.

[RedTx]

They mainly rub cedars here as well.  I found a few rubs the other day where the rubed on prickly asp if any of you know what that is.  Im not sure I even got the name right.

[draco]

It does seem like bucks are species specific. Here they rub persimmon,possum haw,sumac,mesquite,hackberry,china berry,and cedar. I watched a nice 10 pt. make 11 rubs down the edge of a field one morning,and everyone was on mesquite trees even though there was other trees the same size mixed with them.