What effects the timing of buck scrapes and rubs?
Filed under: Ask Grant, Deer Biology, Hunting Tactics
While turkey hunting south/central Georgia this weekend I found plenty of fresh scrapes. Why is that? Also, during the pre-rut we have bucks leaving plenty of scrapes, but just a few rubs. Then in January after all the breeding is done our bucks go crazy rubbing trees. Do you find that odd?
Keep up the good work!!
Kevin
Kevin,
Fawns in deer herds with access to good nutrition will reach puberty (approximately 70 pounds) in Georgia before and during the opening of the spring turkey season. The female fawns that reach their first estrous cycle during that time of year cause the bucks to express rutting behavior. Rutting behavior rarely occurs this time of year in areas without ag crops or good food plots.
I’m not sure about the timing of rubs on your property. It could be that bucks are shifting their range a bit and more bucks are present on your property during January. This could be caused by local farmers harvesting their crops and your food plots are providing the best food in the neighborhood during that time of year.
Growing Deer together,
Grant
