In 1958, at the tender age of 14, I was deep in a place called Cocodrie Swamp. At that time, there were no roads. You went in and out by boat. I was with four “uncles” and we were camped deep in the swamp. I waded a slough and went up a slight ridge to overlook Grassy Lake Drain. I saw then, three huge rubs. To my knowledge, the first I had ever seen. I had no idea what they meant.
It was just about 4:00, in the afternoon. I had 90-minutes to hunt. To my right, was a huge, down, cypress log. I settled in between some buttonwoods and laid the L.C. Smith, 12-gauge across my knees. Wooducks were screeing all around me and I was about to swap double ought for #5’s when I caught motion.
At 40-yards, I sent two barrels of double oughts into a basket rack, eight-point. His widest spread was 14”. He scored 145, even and weighed, field dressed, 24-hours later, 244-pounds.
That started a love affair and obsession with rubs. Since then, slowly, I have begun to devote a portion of each year to the study of rubs-Big rubs, small rubs, parallel rubs, mock rubs and trees that looked like they were rubbed.
Yes, I am obsessed with rubs for I know of no other facet of deer behavior that imparts the knowledge that is provided with a thorough understanding of rubs. I know of no one who has that understanding. I wish I did.
It was just about 4:00, in the afternoon. I had 90-minutes to hunt. To my right, was a huge, down, cypress log. I settled in between some buttonwoods and laid the L.C. Smith, 12-gauge across my knees. Wooducks were screeing all around me and I was about to swap double ought for #5’s when I caught motion.
At 40-yards, I sent two barrels of double oughts into a basket rack, eight-point. His widest spread was 14”. He scored 145, even and weighed, field dressed, 24-hours later, 244-pounds.
That started a love affair and obsession with rubs. Since then, slowly, I have begun to devote a portion of each year to the study of rubs-Big rubs, small rubs, parallel rubs, mock rubs and trees that looked like they were rubbed.
Yes, I am obsessed with rubs for I know of no other facet of deer behavior that imparts the knowledge that is provided with a thorough understanding of rubs. I know of no one who has that understanding. I wish I did.