whats the value of rubs as elk sign?

[ureyes]

I'm a flatlander who is used to hunting whitetail bucks. Bucks that have a limited home ranges and don't migrate like the great creatures of the west.

when you find those big rubs made by a whitetail you can be fairly certain that there is a buck frequenting the area.

Does it work the same with elk? How much value do you place on finding elk rubs? Are elk creatures of habit like whitetails and will frequent the same haunts over and over?

It seems as though on public property elk rubs wouldn't necessarily mean the bull that made them is anywhere close to the rub or will frequent by them again.

Now if the rub was still green and only a matter of days or hours old that may be different.

If your hunting rifle season and with the migration factor....wide open spaces...pressure and all the other things.... are rubs just as good of sign as tracks, fresh droppings and beds?

On one occasion I happened upon a knob that was littered with lots of huge rubs and some fresh beds....I shot a bull not far from there a couple days later and I suspect that was one of his prime bedding locations....but honestly I have no idea, I may just be thinking about it from a whitetails perspective and it wasn't the same bull at all.

what's your take on elk rubs?

 

[tttoadman]

I think they do show a pattern. I think elk Rubs are a territorial thing. I find rubs in the same place as beds, so that tells me who may be bedding in that area. Elknut needs to chime on this. I would love to hear his thoughts on this.

 

[Laelkhunter]

I was wondering if different Elk might use the same tree for a rub. If it is territorial, and a dominant bull comes along, will he use the same tree as a previous bull? I have seen tree trunks that were torn up, and the ground around them with tons of hoof prints, that were different sizes indicating that differnet elk were using the rub. Since the ranch I hunt has a migrating herd, I guess it is normal that several bulls take a liking to one tree, or they sense (smell) another bull has been there, and want to show dominance.

 

[Bar]

Since I hunt nothing but bedding areas. I always look for lots of poop and rubs. Here's one of those areas i've taken elk from.

 

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

I went into a brand new area and did some scouting this last week, I had zero experience in the area so I keyed in on rubs. I dropped some cams where I found a high concentration from last year. This has worked before but I dont have enough experience to say the same bulls came in there. Those are some big trees for rubs in those pics, I never see rubs on trees that thick in AZ, mostly like 2 or 3 in diameter young trees have rubs that I have seen. Again I am only a few years into chasing these guys.

 

[Manosteel]

Rubs near bedding areas will tell you bull frequent the area on a regular basis. Where I hunt the rubs and bedding areas are always in the same generally area, usually on the same bushes/trees. With that said I can't say for certain that it's the same Bulls marking their territory, however, the big 7x7 I harvested this year was in the same one I have hunted in the same area for the last 3 seasons and I found one of his sheds last summer in his (what I assume) was his favorit bedding patch. WITH THAT SAID, 10 miles is nothing for an elk and you can push them out of an area pretty quickly. The biggest mistake I see with new elk hunters is staying in one area to long, if you don't find them and the sign is not fresh.... Move on. When scouting cover as much ground as you can to find several areas that elk will frequent, that way you will have an idea where to look if your spot isn't producing.


I don't hunt deer like I used to but in my experience with elk, you can't hunt elk rub line like you would deer rub lines.

 

[Ross]

Rubs tell you a bull has been there, but as noted he may be long gone depending on the age. The particular ones I take note of are smoking fresh ones, ones you smell before you see them, very green and white, or fresh bulls tracks in snow next to a rub tree. These get your sense going that a bull may be very close. Additionally areas that show a history both fresh and old of bulls frequenting an area through the years are place I will check periodically. Rubs next to an antler are always cool to find as well

 

[JPD350]

There are two kinds of rubs that I focus on, one is in the bulls bedroom where he cleans them up getting ready for the rut, these rubs are often isolated in a small secluded spot and then you have the rutting rubs which are all over the areas where the cows hang out, these rubs are often very aggressive looking and are over a wider area, I look for these two areas when I am scouting because these areas seem to get used year after year unless there is some variable that changes the dynamics of the area. As for bulls using other bulls rubs, I don't really know for sure but I would imagine it is possible on the rutting rubs. I have also seen them rub their antlers when they are getting close to dropping but those rubs don't matter to me.

 

[AMann]

I disagree that rubs are territorial. I've seen 370 inches bulls simply watch small 5's destroy trees within feet of their cows. Last year I sat 50 yards from the bull I was after for 2 hours just to watch him bugle in his bed and pay no attention to a 4 pt. and small 6 rip up trees all around him. He also didn't mind the younger bulls scent checking his cows.... As far as using rubs to dictate hunting plans, I personally only take note when I've been guided to them by my nose. With no sap on the tree, hair everywhere and the fresh smell of pine I know I should be on point.

 

[ridgefire]

Love finding areas with a bunch of rubs. More times than not I will find a bull in the vicinity. Love sneaking into these areas and then firing off a bugle, have had bulls come running in.

 

[WyoHnt300]

Lots of good input here and this comment may be part echo, but rubs for me just confirm there are some bulls in the area. The real key is being able to determine what the rub tells you. Some of the larger trees (6"+ diameter) don't convey much as most of the branches are above the reach of even the biggest bulls. The small stand timber can give you some clues into the size of a bull making a rub. There are exceptions to this as I've seen rag horn bulls wrap a pine tree around their headgear like a fishing line knot, but usually the reach of a rub (height) is a good indicator that a bigger bull is responsible. Just my .02

 

[Coveyleader]

To me, they simply mean a bull was there. They can let you know you are in a bedding area, especially when you find them on little benches and stuff. In the elk world, to me, they mean elk were there in August, September, and you can store that info off for future years (especially if scouting early) but by no means do they have near the importance as a WT rub. You find big WT rubs, you know you have a buck in the vicinity. Finding an elk rub simply means he was there. Pressure maybe have pushed him TWO long ridges away, and he isn't coming back.

 

[Bar]

When the rubs in my above pictures are in an area with no other hunters in muzzy season, have fresh poop, and smell like elk. I know they're there.
I also know when I see them there, and in my freezer. Rubs are just one part of it, but that's the topic on this thread. Never think rubs aren't important, as long as you use them as part of a puzzle.

 

[realunlucky]

My dad drew an le tag and while hunting one day we stumble into an area just destroyed by rubs on every tree fifty plus trees. Anyway figured it was a transition area where he could watch for cows in the meadows or slip into dark timber. Log it in GPS and I'm mind as most torn up place I've ever seen. Fast forward couple years I finally draw same le tag head to same spot and call a bull right out of there. It was torn up again! When you find the rubs that mean something there will be more than a few and they'll fit into the rest of the puzzle as to why bulls prefer that spot

 

[Ross]

The rubs in my post in the snow are the last week of October. They were there in back to back days in fresh snow, with others as well very close. This bull was with cows and I hypothesize the 3rd 4th estrus was going and was still wanting to get some, wasn't and so was raking out his agitation. This could be a crock and simply was feeling frisky with the first snow of the year and was simply taking it out on some trees. Either way I knew a bull or two was very close in back to back days and staying in this area.