BSK
Well-Known Member
McCoy,
Rubs (and scrapes) are chemical communication devices. Think of rubs as pheromone wicks. Bucks leave scent from their forehead gland as they are making the rub. if you watch a buck make a rub he will stop every so often and sniff the rub. He is testing to see if it smells right yet. Exactly what chemicals are left on a rub, and their exact biological purposes, are not known, but it is strongly suspected these chemicals help maintain male social hierarchy, and in the Southeast, actually help maintain proper breeding timing.
Because rubs are communication devices, they are made where other deer will come in contact with them. This is especially true of signpost rubs. With the except of those made in an individual buck's bedding area, signpost rubs are almost always made in high deer interaction areas--where numerous deer travel patterns intersect. When I see signpost rubs outside of a bedding area, I know I'm looking at a spot where different buck and doe social group travel patterns funnel through a single spot or intersect at that spot. This can be anything from a habitat or terrain-based funnel to a staging area into a concentrated food source.
Only older bucks INITIATE big signpost rubs. However, once started, every buck that interacts with that rub will rework it, even down to the smallest spike. Even does will sniff and lick signpost rubs. This is how the chemical messages are transmitted. Once a signpost is created, they become like the fire hydrant ever dog goes out of his way to pee on and "leave his mark." During his doctorial research, my mentor monitored signpost rubs with the first production trail-cameras (back in the late 80s and early 90s). On one long-standing signpost rub, he acquired pictures of 13 different mature bucks working that rub in a single season. Once created, signpost rubs are VERY communally used.
Rubs (and scrapes) are chemical communication devices. Think of rubs as pheromone wicks. Bucks leave scent from their forehead gland as they are making the rub. if you watch a buck make a rub he will stop every so often and sniff the rub. He is testing to see if it smells right yet. Exactly what chemicals are left on a rub, and their exact biological purposes, are not known, but it is strongly suspected these chemicals help maintain male social hierarchy, and in the Southeast, actually help maintain proper breeding timing.
Because rubs are communication devices, they are made where other deer will come in contact with them. This is especially true of signpost rubs. With the except of those made in an individual buck's bedding area, signpost rubs are almost always made in high deer interaction areas--where numerous deer travel patterns intersect. When I see signpost rubs outside of a bedding area, I know I'm looking at a spot where different buck and doe social group travel patterns funnel through a single spot or intersect at that spot. This can be anything from a habitat or terrain-based funnel to a staging area into a concentrated food source.
Only older bucks INITIATE big signpost rubs. However, once started, every buck that interacts with that rub will rework it, even down to the smallest spike. Even does will sniff and lick signpost rubs. This is how the chemical messages are transmitted. Once a signpost is created, they become like the fire hydrant ever dog goes out of his way to pee on and "leave his mark." During his doctorial research, my mentor monitored signpost rubs with the first production trail-cameras (back in the late 80s and early 90s). On one long-standing signpost rub, he acquired pictures of 13 different mature bucks working that rub in a single season. Once created, signpost rubs are VERY communally used.