Hunting rubs & scrapes

[Ryninger]

When do you all hunt over/near rubs and scrapes?

 

[M4Madness]

There's not a choice for my answer -- never.

Studies have shown that the majority of large bucks visit rubs and scrapes under the cover of darkness. My own personal experiences reflect that, as well as any trail camera photos that I've taken. Now, I have seen large bucks make NEW scrapes during the daylight, just not revisit them in the daylight. I have seen small bucks visit scrapes during the daylight hours though.

I do use rub lines though to tell me where where bucks are bedding, as rubs facing fields are made in the morning as the buck is heading in the direction of its bed. Lots of rubs around the perimeter of an area also defines the boundaries of a buck's core area.

 

[christman]

There's not a choice for my answer -- never.

Studies have shown that the majority of large bucks visit rubs and scrapes under the cover of darkness. My own personal experiences reflect that, as well as any trail camera photos that I've taken. Now, I have seen large bucks make NEW scrapes during the daylight, just not revisit them in the daylight. I have seen small bucks visit scrapes during the daylight hours though.

I do use rub lines though to tell me where where bucks are bedding, as rubs facing fields are made in the morning as the buck is heading in the direction of its bed. Lots of rubs around the perimeter of an area also defines the boundaries of a buck's core area.

Bravo! *Golf Clap*

 

[patience0830]

only if

When do you all hunt over/near rubs and scrapes?

If they're near water in the weather we've been having or if they're on a trail between bedding area and chow area I'll hunt around them. There is no easier buck to shoot than the one with his eyes closed while rubbing his head on the licking branch.

 

[DarkRose]

When do you all hunt over/near rubs and scrapes?

The property my father owns that he and I hunt has prime placement. It's a long and narrow 40 acres, corn/soybean field on one side, river along the back edge, weed field on the other side (bedding area), our property is the "travel zone" so to speak. The scrapes are usually at the border of the woods in the edge of the corn/soy field, and we hunt all day, just normally not "over" a scrap or rub. I hunt the middle of the woods, roughly center, and dad has moved from the rear of the woods to the front of the woods, and now back to the rear of the woods again this year...

 

[Bradsknives]

It's very rare for me to hunt "over" a rub or scrape..I generally use rubs and scrapes to identify travel areas between food sources and the bedding areas. I normally set up in a funnel area between the food source and bedding area. If there happens to be a rub or scrape close by..so be it...but I'm not hunting that location because of the rub(s) or scrape(s).

 

[GLOCK1982]

I agree. Most scrape and rub activity is refreshed at night by the buck. I also use them to identify travel areas. Although it does let you know that a buck is in the area, I try not to infringe that close in his territory.

 

[RelicHound]

I rarely hunt directly over scrapes or rubs. I use them more so to tell me the direction of travel. my main focus is usually on water,food and bedding..especially early and late in the season. during the peek of the rut I may hunt over an active scrape and it seems I have had my best luck doing this rite in the middle of the day.

 

[dgiancola]

i dont really pay attention to the rubs and scrapes....my experience shows me that a deer will scrape on a tree just because its there...he wont come back to the same place to scrape...just like we dont go to a certain room in the house to scratch an itch....just my .02 of my experiences...

 

[jmiller676]

i dont really pay attention to the rubs and scrapes....my experience shows me that a deer will scrape on a tree just because its there...he wont come back to the same place to scrape...just like we dont go to a certain room in the house to scratch an itch....just my .02 of my experiences...

You are confusing a rub and a scrape. A buck rubs his antlers on a tree, the same buck also scrapes the ground beneath a low lying branch. It has also been proven bucks rub on the same trees and scrapes are to show a sign of "claiming" territory and helps them locate does in the rut.

 

[Mike H]

Unless its large and smokin' hot hardly ever. Most are visited at night.

 

[DragonGunner]

I found out long ago hunting near rubs is a waste of time....scrapes have gottin me several bucks, the larger the better...I have found some that were over 5' in dia. Thats when you usually have several mature bucks in the area...I don't hunt directly over them though but average about 20 yds away. Scrapes have only been good for me during archery season.