Lack of Rubs/Scrapes

GoodTimes · #1 10-16-2011

Been hunting the same 10 or so square miles for Whitetails for years. Every year around now there are rubs and scrapes everywhere in there. So tday I went for a good long walk to hang my cameras and couldnt find a single rub or scrape anywhere. Lots of deer runnin around, lots of tracks, no rubs or scrapes. Weird. Anyone notice a lack in your area too or am I in the twilight zone?

HunterDave · #2 10-16-2011

My opinion is that it's just a bit early to find allot of rubs and scrapes just yet. The good news is that if you know where a good concentration of scrapes were last year they will likely be there again this year.

GoodTimes · #3 10-16-2011

Theres no shortage of deer in there, and lots of bucks. We have 1/2 sec of Alfalfa a mile off the road thats been our own private lil hunny hole for many years. Usually I get my cams out end of 2nd week in Oct to start watchin whos hittin the scrapes. Last year we had almost 100 scrapes along the field edge this week. This year not a single one. Theres a line that paralells the field 120 yards in thats usually loaded too, nothin now. So weird

YoungBuck · #4 10-16-2011

I noticed the exact same thing this year. Our spot in 509 has a cutline that usually by early september has at least 3 scrapes, this year it has none. I noticed the same thing with moose, only found one wallow in areas that are usually covered. I don't know why, maybe the late spring, but i feel that the WT rut will be late and weak.

SkytopBrewster · #5 10-16-2011

yeah, everything seems a bit late. I live/hunt 330 and have seen squat for rubs/scrapes. I live right off crown land and don't usually have to go very far from the house to hunt. Gonna wait till the end of November for whitetail, hopefully get the days off to get out there and drop a wall hanger.

HunterDave · #6 10-16-2011

I don't know where everyone is living but here's a thought.........maybe there are fewer deer this year due to last year's hard winter. Or, there's not as much competition because the buck/doe ratio is messed up. Just a theory.

NIKON · #7 10-16-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoodTimes

Been hunting the same 10 or so square miles for Whitetails for years. Every year around now there are rubs and scrapes everywhere in there. So tday I went for a good long walk to hang my cameras and couldnt find a single rub or scrape anywhere. Lots of deer runnin around, lots of tracks, no rubs or scrapes. Weird. Anyone notice a lack in your area too or am I in the twilight zone?

I personally think it's too early for scrapes , late Oct or early Nov ..... You should be seeing some rubs though , shot a whitetail on oct3rd this year with my bow and he was packin bark around his bases already, We also have trail pics of a whitetail using a licking branch already but wasn't scraping under the limb yet

NIKON

HunterDave · #8 10-16-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by NIKON

I personally think it's too early for scrapes , late Oct or early Nov ..... You should be seeing some rubs though , shot a whitetail on oct3rd this year with my bow and he was packin bark around his bases already, We also have trail pics of a whitetail using a licking branch already but wasn't scraping under the limb yet

NIKON

I agree but these fellas are saying that they usually see scrapes by now where they hunt and there are none this year. I always thought that any rubs that you find at this time of year is from the bucks getting the velvet off.

NIKON · #9 10-16-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by HunterDave

I agree but these fellas are saying that they usually see scrapes by now where they hunt and there are none this year. I always thought that any rubs that you find at this time of year is from the bucks getting the velvet off.

I think the rubs are more of a scent and visual marking of a territory...They have scent glands near the base of the antler that gets left on the tree as scent......usually Velvet usually falls off within a day yet the bucks will rub the whole month of November...... Also rubbing trees strengthens the neck muscles for sparring this time of year........

NIKON

kayaker · #10 10-16-2011

Seen a few deer rubs in 336 already...

GoodTimes · #11 10-16-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by HunterDave

I don't know where everyone is living but here's a thought.........maybe there are fewer deer this year due to last year's hard winter. Or, there's not as much competition because the buck/doe ratio is messed up. Just a theory.

We didnt see any effects from last winter at all. Theres still deer everywhere lol. Over the mile and a half stroll I took this afternoon I saw a dozen easy, and we took a lil cruise this evening and saw way over 100 in the fields. Theyre here, just not scrapin yet

HunterDave · #12 10-16-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoodTimes

We didnt see any effects from last winter at all. Theres still deer everywhere lol. Over the mile and a half stroll I took this afternoon I saw a dozen easy, and we took a lil cruise this evening and saw way over 100 in the fields. Theyre here, just not scrapin yet

My buddy in the Cold Lake area told me the same thing........deer everywhere just like last year......no change. What wmu or area are you in?

rielbowhunter · #13 10-16-2011

I have seen lots of rubs, and only one scrape. Calgary bow zone. things seam normal to me, just would like to see a day of snow, lol

GoodTimes · #14 10-16-2011

Half in half out of the Edmonton bowzone here

HunterDave · #15 10-16-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoodTimes

Half in half out of the Edmonton bowzone here

Ahhhh.............wmu 248 (Edm bowzone) always has tons of deer so even if a bunch died last winter there'd still be allot around I figure. Yeah, I could see things being relatively normal there.

mulecrazy · #16 10-16-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by YoungBuck

I noticed the exact same thing this year. Our spot in 509 has a cutline that usually by early september has at least 3 scrapes, this year it has none. I noticed the same thing with moose, only found one wallow in areas that are usually covered. I don't know why, maybe the late spring, but i feel that the WT rut will be late and weak.

The WT rut will be the exact same as every other year. Weather and year type have zero effect on when the does go into estrus. If the weather is nice and the does travel less to find food, they leave fewer scent trails for the bucks to follow and may appear as though breeding has not started.

bowzonebucks · #17 10-17-2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by mulecrazy

The WT rut will be the exact same as every other year. Weather and year type have zero effect on when the does go into estrus. If the weather is nice and the does travel less to find food, they leave fewer scent trails for the bucks to follow and may appear as though breeding has not started.

couldn't have said it better myself. generally the weather changes is what brings the does out of the bush and into the feed.