Whitetail Rub Lines Part 2

What I usually look for in a rub is if the surrounding trees also show signs of rubbing going on. To be precise if there is a cluster of trees, check the trees or limbs behind the main rub. Carefully inspect them for tine marks because mature bucks with really tall tines will often leave scars on the trees or limbs behind the main rubbed tree giving you an idea of how big the rack he is carrying is.

Finding a rub line will mark the preferred travel of a buck between bedding and feeding. A well used trail of a whitetail will likely have rubs along the way of his usual travel route. This provides a lot of opportunities for younger bucks to view and scent the dominant bucks presence. A travel corridor with repeated rubs popping up is a good place to hunt. If the majority of rubs appear on one side of the trees along the rub line. Then this gives you a definite direction of travel that the buck uses. Also never expect to see that buck everyday there. I have the group of four bucks that I have only seen 1 time with my own eyes. The other handful of times were with my game tracker over a 3 year period.

Clusters of concentrated rubs are really exciting. Older bucks tend to make more rubs in an area where they prefer to bed and generally feel more relaxed. Thus I have noticed that where I see my bucks I'm sure my little young guys made the rubs. A line or plethora of clustered rubs tells me I will see a buck and it is a good place to hunt for the buck or bucks rubbing. I would not expect to see a trophy size deer just a nice young buck.