Plastic or mesh tree guards are a quick fix. They wrap right around your tree’s trunk and prevent deer from rubbing up against the bark. Or you can wrap your tree loosely in chicken wire or burlap if you’d rather.
Do deer rubs damage trees?
If bucks strip too much bark when rubbing their antlers on a tree, it can cause irreparable damage. (Chicago Botanic Garden) I just discovered some damage from deer rubs to the trunks of a couple of my trees.
How do you tell if a Buck has rubbed a tree?
Size the tree, age the buck All bucks will rub small trees of 1-3 inches in diameter. Four-inch or thicker trees are rubbed mostly by three-year or older bucks. 5. Rub lines and travel patterns When scouting early, search for rub lines more than individual rubs. These reveal routes bucks use.
Do deer repellants work to control Buck rubs?
Deer repellants are not effective in controlling buck rubs; you need to get a sturdy physical barrier around the trunks of your trees in order to prevent damage. Tim Johnson is director of horticulture for the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe.
How do you treat a tree that has been hit by deer?
There is no need to use a wound dressing or wrap the damage. Smooth edges heal better than the ragged edges left from the deer rubbing, but be sure to prune back broken branches as needed. Small clump-form trees can be ruined if too many branches are broken.
Can a tree survive a deer rub?
If rubbed all the way around, the trunk will be girdled, resulting in the eventual death of the tree in one to three years. If the damage is mostly located vertically on the trunk and does not go all around it, the tree can survive, although it may die on the side where the damage occurred.
What do you do when a buck rubs on your tree?
Wrap a short section (18-24 inches off the roll) of wire fencing around the trunk, twisting the ends of the wire around to hold it in place. Deer may try to rub, and may bend the protective fencing, but they quickly become discouraged and move on.
What does it mean when a deer rubs a tree?
1:544:24How To Read Whitetail Buck Rubs | Why Do Bucks Actually Rub?YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt may just mean that that tree was in the perfect location for a buck to exchange. Information.MoreIt may just mean that that tree was in the perfect location for a buck to exchange. Information. With other bucks or. It may just bend a simple thing where he was showing dominance over that tree or.
What time of day do deer rub trees?
Late-night field rubs. Field rubs are made by bucks as they approach open areas to feed, usually in early season and most often at night. A mature buck probably won't enter these open areas until after shooting light. The exception would be in lightly-hunted areas or during peak rut.
Do big tree rubs mean big bucks?
If an additional tree trunk 9 or 10 inches to the right is nicked up, it's safe to say that buck could have a good spread. Both small bucks and big bucks can make small rubs. But only big bucks can make big rubs.
How long will a buck rub on a tree?
24 hoursBucks naturally scar trees and shrubs while rubbing them to remove antler velvet, but velvet stripping is generally accomplished within 24 hours.
Will a buck return to a rub?
Many rubs are never visited again by the bucks that made them or by other deer. However, some rubs are a little more special and are visited by multiple bucks and even does. Deer even visit these unique rubs across multiple years.
Should you hunt a rub line?
But one rub doesn't make for a good hunting area. Rub lines are better, not only because they'll show a concentration of sign, but because they'll give you a clear direction that your target buck likes to travel.
What time of day do bucks make rubs?
Lines of rubs are often made as a buck travels from his feeding area to his bedding grounds in the morning and vice versa in the afternoon. Hunting one of these rub lines might be the best chance to harvest a mature buck prior to the beginning of the rut.
How can you tell how old a deer rub is?
0:131:23How to Tell If a Deer Rub is Fresh | Cabela's Deer Nation - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou can also look at the color of the bark. If. It's got a lot of moisture. In it still. You canMoreYou can also look at the color of the bark. If. It's got a lot of moisture. In it still. You can tell that the rub was not made long ago and in some instances you can compare fresh rubs.
Can you tell how big a buck is by a rub?
In most cases it's safe to assume a deep, gouging rub on a tree that is 5-inches or more in diameter was made by a mature buck. Still, there are other clues that tell you more about the size of the deer that made the rub. Another factor in the equation is time of year.
What kind of trees do deer rub on?
0:224:24How To Read Whitetail Buck Rubs | Why Do Bucks Actually Rub?YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd the four it can often get wavy. Or. Sometimes turn real reddish. That is strictly because atMoreAnd the four it can often get wavy. Or. Sometimes turn real reddish. That is strictly because at that gland is a lot more active during the fall.
How do you stop a buck from rubbing?
The best way to protect your tree is to physically block off deer with a fence or tree guard. Plastic or mesh tree guards are a quick fix. They wrap right around your tree's trunk and prevent deer from rubbing up against the bark. Or you can wrap your tree loosely in chicken wire or burlap if you'd rather.
Why do bucks rub the bark off of trees?
Answer: In fall, bucks rub their antlers on trees to remove the dried velvet from their antlers and to mark their territory. This rubbing removes the thin layer of bark on small trees and can seriously damage or destroy them. Trunk damage typically occurs 1½ to 3½ feet above the ground.
What time of year do deer rub antlers on trees?
As that velvety coating begins to shed, deer rub their antlers on trees with low branches, in a process called “buck rub”. This coincides with mating season, which can begin as early as September and can last into February. Most deer damage occurs before the peak of this season in September and October.
How can I save a tree with the bark chewed off?
Keep the tree healthy; mulch and supplemental watering during drought conditions. Trace the wound with a wood file and sharp knife, removing any loose bark to a clean wound. Take black plastic and attach it to the tree wound, just past the wound edge, using small, ¼” staples from a staple gun.
Early season rubs
A buck makes two types of rubs. The first type is an early season rub. One reason a buck makes these rubs is to build neck and shoulder muscles. Bucks have to be in good shape when the rut begins and fights occur. It is also a good way for bucks to let go of built-up testosterone.
Rubs during the rut
The second type of rubs are the ones made during the rut. Around the end of October, bucks’ testosterone levels rise up and does come into estrus. To find a buck now, hunters need to hunt where the does are. Bucks will be on the prowl for “hot” does and continue to make rubs as they do so.
Using rubs to kill mature bucks
When you get into a buck’s bedding area, you will likely find several rubs. The problem is they are difficult to hunt because of their close proximity to the bedding area. Preferably only hunt this area in the morning, but be prepared to stay all day if you don’t kill a deer early on, so as not to spook the deer as it returns.
Rub line
I consider a rub line to be at least six trees that have been rubbed within 50 yards. All of these trees will lead to one general area in a definite travel path. This is enough proof that a buck has been in the area more than once. Keep tabs of any new rubs and keep notes on a topo map or in a notebook.
How old is the buck?
Big, old bucks will shred small trees and 1 1/2-year-old bucks will attack big trees. However, this is not normal. Usually a hunter can estimate a buck’s age by how big the tree is that has been rubbed.
1. A buck's declaration
Bucks rub trees to leave scent and visual markings that declare their presence, release hormonal tension, and bulk up neck and shoulder muscles.
2. A deposit station
Buck rubs are visual signs, yes. But they’re also stations to deposit scent in the form of primer pheromones. These show a buck’s social status, stimulate does and suppress sex drives of younger bucks.
4. Size the tree, age the buck
All bucks will rub small trees of 1-3 inches in diameter. Four-inch or thicker trees are rubbed mostly by three-year or older bucks.
5. Rub lines and travel patterns
When scouting early, search for rub lines more than individual rubs. These reveal routes bucks use. They also help hunters find crucial bed-to-feed travel patterns.
6. Single rubs and the rut
During the rut, fresh individual buck rubs are more important since they pinpoint a buck’s current location with a hot doe.
7. Rubs an early-season stand sites
Boundary rubs are made in early season, well before rut, as mature bucks mark their territory. These make terrific early-season stand sites, but are poor choices otherwise.
8. The blazed side of a rub
Trail rubs are made by bucks traveling through their core home range, often from feed areas to bedding cover. These are excellent spots during the pre-rut. Deer will usually head toward the blazed side of the rub.
