We have a had a lot of rain and now snow here in southern Ontario. While out the other day with squalls off the lake, I got to wondering (as I got progressively more and more wet and more and more chilly).... does rain/wet snow/ moisture affect scrapes and or rubs? Does moisture reduce the potency of smell in these? I have always heard, rain washes away scent so might lots of rain or snow require bucks to refresh scrapes and rubs more often or are their deposits waxy enough to repel moisture?? Thought? T
Wow... no one knows or has thought about this? I suspect rubs are less prone to odour loss resulting from moisture for two reasons. 1. the orientation of the rub (being vertical) is less susceptible to being rained on, soaked or covered in snow and 2. It stands to reason (I think) that head glands, antlers etc. are probably pretty waxy to keep deer dry. This applied to a rub would (I think) be alt to stay longer. Scrapes however, being largely soaked in urine I would think are highly likely to be diluted with rain or snow.... Make sense? If somewhat accurate than it would stand to reason that rain and or snow would increase the need for bucks to refresh.... Tom
It's been a commonly held belief since as far back as I can remember that bucks will want to freshen scrapes after a good rain storm. As you said the scent is diluted from the rain water and they feel the need to re-mark their territory, so to speak. I'm not so sure about rubs though. Although they do serve the purpose of scent depositing I think they most likely have a higher visual impact and don't need to be "freshened" as often, rain or not.
