I am going to attempt to make my own licking branch set up by drilling a hole in a cedar post and attaching a licking branch from a previous natural site. The co-op has treated cedar posts, I am wondering will the Dee use the post for rubs as well? Any specific branch I should pick should I not be able to find one from last year? How about the height of the branch? God bless America
I read an article a few years back about post/licking branches. He tried several species and found white pine the best. I would not use treated. I would look for a cedar post before treated. I just cut some a pine down and used a 10' section with about a 3"diameter top. I have made a few of them. The have had deer use both the post and branch. Actually today I drilled a hole on a poplar tree near my stand and stuck a licking branch I cut about 500 yards away. Last year I had it to high at just over 5' and the bucks had to stand on there hind legs to used it. Now it is just over 4'. I made a mock scrape under it. The branch was still alive...that seems the best. If it is a new branch (not one used by deer last year) I put some orbital gland scent on it. I like a stiff branch, maybe oak about the size of your finger and I cut the last foot or so off to get a stubby end. I would prefer to find a licking branch somewhere other that my hunting area and move it above a mock scrape by my stand. Funny how a licking branches gets my attention and get me thinking,...where do I need to move it to. Code Blue Rack Rub seems to work for me but I am looking at trying a different scent. This fall I have 3 scape lines, each 150-250 yards long, with a primary and 7-10 other scrapes. I made them this spring and now in the fall, it is just a little touch up and some scent. Mock scrapes have worked for me. AND I have pics of deer using "marking posts" (rubs) and licking branches every month of the year.
