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Interesting observation this weekend

BTaylor

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Oct 23, 2019
Messages
6,414
Location
Central Arkansas
Friday evening I had 6 does come by 4 of which were mature. All of the mature does went to the same small cluster of saplings and rubbed their head and necks in the limbs like a buck would a licking branch. There was a scrape on one side of the cluster which I did not know at the time. I had never seen a doe work a licking branch much less work every limb all the way around a luster like that. I have seen maybe a half dozen pee in a scrape but that was it. The deer came by in 3 groups, a doe and little, a doe and little one and 2 does. Watching them go to the same cluster like a magnet and work all the way around the cluster rubbing their head and necks was interesting watch, esp not knowing the scrape was there. Prolly gonna need to hang that spot a few more sits.

Curious how many folks have seen similar doe actions?
 
I have seen this only a few times in 30 years of hunting. Im wondering if there was a buck in that area scent posting and the doe was almost ready to mate Im sure its some sort of courtship thing. last year i had does on video trail camera chacking licking branches
 
Friday evening I had 6 does come by 4 of which were mature. All of the mature does went to the same small cluster of saplings and rubbed their head and necks in the limbs like a buck would a licking branch. There was a scrape on one side of the cluster which I did not know at the time. I had never seen a doe work a licking branch much less work every limb all the way around a luster like that. I have seen maybe a half dozen pee in a scrape but that was it. The deer came by in 3 groups, a doe and little, a doe and little one and 2 does. Watching them go to the same cluster like a magnet and work all the way around the cluster rubbing their head and necks was interesting watch, esp not knowing the scrape was there. Prolly gonna need to hang that spot a few more sits.

Curious how many folks have seen similar doe actions?

Yep, I have videos of does working a licking branch. Also, I am friends with our areas QDMA President. He hangs a licking branch over all of his mineral licks. He has pics/videos of both does and bucks working the branch all year long.
 
I've seen does work a licking branch but never the sort of thing you described. That's cool and I suspect pretty rare.
 
I have seen this only a few times in 30 years of hunting. Im wondering if there was a buck in that area scent posting and the doe was almost ready to mate Im sure its some sort of courtship thing. last year i had does on video trail camera chacking licking branches
Peak breeding for that area is Dec 1-10. That theory would have made more sense to me if just one of the mature does had done that. That all 4 of them did it was something I do not have a frame of refence for. The other thing was they all came into the area from the downwind side but once they were within 20-25 yards of the scrape, they all went straight to it walking through a pile of acorns. One doe worked around the spot and then picked up a few acorns and went back and worked around it a second time.

It almost seemed to be that the does were going to the scrape and saying hey we are in the neighborhood but we are not ready yet. The scrape was not a big community scrape either, just a joe basic avg scrape. Really has had me scratching my head as to what the interaction there is
 
I've seen does work a licking branch but never the sort of thing you described. That's cool and I suspect pretty rare.
Yeah the fact they hit all the branches all the way around the little cluster not just the licking branch over the scrape seemed to represent some thing different to me. I wonder if the buck also worked all the branches too prompting the does to do the same.
 
He may have gotten a little testosterone boost and got fired up and worked a bunch of branches. May be some pent-up frustration there.
 
Peak breeding for that area is Dec 1-10. That theory would have made more sense to me if just one of the mature does had done that. That all 4 of them did it was something I do not have a frame of refence for. The other thing was they all came into the area from the downwind side but once they were within 20-25 yards of the scrape, they all went straight to it walking through a pile of acorns. One doe worked around the spot and then picked up a few acorns and went back and worked around it a second time.

It almost seemed to be that the does were going to the scrape and saying hey we are in the neighborhood but we are not ready yet. The scrape was not a big community scrape either, just a joe basic avg scrape. Really has had me scratching my head as to what the interaction there is
not sure whats going on then seems whatever it is the does dont mind or even like it lol
Maybe one of the big boys has a seasonal axe spray applied while he is on the prowl
love potion #9 may be a culprit
ya know t is the witches season :tearsofjoy: :tearsofjoy: :tearsofjoy: :tearsofjoy: :tearsofjoy: :tearsofjoy: :tearsofjoy: :tearsofjoy:
 
I had never seen a doe work a licking branch much less work every limb all the way around a luster like that.

Curious how many folks have seen similar doe actions?

I've got several pictures of does working my mock scrape licking branches. I've personally never watched them rub their prorbitals on a rub like a buck but I've read about it. I also know they lick rubs as well. I've seen many a buck rub-urinate in a scrape or my mock scrapes, but have not witnessed does pee in them myself or on my cameras but they definitely work the licking branch a lot. Incidentally, in the summer months leading up to the fall I have more action of the does and fawns on my mock scrapes and licking branches than I do bucks; however, as summer progresses to fall more bucks seem to hit the scrapes. I have rarely had does on scrapes during the actual rut. I think in my area they don't have to as they're constantly being pursued. In other areas where there may be a more balanced age and sex structure I would think there would be more doe interaction with scrapes and licking branches and rubs.
 
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