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During the rutting season, bucks rub their antlers on trees and plants. They also attack, or thrash, plants with their antlers. These signs can be found by the observant tracker. Some trees are used year after year. Others are just used because they are convenient. |
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| This tree was used the previous year as evidenced by the older scars (darker in color.) The most recent antler rubbing activity left the lighter scars in the bark. | |
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| The tree above is seen at the top red arrow. The lower red arrow indicates the ground that was torn up in front of the tree by the hooves of the buck. These disturbances are easy to spot in forest leaf litter such at this. | |
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| This buck picked a random plant and started thrashing it with his antlers. He kept it up for about five minutes. A curious yearling buck came over to look down the hill and watch this buck. | |
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| The buck kept digging and gouging at the plant with his antlers. Some branches were broken and bark was scraped off, all leaving signs that a tracker can find. When he was finished, he simply walked away. | |
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| A tree with fresh antler rubbing scars. This tree was not used the previous year, but the tree that had been used, which grew right next to this one, had been cut down during the summer. So the buck used this smaller remaining tree instead. | |
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Fresh scars from antler rubbing and gouging on a tree next to a deer trail. This is a small Douglas fir tree. |
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Black-tailed
Deer 
