I found this buck rub in my hunting grounds. I have never seen one this high before. That is the top of my rifle barrel leaned against the tree. I am 6' 2" tall and the top of the rub was higher than the top of my head.
And this rub was just about four feet from the first one.
Get your trail cams up all over the place and don't tell anybody about the area. You already told too many people by showing us here. Keep it a deep, dark secret and get some pics. You may have a freak of nature on your hands.
I have been hunting that piece of woods for four years now. It is only about 14 acres. I am very familiar with every inch of it. And I know for an absolute fact that there has been no fire there. I have gone to church with the owner for ten years now and have been familiar with the property that long. And equipment didn't do that either.
And if a buck did this, he could easily get that high.
if the top pic is a rub, its not from a deer. looks like the "rub" if that is what it is extends to at least 6 feet from the ground. only thing that could rub that high is a moose.
I agree with huntnh, it looks more like a moose rub to me only because even though a Buck can reach to those heights I've never ever seen or heard of one making rubs that way, a Buck deer would have to put his back against the tree to do it but a moose only needs to walk up and start rubbing.
Okay, I am open to suggestions as to what did it. As stated there absolutely has been no fire there. And the only equipment ever near there would be four wheelers. The owner does mow the outside perimeter of the area with a tractor and bush hog (see the picture of the two does on their hind legs for example) but he would not have it in the interior of the woods. As you can see there is nothing to mow.
And we have no moose in North Alabama. Although some months back there was an elk running around the area that no one had any idea where it came from. But as I remember it was a cow anyway. The game wardens finally caught up with it and shot it.
If a buck like the eight pointer in the picture reared up on his hind legs like the two does are doing, he could rub that high and wouldn't have to back up to the tree. And notice that the upper portion is not rubbed nearly as much as the lower portion.
So okay, if you don't think it is a buck rub, what do you say it is???
If a buck like the eight pointer in the picture reared up on his hind legs like the two does are doing, he could rub that high and wouldn't have to back up to the tree. And notice that the upper portion is not rubbed nearly as much as the lower portion.
So okay, if you don't think it is a buck rub, what do you say it is???
I don't think a Buck could rub a tree like that while standing on his hind legs, at least not the tree you have pictured and that really depends on the actual max height of the rub, I don't think the Deer's anatomical structure would allow him to contort and position his antlers forward enough to make a rub that high, I'm not saying it's impossible, I just can't figure out how he could get into a postion that would allow him to make a rub that high, maybe If I were right there I would see it differently because seeing things in pictures sometimes do no good at all.
So if you don't have moose in your area I don't know what to think unless, maybe it's a Porcupine, I've seen porcupine make trees look like possible rubs but never as nice as what you have pictured.
Recheck the area for tracks or droppings or try setting up a trail cam to try and capture what's out there.
Other than that, it's anybodys best guess. Good Luck
It is not impossible that it was a bear, but highly unlikely. One might conceivably have wondered down from Tennessee into North Alabama. But there have been no reported sightings of bears in this area since I don't know when. This is a 14 acre patch of woods surrounded by a 4 foot high fence with a gate next to a workshop. I have four trail cams positioned in this small area and have had for three years now. I have thousands of pictures of deer. I also have pictures of coyotes, possums, *****, buzzards, foxes, dogs, rabbits, squirrels, armadillos, crows, and other birds. But no bear. And by the way, no porcupine. Oh, and one poacher.
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