Rub height / deer size study...

[dan]

The last buck looked like he was working a community rub, he smelled it 1st then put what looked like prorbital gland scent on the tree prior to rubbing it?

Cool footage by the way

You might be right... I did not think of that.

[dan]

I'm wondering how you can determine age -rub height unless you actually see the buck that made the rub?

Because most of us have seen deer rub, and have seen deer rubs, I think its easy to assume thru observation that most rubs are made at the same level, but bucks of different ages are different heights.
Also, by graphing the heights of found rubs we should be able to see if there are distinct peaks in a graph indicating different age classes... I am already seeing trends, especially in the younger classes that I have more samples from.

[dan]

I went back out and measured a bunch more and now have over 100 samples... It would be nice to have about 1000...
The lowest rub center was 15 inches high.
The highest was 39 inches high.
the average rub height was 26 inches.

[dan]

I graphed what I have so far and you can see some trends developing but it needs a lot more samples...

[Czabs]

Took pics of the only rubs I found that were on accurate high ground and straight trees. The diameter of the trees in inches is inaccurate. I measured the circumference . I just noticed that...

[Czabs]

I graphed what I have so far and you can see some trends developing but it needs a lot more samples...

Dan, don't we want the diameter too?

[dan]

Dan, don't we want the diameter too?

Yes... That graph is just for height.

[addisonlee]

Nice start to this thread. I'll be out soon with the tape. Keep'em coming guys.

[Zap]

Gathering data again this afternoon.

Will post soon...

[dan]

One more rule... Don't measure old rubs. Only ones from 2011 season. Trees grow.

[Darion]

Found the thread Dan, I am curious as to whether or not you made it to 1000 samples and if you did what you were able to determine? My wife has been kind enough to lend me the use of her digital camera..( she has no idea where i am going to traverse with it ) so I am going to start taking pics and measurements. I think if this has conclusive evidence, we would be able add something to our tool bag for scouting bigger mature bucks.

[dan]

Found the thread Dan, I am curious as to whether or not you made it to 1000 samples and if you did what you were able to determine? My wife has been kind enough to lend me the use of her digital camera..( she has no idea where i am going to traverse with it ) so I am going to start taking pics and measurements. I think if this has conclusive evidence, we would be able add something to our tool bag for scouting bigger mature bucks.

Nice to see some activity in this thread... What you see is what you get, never got any more samples from anyone and could not do it alone. My study of this over the years in my areas has me convinced its true. Been paying attention to this since the 1980's. My effort to graph this was to help the doubters see the light and come up with actual measurements...
One issue I see is with whitetail sub-species, like those in the south and out east which are differing heights. The scale might change for those areas but would still work the same...
Maybe we can get some people to take measurements this year during spring scouting and finish this graph.

[oldrank]

This is very interesting. I will be heading out with a tape measure n note pad for my post season scouting. What I am interested in seeing is how sqewed my results will be towards the 1.5 yr old bucks. A. I hunt heavily hunted stateland. B. I am in Michigan. I would expect my results to be showing very heavy rub activity by thelower rubbing bucks and then drop sharply from there.

[dan]

This is very interesting. I will be heading out with a tape measure n note pad for my post season scouting. What I am interested in seeing is how sqewed my results will be towards the 1.5 yr old bucks. A. I hunt heavily hunted stateland. B. I am in Michigan. I would expect my results to be showing very heavy rub activity by thelower rubbing bucks and then drop sharply from there.

Make sure to post your results here so we can use them too.

[PK_]

Wow, great info.