Little late season blacktail rub

[h20hunter]

Not a bad little rub. This was done later that I would expect because it wasn't there very long ago.

[deerhunter_98520]

That's a good rub 

[fishnfur]

Hard to imagine that was rubbed much later than early January.  Any real idea how long ago it occurred? 

Nice rub.  Tore the snot out of that tree!

[huntingbaldguy]

I found a whole series of semi fresh rubs last week that really surprised me.  There were probably 20 saplings that had been nailed like this in 100 yards right off a trail.  Thinking back i probably should have looked for a shed.

[fishngamereaper]

Look for teeth marks on those new looking ones. Possible those are from a hungry bear. They love to eat bark from young trees. I see those all the time, especially over on the Coyle and up by Quilecene.

[huntingbaldguy]

You could be right, that was in the olympics.

[h20hunter]

Hard to imagine that was rubbed much later than early January.  Any real idea how long ago it occurred? 

Nice rub.  Tore the snot out of that tree!

I'm not sure. Its been about a month or so since I checked the cams. I guess I could have missed it but I doubt it. The path in is only a few feet wide and you can't miss it.

[bowtechian]

Don't bears usually take off 360° of the bark on the trees? If you find it truely is deer rubs probably sign post just outside a bedding area

[h20hunter]

There are mass trails and bedding areas around this rub. I also know the deer use this old over grown skid road kind of like an interstate. There are many old rubs along here...just none this big.

[kodiak 907]

I went back to the area where I shot my buck this year . It was hit really hard again in mid January. I guess I am gonna be camping on that spot again next year!

[The scout]

not trying to start an argument but that rub does not look fresh at all to me. maybe it's just the lighting

[h20hunter]

Mine?  Nope,  not that fresh. I was wondering how long black tails will rub.....is there a 2nd late season rut that kicks in....that kind of thing.

[kodiak 907]

I saw a pretty decent three point making a rub and scraping in late December. He was definitely rutted up. Probably after some of the does that didn't get bred during the first cycle.

[The scout]

oh sorry I thought you were saying it was fresh. around here the last rubs seem to occur late November. my buddys that archery hunt up in the Skagit are chasing rutting bucks up till December, witch means they are probably seeing the last rubs like second week of dec.

[fishnfur]

I always check for hairs on the rub, especially if I think it is a new one.  Down here, Elk continue to rub throughout the winter, especially on Sitka Spruce if it is available.  Other conifer get beat up too.  The DNR biologist explained it that the groups of raghorns are like a bunch of teenage boys, just breaking stuff 'cause it's fun.  One hair found caught in the bark paints a better picture of the culprit responsible for the rub. 

Statistically, I think the books say that 99% of does have been bred by mid-December, and something like 99.9% of the does are bred by the end of December.   That leaves one doe out of a thousand still going through estrous cycles by the start of the new year.  I'm guessing that single buck may still be making or freshening rubs at this time, but probably not too much later than that.