Same here. I never saw a swamp chestnut until I moved here to TN. Seems to be a southern tree. What folks call mountain chestnut grow all over the Appalachian range.
Acorn crops and early activity
- Thread starter BSK
- Start date
Same here. I never saw a swamp chestnut until I moved here to TN. Seems to be a southern tree. What folks call mountain chestnut grow all over the Appalachian range.
BSK
Well-Known Member
Correct. I generally only see Swamp Chestnut in the swampy areas along major river systems. I've seen quite a few in the partially flooded bottomlands of KY Lake.
Mountain Chestnut Oaks dominate the rockiest, worst soil ridge tops.
One of our guys that is hunting this week just text me & said whiteoaks are dropping in the hollows, Wayne CO.
BSK
Well-Known Member
We already have Whites dropping, but they are not the big mature ones. The trees are currently dropping what they can't carry to maturity. It's quite a few, but they are still partially green and undersized. Deer are eating them anyways.
wildlifefarmer
Well-Known Member
Did you have acorns in the bottoms last year? Ridges were very dry last year and you prob had none. Add that drought with a late frost last spring I had no acorns. white oaks normally have annual production of acorns but when they don't they will usaually have a bumper crop the next. imo. This year is hard hat year in the woods
JCDEERMAN
Well-Known Member
Completely agree. Last year was the first year in my lifetime that I found zero acorns - not one. The drought was that bad. And this is no small property. We're talking over 650 acres. So, hearing them fall this year is music to my ears - it's been essentially 2 years since I've heard that sound. 2021 had a good crop of them
AT Hiker
Well-Known Member
In NW Dickson County, my white oaks are dropping and the critters are wearing it out. Earliest I have ever seen it, this isn't some shedding of acorns either, looks like late October. The trees are still full of them as well.
Same with persimmons. Even our cattle are having a field day with the persimmons. Should be some fat n happy critters going into winter.
Same with persimmons. Even our cattle are having a field day with the persimmons. Should be some fat n happy critters going into winter.
BSK
Well-Known Member
That seems to be the case wildlifefarmer. Zero acorns of any type at my place last year, and the Whites are making up for it this year.
BSK
Well-Known Member
Persimmons are pouring out of the trees in Nashville.
BSK
Well-Known Member
Yes, big acorn crops can produce earlier and more intense rutting activity, especially in the Southeast. However, this effect is more pronounced the more "acorn-driven" the local deer herd is. And by "acorn driven," I mean how important acorns are as a food source to that local deer herd. In a big agricultural region, acorns aren't as critical of a food source. However, in the big sections of hardwoods that stretch across several geographic regions of TN, the deer herds can be VERY acorn driven, hence the size and quality of the crop is a major player in rutting timing/intensity.
Wiley
Well-Known Member
Our Sawtooth acorns are dropping and as usual the deer are eating every one that hits the ground shortly after. The only bowhunter on my lease killed a decent 8 point Saturday evening that was coming to a Sawtooth. I have not ventured into the woods to check the white oaks.
BSK
Well-Known Member
If you are a bowhunter, plant some Sawtooth Oaks on your place! They are a gold mine for a brief period of time each year. They are a highly preferred acorn that drops earlier than the Whites, and are an absolute magnet for deer in mid to late September.
Wiley
Well-Known Member
This is an absolute/bonafide FACT!
BSK...AGREE 100%. When I hunt ag areas I pay more attention to the "palateability" of the crop (green, yellow, brown) than acorn crop.
But in big hardwoods where I mostly frequent, acorn feed is KING.
I look for bottlenecks close to acorn flats.
white oaks early...then Red.
But in big hardwoods where I mostly frequent, acorn feed is KING.
I look for bottlenecks close to acorn flats.
white oaks early...then Red.
Those are magical setups in late october when there is some chill in the air
I just posted something similar to this before coming across this post. I think it's going to be an exciting season, as I am seeing the same and I'm seeing very healthy deer compared to last year which has me really excited.
I already have red Oaks unloading their acorns which is rare to be this early. I do think if you don't get on a deer early, not to worry because I believe late season this year is going to be tremendous. I think most of the acorns in our area will be bad by then or eaten because they are dropping way early this year on my main farm.
Our sawtooth Oaks dropped a good 2 to 3 weeks early this year. They have 0 acorns left on the trees or ground. Chestnut Oaks also dropped extremely early and have 0 acorns left on the trees as well.
The only acorns I see holding are white Oaks/chinquapins.
I already have red Oaks unloading their acorns which is rare to be this early. I do think if you don't get on a deer early, not to worry because I believe late season this year is going to be tremendous. I think most of the acorns in our area will be bad by then or eaten because they are dropping way early this year on my main farm.
Our sawtooth Oaks dropped a good 2 to 3 weeks early this year. They have 0 acorns left on the trees or ground. Chestnut Oaks also dropped extremely early and have 0 acorns left on the trees as well.
The only acorns I see holding are white Oaks/chinquapins.
Dean Parisian
Well-Known Member
Just to throw this out, I love the science that BSK brings to this forum. He alone probably caused us to spend umpteen-zillion dollars on trail cams.
That said, what does Moon Phase this year have on early activity if any?
That said, what does Moon Phase this year have on early activity if any?
Agreed. BSK is the bees knees.
I'm not sold on the moon stuff. I've tried & tried & tried to find a patternable correlation between trail cam info and personal sightings with the moon but I haven't yet found a connection. An awful lot of people swear by it so I guess I'm just missing it.
I'm not sold on the moon stuff. I've tried & tried & tried to find a patternable correlation between trail cam info and personal sightings with the moon but I haven't yet found a connection. An awful lot of people swear by it so I guess I'm just missing it.
