Hunting over rubs after the rut?

[FeetDown]

I've been scouting for an upcoming public land whitetail hunt and have located several rub lines in an open woods setting. Keeping in mind that the hunt will be in early December, would you sit these rub lines or look elsewhere? Part of me is thinking it would be better to get closer to some thickets due to hunting pressure and it being post-rut, but sign has been hard to come by. No feeders or concentrated food sources that I know of. Thoughts?

[Greenheadless]

I prefer scrapes to rubs. I guess it depends on how fresh the rubs are and if they stay fresh.

[diamond10x]

How much time you got? Found any scrapes? I don’t think it’s a bad idea, but I would definitely have several game plans worked out and not put all my eggs in one basket.

[WCB]

I prefer scrapes to rubs. I guess it depends on how fresh the rubs are and if they stay fresh.

Look for scrapes. Saturday I found a new scrape at my lease so at least for now they are still working them some. Last year I had them working scrapes until the first of December. Hope they do this this year as I have a 3 day public land hunt in December as well.

[FeetDown]

Thanks guys. I only noticed one scrape along the best rub line, but I also had a nice buck cruise right by me at 11am that day so I can't get that spot out of my head This was a little over a week ago. I'll look for some fresh scrapes this weekend. Good advice.

[sqiggy]

Scrape man here. After the rut, they will reopen the scrapes. Put in a couple mock scrapes and you might be able to rattle one in.

[AntlerCollector]

Rubs are not what you want to hunt over, scrapes are. A rub just tells you a buck was there at some point. Most rubs on trees are done when bucks are trying to remove velvet. An active scrape is where the deer visit.

[Arrowsmith]

I am 66 years old and I have learned more about hunting mature bucks in the last two years here in Iowa than I learned the during all my other years of hunting. I have learned this from a guy that has multiple Boone and Crocket bow killed bucks including a 211+ on October 30th this year.

I used his tactics this year and killed a buck was that traveling exactly like he told me the buck would be traveling. I set up on a pinch between two blocks of timber with a SW wind in my face with a river channel behind me about 25 yards. I was at the bottom of a steep ridge that had a well used trail that tracked along the bottom of the ridge. I had 3 bucks that thought they they had the wind advantage and thought they were safe funnel right by me. None of them ever knew I was there. I killed the 3rd buck.

Here is my friends tactics. I have put quotes because these are his words not mine and I have much respect for him.

"I personally try to "give them the timber" and hunt the predictable pinches that they have to use to travel from area of cover to area of cover.

Also, they will nearly always if alone and mature be traveling quartering INTO THE WIND! I cannot tress this enough! Think about it, you cannot expect a mature buck that has this super nose that can detect his next woman and danger from hundreds of yards away, to just cast it to the wind and wander around without using it! He WILL be walking quartering into the wind 90% of the time!

Now, this time of year they are searching hard if they are not on a doe, so they are going from cover to cover using whatever is available to keep them secluded! That means depressions in fields, point to point of timber, fencerows, treelines, creek ways, water ways, anything! So if they connect 2 areas of timber you can bet the farm a buck will be using it! It is predictable and it is deadly for you to key in on! Again, they will be walk quartering INTO the wind so you need to have your stands set up accordingly so he "has the wind in HIS favor" but you are set up so he can't get your wind. Once you are set up like that, you are essentially using his number 1 defense/tool AGAINST him! That my friends is how you smash a giant!"

It takes research and planning to get set up like this. If you get a wind change move your set up. I hope this info helps. It definitely works.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[SRK14]

I’d hunt over a scrape next to thick cover. I’d take a stick and clean the scrape out and pee in it. Then find a good tree with a 20 yard shot

[beefiedoubleoh]

Hag C - stay off my rubs! Hahaha kidding... best of luck to all!