elk... licking branches?

[wawhitey]

You know how whitetail have licking branches over scrapes? Well one of my cameras has bulls and cows doing the same thing on certain branches just like deer do, only there is no scrape involved. Just elk gently mouthing and rubbing a couple specific hanging branches. Ive never heard of this with elk. What gives? Oh and this is occuring throughout the year, same branches every time. On a well traveled "elk highway"

[ishy]

It probably starts with them rubbing thier preorbital gland, scent marking it...then I'm already with my face in this branch might as well get a little taste to see if I want to eat it now that I've rubbed my stink on it.