LAST EDITED ON Mar-30-17 AT 12:18PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Mar-30-17 AT 12:09?PM (MST)
I would like to know if anyone is knowledgeable about elk rubbing/ Scraping habits in the winter/spring. I'm most curious as to why they are rubbing at this time of year? I was out 3/28 and 3/29 in the same area both days and literally came across dozens of fresh rubs in one drainage. The ground was soft and could see tracks where the elk had walked since the snow melt and there was droppings just about everywhere. It was very apparent that these elk wintered here and that the rubs were fresh. The sap was wet and the foliage still green and one broken branch still had elk hair in it. I walked in on their bedding site and spooked the elk out at 25 yards, one bull still had antlers. The bedding area had heavily used beds with deep soaked urine spots that remained wet and smelly the following day when I returned. My guess would be that these elk are using these rubs for territorial or dominant reasons as it is apparent by the sign that these elk heavily use this area. My second guess would be as the antler reabsorbs calcium at the pedicle it may be causing some sort of itch that is relieved through antler rubbing. These are just my hypotheses but would appreciate any knowledge regarding this out of season behavior that I can't find any information on. If you are able to find information, I'd like to visit the site through a link. Thanks.
I would like to know if anyone is knowledgeable about elk rubbing/ Scraping habits in the winter/spring. I'm most curious as to why they are rubbing at this time of year? I was out 3/28 and 3/29 in the same area both days and literally came across dozens of fresh rubs in one drainage. The ground was soft and could see tracks where the elk had walked since the snow melt and there was droppings just about everywhere. It was very apparent that these elk wintered here and that the rubs were fresh. The sap was wet and the foliage still green and one broken branch still had elk hair in it. I walked in on their bedding site and spooked the elk out at 25 yards, one bull still had antlers. The bedding area had heavily used beds with deep soaked urine spots that remained wet and smelly the following day when I returned. My guess would be that these elk are using these rubs for territorial or dominant reasons as it is apparent by the sign that these elk heavily use this area. My second guess would be as the antler reabsorbs calcium at the pedicle it may be causing some sort of itch that is relieved through antler rubbing. These are just my hypotheses but would appreciate any knowledge regarding this out of season behavior that I can't find any information on. If you are able to find information, I'd like to visit the site through a link. Thanks.