| Early Fall Buck Rubs | | | | sense of where the biggest buck has patterned |
| Is there a Trophy in your woods? Before your | | | | himself. The fewer marked trees of the |
| archery deer hunt this fall, a slow walk through | | | | preseason may actually tell you about an individual |
| your hunting area during late August or | | | | buck, allowing you to set your stand before the |
| September may reveal the signs of a wall hanger. | | | | hunting pressures alter his route. Setting your |
| White-tail bucks at this time of the year are | | | | stand precisely where it is needed early in the |
| trying to lose their velvet from their antlers. | | | | season may determine whether you score on the |
| These rubs are difficult to find and many hunters | | | | big one. If your archery season begins in October, |
| ignore going out and locating them this early in the | | | | you should try to set your stands no later than |
| season. There are a couple of good reasons for | | | | the middle of September. This will allow things to |
| searching these rubs out. | | | | settle down before your opening day of the |
| First, rubs being made this early are usually the | | | | archery season. |
| largest bucks in your area. Your dominant bucks | | | | Setting up your stand around early rub lines should |
| begin rubbing first and continue to rub throughout | | | | be done with good scouting in order to find the |
| the season. By locating these first rubs, he will tell | | | | path or funnel the buck is using between his |
| you his pattern for your early archery hunt. | | | | bedding ground and his feeding area. By placing |
| Wildlife biologists found that dominant bucks | | | | your stand too close to the feeding area, it could |
| average about 300 rubs per year and up to over | | | | mean the buck won't get there in time for |
| 500 rubs per year. Smaller less dominant bucks | | | | daylight shooting hours. Instead, place your stand |
| will usually start rubbing in late October. The | | | | closer to his bedding area, but not too close, so |
| smaller bucks have a much slower testosterone | | | | you don't disturb his resting area. This will increase |
| level which only starts to excite them when the | | | | your chances of seeing the buck during legal |
| does come into estrus. This is the reason why | | | | shooting hours. |
| your hunting area looks like every small tree in | | | | The early archery deer hunting season could just |
| your hunting spot has been run over by a | | | | be your best chance of bagging your best buck |
| lawnmower with dull blades in early November. In | | | | ever. A little preseason scouting can make the |
| other words, finding buck rubs early on (August | | | | difference of scoring big or simply struggling |
| through September) may be showing you a true | | | | through another archery season. Preseason rubs |
| wall hanger. | | | | are difficult to find, but when you do find them, |
| The second reason for locating these early rubs | | | | your chance of bagging your trophy has just |
| is; setting up your stand or stands on these rub | | | | increased immensely! GOOD LUCK and GOOD |
| lines. If you wait until the immediate pre-rut to go | | | | HUNTING! |
| out and scout for rubs, you may get a false | | | | |