I've been out the past two weekends looking for sheds.  I haven't found any, but found some fresh rubs.  Fresh as in no more that a week or two old.  Sooo.... does this means there was a late, second rut?

Not necessarily a 2nd, 3rd, or fourth....

A buck will rub trees as long as he has antlers. ...Just something they do...

I agree with Curt. There are probably does that still haven't been bred and as long as these does are around the dominant bucks will retain their antlers as the rut continues. I have seen dominant antlered bucks in mid to late March chasing hot does while the subordinate bucks had already lost their antlers. Generally this is a sign of out of whack buck/doe ratio.

I think what it means most is that a deer was there recently.


ChuckC  

What kind of rubs? They may well be "boundry" rubs a buck makes simply as a way to define an area he considers his. These rubs are usually smaller and discreet and for other deer that stumble onto them- very different from the "hey I'm the stud and I'm right here!" rubs seen during the rut that are meant to advertise rather than gently warn.

Joshua

Joshua - Some of the rubs are on trees that have been rubbed numerous times in the past - you can see that the tree has been scarred and healed many times.  I have pics that I'll try to post tonight.

It means you can stop shed hunting because the deer still have antlers,  

The bucks out here will rub trees and brush heavy this time of year trying to discard their antlers. In fact, I've found a few buck sheds laying at the base of willow clumps with fresh rubs on them.

Bull elk will rub trees from now until they drop their antlers also.

Found fresh scrapes and rubs yesterday.  Also found the antlers of five different deer.

QuoteOriginally posted by Tree Killer:
The bucks out here will rub trees and brush heavy this time of year trying to discard their antlers. In fact, I've found a few buck sheds laying at the base of willow clumps with fresh rubs on them.

Bull elk will rub trees from now until they drop their antlers also.

This statement is so true. They want them off so they rub trees to get rid of them.

That makes a lot of sense. The rubs I am thinking of are more late summer type pre rut.

I see bucks chasing and grunting the current years, young does in Jan and Feb here in Illinois every year. Shot a buck chasing a young doe 4 years ago and there were 3 other bucks trailing her before I got down, this was mid Jan.

So some might rub for this reason.