Rubs and scrapes are chemical communication devices. No one really knows what is being communicated, but it is suspected to be buck health, dominance status, and in the Southeast, possibly even pheromones that help time estrus in females. MOST communication at rubs and scrapes is buck-to-buck communication, but does visit them and are certainly picking up some chemical messages.
Generally, rub and scrape densities are influenced by a number of factors, including buck density (number of bucks per square mile), adult sex ratio, buck age structure, and over-all herd health (quality of the fall acorn crop). Again, generally speaking, areas with high buck populations, balanced sex ratios, advanced buck age structures, and a good acorn crop see the highest rub and scrape densities.
