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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lycanthrope" data-source="post: 473893" data-attributes="member: 562">Bucks hit some of my young trees pretty hard this fall so Im thinking about planting a patch of trees specifically for bucks to rub on, that are fast growing and easy to propagate from cuttings. I plant to mow these to the ground each spring and then let them regrow over the summer for the bucks to play in that fall. Probably what Ill do is plant them in a big square with open area in the middle to plant some kind of food plot. Anyone tried doing this? I asked AI about species that would work good for what I plan to do and this is what it suggested:Bucks are not random at all when choosing rub trees — they show very strong, consistent preferences across North America, including in North Dakota. Decades of field research (from state agencies, universities, and trail-camera studies) have identified a clear “hit list” of species that get rubbed far more often than others.Top 10 Most-Preferred Rub Trees/Shrubs(Ranked roughly by how disproportionately bucks choose them compared to their availability in the woods)<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Aromatic/soft-barked conifers (especially in the North)  <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) – #1 rub tree in most Midwest studies  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">White cedar (arborvitae) – absolute magnets where present  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Red pine, jack pine, balsam fir – heavily used in northern MN/WI/ND</li> </ul></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Red osier dogwood – consistently in the top 3 wherever it grows  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Willows (especially young stems 1–3" diameter)  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Quaking aspen / bigtooth aspen – smooth white bark + slight scent = heavily rubbed  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Staghorn sumac – velvety stems drive bucks crazy  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Speckled alder / other alders  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Ironwood (hop hornbeam) – surprisingly high despite small size  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Hybrid poplar / cottonwood (young trees)  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Serviceberry  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Young ash, boxelder, or sugar maple (usually only 2–4" diameter)</li> </ol>What bucks are actually selecting for (in order of importance)<ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Aromatic bark/resin – cedar, dogwood, sumac, willow all release strong scent when scraped  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Smooth or slightly textured bark that shreds easily and leaves visible sign  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Stem diameter 1–4 inches (rarely larger)  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Height of first branches around 2–4 ft (easy to reach with antlers)  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Location – edges, funnels, inside corners, near bedding or food</li> </ol>North Dakota-specific findings<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">NDSU and ND Game & Fish habitat studies repeatedly show eastern red cedar is the single most heavily rubbed species on the landscape (even when it’s not the most common tree).  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">In the western half of ND where cedars are scarce, red osier dogwood, willows, and young cottonwoods take over as the top choices.  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Trail-camera studies in the Pembina Hills and Turtle Mountains put white cedar/arborvitae at the absolute top when available.</li> </ul>Bottom line for your projectIf you want the fastest, most reliable buck magnet in North Dakota that you can also propagate easily from cuttings and mow annually:→ Plant eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) seedlings or transplants first (they don’t root from cuttings, but cheap and easy to buy).→ For the cutting/mow-regrow system you described, red osier dogwood and willows are still your #1 and #2 choices — they’re in the top 5 preferred species nationally and root almost 100% from cuttings.Bucks will destroy a patch of red osier dogwood or young cedar every single fall if you put it in the right spot. It’s not even close to random.</blockquote>

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