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Rub line hunting

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
Last year I had the biggest rub line that I'd ever seen. I tried to hunt it without success.

It's up on a hill next to the road. On the other side (west/SW side) of the road is a good sized (40 acres?) CRP field. The hill drops off pretty rapid into a creek (east). The only place to park is 80 yards away (out of sight) to the south or right in the middle of the rub line. You can see the road from just about anywhere in this spot.

How would you hunt this spot? Or would you not hunt it.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
I would hunt a pinch point leading to the rub line. The close by road is the killer.
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
I agree, that buck if he's hanging around is likely up high on the hill somewhere and can scan that whole roadway, especially seeing you park and get out. Any way to come in from a totally opposite direction?

It'd be a hell of a hike through another bedding area and through the creek, if the water is low enough. Staying cool enough to not build up a major sweat is the problem with coming in from any other area.
 
1,560
0
It's hard to give advice with out being able to see your set up. What side of the trees are the rubs on? This should give you an idea which way he is traveling, and should help you locate where he is bedding.
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
He's bedding in the CRP or on the ledge and looking down into the creek bottom. I've been able to catch him when he beds on the ledge, just can't seem to ever get his attention. Almost like he's deaf, he doesn't react to any noises, even whistles.

Rubs are all on the west side of the trees on the edge of the wood line. He would have a great view of them from the CRP. It's actually right in a parking area and follows a hiking path that gets traveled a few times a week. The deer will walk right past the cars parked in it normally. I'm not very good with the computer or I'd be able to show you with pics. If Urbanhunter is lurking, I don't mind if you show a pic from that fancy app you have.

In the beginning of the season I had a freshly broken leg and was hunting 30 yards from the truck… Thats how I even found myself hunting this close to the road. And it really turned out to be a nice hotspot, really hot early season. As it also has a couple apple trees in the parking area.