This week I saw the first couple of rubs from those eager spikes. No big boys yet.
I'm in CT, when do they show up where you are?
As soon as they start shedding velvet...every deer is a little different.
Most of the time bigger deer will shed first,but not always.
Those little spikes you speak of are usually the last from what I've seen over the years.
Even big bucks really don't mess with big trees real early. Mostly small bushy trees to help shed velvet.
I've seen rubs as early as Aug. 20th...
I too have seen rubs as early as Aug. 15th. Starting the end of August and the first week of Sept. I see some bigger trees starting to be rubbed and by now some trees are being torn up! Shawn
Here in east central IL I usually see the first rubs the first few days of September.
Out squirrel hunting with my boys and a friend today, we got in the middle of no less than 30 rubs all within about 100 yards. It looked like whatever tree was in the way, they tried taking it down. In the mix with all of them was 2 scrapes. They were not freshened up, but they were there none the less.
I have a pretty good feeling that come next Saturday evening, I will be found right in the middle of all of it.
Late August/early September here in the eastern Massachusetts area.
They been rubbing by me as well. Usually they hit bushes like honeysuckle or choke cherrys. Then ( like now) they seem to prefer small trees, sumack is getting hit now, not hard, jsut a bit scrapped up is all. In a bit we will see the more interesing rubs that seem get the deer and my blood boiling!
Bob.
Usually find a few around the season opener if I am lucky. I agree 100% with what Curt said. I don't generally hunt rubs, but if I find em early on privot bushes or small trees, my blood get's boiling. I usually base my first week of hunting around them. I have had great success in at least seeing large bucks in the daylight. I don't always get a shot, but get to see them in the area. Our opener is Oct. 1st in MS. I found my first rub today about the size of a pencil. the camera that I had set up showed a nice 130 class 9pt in daylight frequenting the area.
I just found 2 this week behind the house where i hunt.