His rubs had huge gouge marks where the hook had bitten into the tree. If you find odd similarities between several rubs, more than likely they were all made by the same buck. Not all rubs should be hunted. It would not be wise to hunt a rub along a field's edge. However, rub lines found back from the field, in and around thick cover and near bedding areas, are much more likely to mark regular travel routes.
Some bucks rub the same trees year after year.
These trees are a deer hunter's treasures. Regardless, such sign reveals a consistent travel pattern that will work to your advantage. Find a line of these and you've struck pay dirt. In most cases, a buck will rub a tree on the side from which he approaches. This reveals the direction he was likely traveling in, but it also gives clues about the time of day the rub was made.