I was told this was during the week of peak rut a few years back. It was the only buck fight I've seen in the woods. A bigger deer trounced this old timer about 80 yards away. He then came under my stand and beat the trash out of several saplings in front of me before I snuck an arrow in the boiler room. He was bleeding, beat, with fur hanging everywhere. The taxidermist wanted to use a new cape but I said no way, he stays as he is.
I had him done in a mad, fighting pose, with all battle wounds showing. Perfect to me!
Anyway, I see rubs appear weekly, October through January, and physically saw this guy rubbing during the rut.