Hey guys, this might sound like a weird question but I went and checked my food plot today and in the middle of it is a half cut tree that I decided to leave in the middle of it with the bark partially ripped down from when I cut it. When I checked my camera I have a few deer that seemed to be going up to it and smelling it. I have heard things about "buck Poles" or tree posts. Can someone shed some light on this or any tips. Can I get the bucks to rub their antlers on it come fall?
Bucks often use them to leave their scent from their preorbital glands, which are the glands on their forehead and around the antlers. They do this in addition marking scrapes. You will often see a branch above a scrape that deer with chew on and rub their foreheads on and they do the same thing with rubs. They do make preorbital gland lure but it's pretty pricey for just a little bottle. If they are smelling it and continue to come to that location, I would just leave it alone and if they use it they use it, if not - no harm no foul because they are coming back to that location anyway.
Thank you for your answer. I already understand how deer use there glands and such to leave there scent. The only reason I posted this question is because I found it odd to see deer keep checking that cut tree in the middle of my food plot this early in the year.
Lee Lakosky had an article about rubbing post where he explained how deer are drawn to trees out in the open for one reason or another. Id say leave the tree, and set up a licking branch somewhere near the top foot or so. Good Luck
They could be just smelling the tree were you touched it. If the tree is still alive, they might be eating the green buds coming off the tree because its close to the ground. I have seen tree stumps that were cut close to the ground and in the spring fresh sprouts and branches come out of the stump and the deer mow it down faster than the sprouts can grow.
