Episode 071 - Rubs and Scrapes with Karl Miller

Show Notes - Deer University Episode 071 - Rubs and Scrapes with Karl Miller
What is a deer signpost? In this episode Steve and Bronson visit with Dr. Karl Miller, the former professor and researcher of deer biology and management at the University of Georgia. Karl and his students and colleagues have studied white-tailed deer signposting behavior for decades and he shares key findings regarding the biology and ecology of this research, and how you can apply it to hunting.
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[@bmalone0688]

This is probably the most interesting and informational podcast I have heard for a hunter. Would love to hear a part 2 of you 3 discussing this stuff

[@joec1212]

So glad to see a new episode! I absolutely adore these podcasts. Steve has to be my favorite. His voice is timeless for a podcast.

[@msudeerlabtv5058]

Come on now...We want to keep Steve humble.😄

[@arikeller2789]

Absolutely incredible information! I'll definitely be listening to this one multiple times. Thank you guys so much for all your whitetail wisdom.

[@brob-zy8zi]

Thank you for all of the information. Every part of the life of deer is fascinating to me and I love to gather as much information on them as possible. This was very informative.

[@curtismerriman9956]

Community scrapes and sighn post rubs are almost always in places where other deers home ranged meet or in human terms a intersection in main highways.

[@wardamnfishing]

Super helpful and thorough, as usual. Thanks for all of the insights.

[@habitatsolutions360llc3]

I've been observing & dodumenting scrape behavior on my southern Michigan farm for over 3 decades, since ive started using trail cameras Ive photographed bucks and does every mon th of the year working and scent marking scrapes. Also multiple young fawns 45-60 days old & older using scrapes every year. many are so young and small they rear up to make contact with the lower hanging licking branch/vines. Sometime their mothers might use it & othertimes their morthers dont. I find these subjects of sign-posti rubs & scrapes so interesting, Thanks guys keep this good info coming.

[@brob-zy8zi]

I've been using trail cameras since summer. I found an area that had a ton of sign in mid September. From what I can gather by putting cameras on three different scrapes in three different parts of the landscape in the same small area this is what I've gathered. There is one scrape at a major intersection area where several trails meet Between bedding areas. This scrape is the size of an 8ft pickup bed. It's the biggest I've ever seen. Most activity is at night. Does will hang around for half an hour or more. And, I got over 10 bucks visiting that scrape in just one week. This community scrape seems to be a social gathering scrape honestly. What's commonly referred to as a community scrape. Then, there is a scrape about 150 yards away. It's very close to bedding and the laurel Bush it's under is also rubbed. None of the deer hang around this scrape but they do go out of their way to check it and scent mark the licking branch. I got a picture of one mature buck hitting it about 20 minutes after dark. He came directly to it. The way they mark and check it and move on and its proximity to doe bedding I'm guessing it's a scrape related to communication for breeding purposes. Then one other type I've found is a scrape that is in the middle of a line of several other scrapes. I got video of a really nice, mature wide 8pt visiting it. I could only leave the camera there for one week because a big bear found it and did his best to reach up and tear it down. I didn't want him to come back and be successful next time. Anyways, this buck came in with a swagger. He pawed the ground hard. He urinated in it, he marked the licking branch, and moved on with the same swagger. He just looked like he was trying to say "I mean business, don't try me". I think this type of scrape are the boundary scrapes and to me they're going to pop up lots more where more than one mature buck exists. The reason I say this is because I've gotten zero pictures of this buck around any other scrapes on the other side of a drainage. I'm not sure if my assessments are right or not it's just what I've gathered from watching deer or hunting them for the last 30 years and by running my cameras.

[@troybrake5686]

Great stuff!!!!!

[@scottellis8964]

Mr Strickland is the only man I’ll listen to these days ,along with Don Higgins ! The leaders in deer info!

[@matthewwichtner2935]

Experiment with my scrapes sometimes. I've put doe urine, different types at times on the licking branch of a scrape. I've observed bucks chewing that same licking branch. In fact, one year I took an eight point, in the rain, who was on his hind legs, chewing the licking branch drenched with dough urine. And to make things even more interesting, he was the lone buck, that came in with five other does. But he wasn't going anywhere until he devoured that licking branch. Something you might be able to add to your research? Just thought I'd pass it on. I found it very interesting. Love the show, thanks.

[@brushcrawler8612]

The bucks that were harvested near the community scrapes that were never on camera might very well have detected the recording devices. Swinging downwind might give experienced bucks all the info they need without sticking their nose in it.

[@Walker6946]

Damn that was good

[@charlesleblanc6638]

Something that has me a bit puzzled, is why would bucks avoid working the ground at a mock scrapes, but still visit these M.S. and just work the licking branches ?

[@ethansmith5655]

There is a rub on the farm I hunt that has been hit every year for 15 years last year was the least amount of hits I guess only 3 times but another 5 yards away was ripped up every other day

[@tysonrodgers1324]

It’s also easy to say 75% of all deer movement is at night

[@reddawng43x91]

I disagree

[@garywilson3516]

I disagree too big bucks get up and move if his core has all that he needs why move especially if they're much pressure on them...

[@ChefBased888]

Does this information transfer equally to black tail deer ?

[@din75cschmoo]

The guy in the middle to reboot his zoom😂

[@kennethrogers1129]

Will human urine on a scrape ruin g the scrape or stimulate bucks?

[@hayneshuntingcom]

Fountain of deer knowledge!