Licking Branch

[leroy]

This may sound silly to some but how can I identify a Licking Branch. I know nothing about them & I have been a successful hunter of all Ontario game Moose to rabbits for 50 years .
Thanx in advance

[Goose]

A licking branch will be about 5 to 6 ft off of the ground, often times hanging over a logging trail or field edge. They can often be found along trails as well.
The end of the branch (if used enough) will often have the bark rubbed off of it or sometimes any small branches toward the end of the branch will be broken off.
Most of the time there will also be a scrape under the branch. The scrape will be a bowl like area where the leaves and other debris are cleared out from the deer scraping at the ground and some will even urinate into the scrape.
Studies are starting to show that the licking branch is the most important part of a scrape and the branch is used as a major way of communication from deer to deer by the scent left on the branch.
Hope this helps....

[leroy]

Thank you very much for the info. I have seen alot of sign and indicators that deer are present but not that one. I walk up all of my deer & moose usaully less than 40 yds. So sign is very important to me. I was fortunate enough to have an elder Indian teach me this method many years ago. I must have missed that day ( hee Hee). Now when I moose hunt I set people up in the woods and walk the moose to them I have shot enough.

[wiqdma]

Good answer Goose!!   Licking branches are great places for cameras. I think we had every buck in the neighborhood come to one of them last year!

[ranwin33]

Look for the scrape first, then the branch. 

[hunt4ever]

A practice I use in Upstate NY is to construct a licking brance by taking a 1-1/2' or 2" diameter pipe about 18 " long and drive it into the ground.  I use both medal and PVC pipe.  Cut a branch/small tree that is less in diameter and place it in the pipe.  If there is not a branch that is hanging 5' or so off the ground, tie a twig or small branch off that.  Reference the four photos I attached and you can see the medal pipe and the hanging/licking branch.  I normally put buck or some other type of lure on the branch, sprinkle it on the leaves, and on the ground to entice deer to stop buy to check it out.  As you can see from one of the photos, I sometime  punch holes in a container that camera film comes in and hang that.  The container is filled with cotton batten soaked with lure. As you can see from the photos, both does & bucks come by.  I place these licking branches on well used paths, on or near food plots or apple trees near my blind or tree stand where I can get a good broad side shot when a deer comes by to sniff or lick.  This is particularly useful when bow hunting to get the deer to stop for a good broad side shot.  I have found that they really constraint on the branch when sniffing which allows you to move more without spooking them.  Another technique I have seen, is to take a metal or plastic stake (about 6" long) that holds down tents and pound that into the ground near a tree that has a good licking branch.  Tie a string or wire to the branch and pull it down to approximately 5' and tie it to the stake.  Again, IMO it is a good idea to dip the branch in some lure for added value and also hang a container filled with lure soaked cotton batten.  I know of hunters that keep this arrangement all year and just use fresh lure when it comes time for trail cameras or hunting.  I hope this helps, [size="4"]Tom Mac[/size]

[hunt4ever]

A practice I use in Upstate NY is to construct a licking branch by taking a 1-1/2' or 2" pipe about 18 " long and drive it into the ground.  I use both medal and PVC pipe.  Cut a branch/small tree that is less in diameter and place it in the pipe.  If there is not a branch that is hanging 5' or so off the ground, tie a twig or small branch off that.  Reference the four photos I attached and you can see the medal pipe and the hanging/licking branch.  I normally put buck or some other type of lure on the branch, sprinkle it on the leaves, and on the ground to entice deer to stop buy to check it out.  As you can see from one of the photos, I sometime  punch holes in a container that camera film comes in and hang that.  The container is filled with cotton batten soaked with lure. As you can see from the photos, both does & bucks come by.  I place these licking branches on well used paths, on or near food plots or apple trees near my blind or tree stand where I can get a good broad side shot when a deer comes by to sniff or lick.  This is particularly useful when bow hunting to get the deer to stop for a good broad side shot.  I have found that they really constraint on the branch when sniffing which allows you to move more without spooking them.  Another technique I have seen, is to take a stake that holds down tents and pound that into the ground near a tree that has a good licking branch.  Tie a string or wire to the branch and pull it down to approximately 5' and tie it to the stake.  Again, IMO it is a good idea to dip the branch in some lure for added value and also hang a container filled with lure soaked cotton batten.  I know of hunters that keep this arrangement all year and just use fresh lure when it comes time for trail cameras or hunting.  I hope this helps, [size="4"]Tom Mac[/size][/align]

[buckhunter21]

Very good idea...Might have to put that in my bag of tricks!

[leroy]

That looks like a geat idea. I will be putting a couple of those up within the next few weeks. Thanx for the info.

[trapperDave]

one in use...