Whitetail Buck Still Making Rubs?

canadian hunter312

canadian hunter312

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I went coyote and crow hunting on Sunday to test out my new electronic call (ICOtec GC-500) at a few public properties and am glad the deer have all returned to their normal haunts and activities now that the season has been over for a month. While walking some heavy trails towards bedding area's looking for sheds I stumbled upon two very fresh rubs that are on a rub line that branches off the main trail. Judging by how green the bark was and how the shredded bark was sitting on top of the snow, they were likely made on Friday or Saturday. This rub line has been present since I started hunting this bush 3-4 years ago.



Why on earth would a buck be making rubs at this time of year when they're supposed to be dropping antlers? I was thinking he may have been trying to pop his antlers off, but then thought I would have seen this every season. In the 12+ years of hunting I have never seen a single rub made at this time of year, let alone two about 10 yards apart.
 
I had a buck on trail cameras for 3 years that never shed. His neck was always swollen like he was in rut and he made fresh rubs throughout the years. I would get many pictures of him year round.
 
I've seen a buck that hadn't lost it's antlers by March too. Maybe a genetic defect that didn't shut down the testosterone after the rut?
 
I found the first shed over the weekend, but no fresh rubs. That is very interesting, most probably trying to knock off the antlers. Once one antler has fallen off I have seen them push against trees to try and free up the other one. I would assume it is like when your baby teeth get loose, it's a little itchy and irritating for them and eventually they get fed up and try to get the other one off.
 
kennymo said:
I've seen a buck that hadn't lost it's antlers by March too. Maybe a genetic defect that didn't shut down the testosterone after the rut?
Click to expand...


"A second unique male antler anomaly is a “cactus” buck. These bucks suffer from very low testosterone production due to hypogonadism or cryptochidism (i.e., their testicles are the size of a green pea or never descend from the body cavity). Because they never experience a fall surge of testosterone, the antlers are never shed. Each year new velvet and antler material is grown over and around the existing antler. Over time this gives the antlers the look of a gnarly “cactus.” These bucks are not common, but a couple are reported killed in Virginia each year."

interesting reading

h ttp://www.iwla-rh.org/html/DGIF_articles/deer_antlers.html
 
I've found fresh scrapes and rubs on Jan 24th...........the "third" rut happens when a doe doesn't get bread earlier (same thing "second" happens in December). Some doe fawns come into their first estrus in January.
 
I watched an antlered buck mount a doe repeatedly in late February about 5 or 6 years back. Kinda lends support to the third, or fourth, or... rut theory!

I guess the bucks are not unlike the males of other species. If you asked my wife she'd likely tell you that the rut is always on around here;)
 
I see several bucks with antlers in March of every year. It is not uncommon. I have also seen bucks breeding does in January. A doe that has not caught in one of the early cycles draws a lot of suitors in January. A lot of the springs fawns are bred late.

kennymo said:
I've seen a buck that hadn't lost it's antlers by March too. Maybe a genetic defect that didn't shut down the testosterone after the rut?
Click to expand...
 
The January rut may explain why last week I nearly hit a big mulie buck, twice in three days. He wasn't paying any attention to vehicles, nose to the ground and neck all fluffed up. Haven't seen him since last Monday, so I suspect he's no longer in rut.
 
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