mock rub/scrape trees

[6x6]

I bet sumac would work good, especially early, Daver. The one thing I like the most about the willows, is they stay green under the bark alot longer, and sometimes start sprouting new growth if the soil is moist enough.

I like to put smaller, bushier trees in right before the velvet strips off. Then the first week of october I put in much larger diameter, fresh trees. They really rub them hard throughout the october lull period, when they are just putting on the pounds and building up their neck muscles. Sometimes the september trees are all dried out before they really care much about serious rubbing, but the new, bigger october trees usually get tore up the first night and everyday after.

The bushy trees I put in a couple weeks ago get alot of nuzzleing, sniffing and scent marking with a little scrapeing, while they are feeding in the clover.

They are still checking out this last october tree, but most of the branches have been destroyed, long ago.

 

[o43ugg]

You will soon see 3 more forums on top of your Iowa Whitetail conference, and if you are married let you wife know right now that you will be spending a lot and I meen a lot of time on the computer, and let her know it isnt for looking at the pretty ladies, it is going to be reading all the past harvest from the guys and gals from this site and some of them have shot some MONSTERS. Only some of us can dream about. Congrats and you will not be disappointed. Welcome also.



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[AIRASSAULT]

6x6... How is the action at the rubs so far? Any bucks starting to rub and shed velvet yet at your place? I've been anxiously waiting for an update to this! :grin: One of my favorite threads!

 

[Full Draw]

I was just thinking the same this afternoon! Come on 6x6.

 

[6x6]

As dry as it has been here, I have not been too motivated to replace the older trees with fresh one's yet. I will be putting some smaller bushier ones in this week, but the first part of October the fresh bigger sign post sized ones will get the most attention and pictures. Again, they love the forked ones best, but they are easier to pull out.

This tree is the same one from sept 2011, I will replace it with a real big one in a couple weeks. They are still making a scrape under it, but it can't be much fun to rub.

This tree I put in 3 months ago, dead and dry now, but still also has 2 scrapes that have been active all summer. I will replace this one, this week.

It is just a mock scrape here, but this buck was working the scrape good. I have pics from 3 months ago when the growth was less than half this size.

 

[bigbuckhunter88]

Wow, that growth is ridiculous. Good to see that some deer are hitting the trees again. Always enjoy looking at this thread.

 

[dedgeez]

I'm getting lots of good action around mine also Joe. Haven't made a mock scrape under it yet, but by the looks of it I won't need to. Fun to watch the attraction to these trees. This one is in the middle of a clover plot. Can't wait for the daylight pics in a few weeks!

 

[AIRASSAULT]

Thanks for the update... I like checking this thread almost as much as checking my own trail cams

 

[6x6]

Dedgeez, thats a perfect looking tree. Like I said, I usually cut forked trees but they really get them loose and spinning around. Most I have to replace in oct-early nov. because all the branches are broken off. Then I just put in larger 5-10 inch trees. I used to pack them in everytime I checked the camera untill I realized how it drives them crazy, the more loose it gets in the ground. It's funny, they end up chaseing the licking branch around, making one big circle scrape all the way around the tree.

I hope to see more pics from others.

 

[tommyls1313]

Maybe a stupid question but I'm gonna try a couple of the rub/scrape trees in my plots and wanted thoughts. How about pouring a small amount of quickcrete in with the tree to help sturdy it up? Not enough that I couldn't pull it up with my tractor bucket come spring. Thanks for the posts guys. Fun thread to keep up with

 

[dedgeez]

All I do is use a post hole digger and save the dirt. Put the tree in the ground, pour the dirt around the tree, pour water on the dirt and pack it down really hard. Then I pour some more dirt on top of that and tamp it down. Once it dries, it's like concrete. At the end of the year I have to nudge the tree with my rzr to break it loose. I also bury my trees pretty deep (3ft or more). Good luck, it's a blast. :way:

 

[dedgeez]

The tree is getting worked over hard now. 12 different bucks in a 4 day span. You can see how heavily it's rubbed in the last pic. None of the big boys have showed on it yet, but I'm assuming that will change in the next few weeks.

 

[dedgeez]

The 15th was a busy night around the tree. Pulled the card quick this afternoon while it was raining. I'd like to give this guy another year, but the girlfriend has other ideas :grin: Nice 4 year old.

 

[6x6]

Great buck and pics, let her have him

 

[blakesburg]

lol....you know the girlfriend always gets what she wants. It is a nice ten

 

[Skully]

Nice! Are you using the black flash or does your cam have the red glowing IR flash?

 

[dedgeez]

Regular IR. It doesn't seem to bother them.

 

[6x6]

I replaced 3 of my best mock rub tree setups today, so I thought I would take a few pics to show what I look for in a tree and how I set them up.​

I use the Diamond Willows because of the shape, thin bark, soft wood and they are bushy with lots of horizontal limbs. The limbs are easy to bend down lower without breaking, to get them at the right height. They also have a real strong smell as they get rubbed and busted up.​

I get mine off my driveway, where I have been cutting them for over 10 years, like weeds. They have a little cone, like a pine tree and are short and bushy. I noticed right away when I moved here that bucks love to rub and tear these trees up.

This tree I cut in half and got 2 good ones.

The bottom half I used to relpace the tree in the field Corben is youth hunting in. Trimmed off the odd branches and scraped up the bark good for a visual. His blind is at the head of the ditch to the right, that we can sneak in and out thru the creek without ever getting busted.

The top half went to Coltons field, that he will be bowhunting a ladder in the background, right of the shovel handle and the lane in the corn, planted in radish/rye mix . I will be running the video camera from the ground blind on the other side of the rub tree 80 yards apart. But I can come and go anytime from my blind without spooking anything, while he does his 3 hour sits.

Then I cut one more for the old cattle lot with the automatic waterer by my house, thats got the radish/rye mix trying to grow.

I put it deep in the ground, but accidentally broke 1 big limb trying to get it bent down to the right spot. I put it in another hole for them to play with. On the main tree, I trimmed the extra stuff, scraped up the bark and dug out a good scrape. The camera will go on the post this week.​

They usually get hit the first couple days, despite all the sweat and scent I leave, so I will update, in the next day or so. I also have a couple more to put in tomorrow.​

These are the kind of trees I use, but I am sure others will also work great. I think I will set up an area to put a diamond willow, common willow, apple, basswood, maple, pine and a cedar all in, to see what they really prefer.​

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[6x6]

Well, all 3 new trees are getting worked daily. By the automatic water tank, the small one was pulled out, but the main tree is being shredded and the scrape worked.

We are useing the trees now to pattern the forked g-2 buck. Colton dislocated his thumb during the football game last friday, so he may not be able to pull his bow for a month. This buck is too dominant to wait that long to begin hunting, so Corben is now hunting him with his youth tag. Hopefully, if we can get him out early, One-eye and the wide, long browed buck will stay put. Now he is checking all my fields and running them off, I believe.
He is always fighting somebody, so better get him before he gets busted up.

He has been hitting the bottom field before dark everyday, except monday, when Corben and I were hunting there. We did have tumor face at 40 yards though.

The top field is getting worked real hard.He has been hitting it during the late night Here are a couple good sequences.

This mature 8 may end up being a problem also.

I put in a nice bushy diamond willow next to a great shaped common willow, with alot of overhang. We will see how they compare.

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[Daver]

Excellent post, thanks again for illustrating this tactic so very well. We have put a couple out this fall and are anxious to check cams to see what has been happening there.

Since I don't have much for willows on my farm I am going to definitely try a sumac, which I do have, this year and will report back. I also intend to try a cedar that I strip some branches off of to encourage some rubbing.

Good luck to you and your boys, although I don't think you really need much luck, just some time in those setups will pay off big I can see! :way: