Hunting Rubs for The Big One

[htnseymour]

I watched an absolute monster walk across a cornfield the other day about 150 yards from my stand right as I came into the field. When I got in the stand and daylight came up I saw four enormous rubs in a line crossing in front of my stand. Later on I moved to the other corner of the field and when I was in the stand saw several large scrapes, these are on the path he took into the woods. Should I hunt the rubs or the scrapes for the monster? He is moving just at daylight from the rubs to the woods nad just at dusk from the woods to the bedding area.

Any advice would be helpful

 

[htnseymour]

Poser, the first stand with the rubs is about 200 yards from the bedding area, he crosses the field(behind the stand, stand faces woods) and goes into the far side into the woods and goes right up the edge to the scrapes, then comes out on an old logging road(another stand currently there facing woods, with a huge 12 inch deep old scrape 10 yards away) and crosses into bedding area. Entire propery surrounded by lake on 85% and ponds behind bedding area in thick thick thick new growth pines

 

[htnseymour]

The stand I have set there is facing into the woods and you can see the lake edge and trail he is running. He either has to come to the old scrape pile(foot prints says he does) or go outside the stand view and come out below. Most deer come out before the stand walk edge of 15 yards of field and turn down the road for about 20 yards before going in. All older bucks and does have come across the old and new scrapes 5 yards from the stand(it has been there for 5 years) and go in directly across the road. Road is literally 5 feet behind the stand

 

[bowriter]

Hunt the rub line. But better yet, figure out why the rub line is there and insert that into your stand site selection. Are they incedental or do they mean something? If they mean something, what?

I almost slobber when I come into situations like that because they are so much fun to figure out.

For sure, forget the scrapes. 85% of all scraping activity by mature bucks is nocturnal and at least half of the remaining visitations are done from quite some distance downwind. I would also bet those scrapes are made by smaller bucks.

Keep us posted on this one.

 

[htnseymour]

Will do bowriter, I am going in early tomorrow to set in that ladder on the rub line. I can see pretty much 75-100 yards in most directions with thick branch cover around me in the stand. Stand has been there for years too, so it is not even noticed by the deer anymore. That rub line leads to other rubs so I think it is definitely there for a reason. If I get the deer I saw in the field, not only will it be my first bow kill, but the biggest deer I have ever seen in person and my personal best.

 

[bowriter]

Go for it. Just remember, he didn't get that old by being stupid. You probably will only get one chance so don't overhunt that area.

 

[htnseymour]

Going to hunt it tomorrow and if no luck, I will move out of that area for a while and try later on. Probably try the far side as well

 

[tickweed]

better leave him alone till you can kill him with a muzzleloader or rifle. I cant believe you are still seeing him. Mature deer do not take any pressure.It can be done with a bow, but your best chance is the first time you hunt him. just my 2 cents good luck

 

[redblood]

I watched an absolute monster walk across a cornfield the other day about 150 yards from my stand right as I came into the field. When I got in the stand and daylight came up I saw four enormous rubs in a line crossing in front of my stand. Later on I moved to the other corner of the field and when I was in the stand saw several large scrapes, these are on the path he took into the woods. Should I hunt the rubs or the scrapes for the monster? He is moving just at daylight from the rubs to the woods nad just at dusk from the woods to the bedding area.

Any advice would be helpful

if your goal is to harvest the buck, not just hunt him, leave the area undisturbed and come in a kill him with your muzzleloader.

 

[redblood]

better leave him alone till you can kill him with a muzzleloader or rifle. I cant believe you are still seeing him. Mature deer do not take any pressure.It can be done with a bow, but your best chance is the first time you hunt him. just my 2 cents good luck

absolutely

 

[TN Whitetail Freak]

Rubs that are facing the food source is normally a morning rub route..... rubs facing the bedding area is the afternoon route....just another factor to deciphering this buck

 

[redblood]

I watched an absolute monster walk across a cornfield the other day about 150 yards from my stand right as I came into the field. When I got in the stand and daylight came up I saw four enormous rubs in a line crossing in front of my stand. Later on I moved to the other corner of the field and when I was in the stand saw several large scrapes, these are on the path he took into the woods. Should I hunt the rubs or the scrapes for the monster? He is moving just at daylight from the rubs to the woods nad just at dusk from the woods to the bedding area.

Any advice would be helpful

if your goal is to harvest the buck, not just hunt him, leave the area undisturbed and come in a kill him with your muzzleloader.

Wait 16 days? Things could change a lot between now and then. I'd take my best shot while you have it. Wait for your best conditions in the next few days and go for it. If you fail, back off. That's just me.

if he fails, he may never see him again. odds of killing him with a bow are slim. odds of spooking him while trying? very high

 

[Pursuit Hunter]

I watched an absolute monster walk across a cornfield the other day about 150 yards from my stand right as I came into the field. When I got in the stand and daylight came up I saw four enormous rubs in a line crossing in front of my stand. Later on I moved to the other corner of the field and when I was in the stand saw several large scrapes, these are on the path he took into the woods. Should I hunt the rubs or the scrapes for the monster? He is moving just at daylight from the rubs to the woods nad just at dusk from the woods to the bedding area.

Any advice would be helpful

if your goal is to harvest the buck, not just hunt him, leave the area undisturbed and come in a kill him with your muzzleloader.

Wait 16 days? Things could change a lot between now and then. I'd take my best shot while you have it. Wait for your best conditions in the next few days and go for it. If you fail, back off. That's just me.

I agree. No guts, no glory.

 

[LessIsLess]

I watched an absolute monster walk across a cornfield the other day about 150 yards from my stand right as I came into the field. When I got in the stand and daylight came up I saw four enormous rubs in a line crossing in front of my stand. Later on I moved to the other corner of the field and when I was in the stand saw several large scrapes, these are on the path he took into the woods. Should I hunt the rubs or the scrapes for the monster? He is moving just at daylight from the rubs to the woods nad just at dusk from the woods to the bedding area.

Any advice would be helpful

if your goal is to harvest the buck, not just hunt him, leave the area undisturbed and come in a kill him with your muzzleloader.

Wait 16 days? Things could change a lot between now and then. I'd take my best shot while you have it. Wait for your best conditions in the next few days and go for it. If you fail, back off. That's just me.

I agree. No guts, no glory.

PH - Isn't this just the opposite of 'no guts no glory'?

I'm with Poser on this one. I feel like we spend a lot of time talking about big boys moving many miles during the rut. Though, know this advice comes from an expert at shooting immature slick heads cause I'm hungry...

 

[Pursuit Hunter]

I watched an absolute monster walk across a cornfield the other day about 150 yards from my stand right as I came into the field. When I got in the stand and daylight came up I saw four enormous rubs in a line crossing in front of my stand. Later on I moved to the other corner of the field and when I was in the stand saw several large scrapes, these are on the path he took into the woods. Should I hunt the rubs or the scrapes for the monster? He is moving just at daylight from the rubs to the woods nad just at dusk from the woods to the bedding area.

Any advice would be helpful

if your goal is to harvest the buck, not just hunt him, leave the area undisturbed and come in a kill him with your muzzleloader.

Wait 16 days? Things could change a lot between now and then. I'd take my best shot while you have it. Wait for your best conditions in the next few days and go for it. If you fail, back off. That's just me.

I agree. No guts, no glory.

PH - Isn't this just the opposite of 'no guts no glory'?

I'm with Poser on this one. I feel like we spend a lot of time talking about big boys moving many miles during the rut. Though, know this advice comes from an expert at shooting immature slick heads cause I'm hungry...

Hunh? I say go after him with the bow. No telling where he will be two weeks from now.

 

[LessIsLess]

Oh. The nested replies were confusing me Agree to agree then.

 

[redblood]

u never know.but i have good success by waiting for a more efficient weapon. he may relocate with the rut, true. but i believe in most every situation, odds are better holding off for gun, than pushing in with bow

 

[Fishnhunt]

No way man you have to go for it. You will be kicking yourself if you don't. We have been watching several mature bucks for 3 days now and have had to walk all over the area that they work through and we haven't spooked them at all. What's the worst that can happen, you spook him? I would rather say I tried but spooked him then say I was waiting on gun season and never saw him again. Just my two cents.

 

[buckaroo]

I know I would 10x thriled to kill it with a bow than a gun.

 

[thejetman]

Dad always said you can't kill anything sitting at home talking about it. The more time you spend in the woods the better your odds get for seeing/shooting/experiencing it. I would hunt everyday. As much as I could, cause you know if you don't, someone else will. And you don't want to meet him and that monster at the gas station with him telling you the story. . . . . Just sayin. ..