< Back to Resource Center

Signpost Communication

In general signpost communication is both a visual and olfactory marker for other deer. Signposts include both rubs and scrapes.

A scrape is an area of exposed earth up to 6 or 8 feet in diameter that a deer has swept clear of leaves, twigs and other debris. Deer leave their scent at scrapes in several different manners. One way to view a scrape is that it is a check in station. Deer passing through the area will check in or visit the scrape to leave their scent and see what other deer have recently been in the area. Both bucks and does will visit active scrapes. There are several kinds of scrapes.

Primary Scrape
A large scrape made in an area that does frequent or where several doe trails converge. A buck will often urinate in these scrapes and leave other glandular scents in the area.

Satellite Scrape
A scrape made by a mature buck along edge cover or buck travel corridors. Some hunters believe these secondary scrapes are used mostly by the buck population to keep track of each other.

Random Scrape
A scrape made randomly by a buck along a trail. These secondary scrapes are typically smaller than a primary scrape and usually are not accompanied by a licking branch. Most hunters believe that most satellite scrapes are made by immature bucks and are never revisited by the deer that made the scrap nor any other deer.

Mock Scrape
A mock scrape is one that has been made by a hunter in an area that deer frequent. Some hunters will visit mock scrapes year around and freshen them with commercial deer scent. The purpose of a mock scrape is to a create a signpost that attracts deer to your predetermined hunting location.

Active Scrape
An active scrape is one that is being regularly maintained by multiple deer. A scrape that is not regularly visited is referred to as an in-active scrape.

Rub
A rub is an area on a tree 1 to 3 feet off the ground where a buck has rubbed the bark off the tree by using it to remove the velvet, polish his antlers and strengthen his neck muscles. It is often said that all bucks rub little trees, but only big bucks rub big trees. If you see a rub on a tree that is as big around as your thigh, chances are there is a big buck living in the general area.

Rub Line
A series of rubs along a buck's travel route. A rub line will offer clues to the direction a buck was traveling when he made the rubs. Finding a rub line may provide clues that lead you to a bucks early season bedding area.