Acorn report

[BSK]

On my place, many of the red variety of oaks (red and black oak) are absolutely loaded with acorns. The white varieties (white, post, mountain chestnut) show very, very few acorns.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

Im seeing lots of whites, not alot of reds or blacks. I had the exact opposite of that last year on my lands. Alot of hickory nuts too.

 

[Coal Man]

On my place, many of the red variety of oaks (red and black oak) are absolutely loaded with acorns. The white varieties (white, post, mountain chestnut) show very, very few acorns.

The whites probably dont have many because they produced their little hearts out last year. I was still finding viable acorns in Feb. last year on N. Cumberland WMA. IMO

 

[BSK]

We had a pretty big drop of white oak acorns last year, but 70% were rotten inside or just hollow shells.

However, there was still enough good ones that every deer we killed had stomach contents that were around 95% acorns.

We had a pretty big red and black oak crop last year as well. Especially the black oak. Best crop I've ever seen out of them.

 

[richmanbarbeque]

On my place, many of the red variety of oaks (red and black oak) are absolutely loaded with acorns. The white varieties (white, post, mountain chestnut) show very, very few acorns.

I'm always a year behind. If we could predict the mass year to year it would save me hundreds of dollars in gas, seed, lime etc. I guess that's what keeps it exciting.

 

[Football Hunter]

should be my year,I had no whites last year

 

[Bayou Buck]

My whites are loaded this year. Last year all I had was chestnut oaks.

 

[timberjack86]

BSK donsn't red oaks just produce every 2 years? And whiteoaks every year.

 

[BSK]

BSK donsn't red oaks just produce every 2 years? And whiteoaks every year.

Red variety acorns take two years to mature. Whit variety only one. But a single red oak tree can produce acorns every year (each acorn took two years, but they can pollenate acorns every year).

In addition, some individual trees just never produce, while other individual trees are very prolific producers.

 

[timberjack86]

Thanks I thought I was right. Well kinda

 

[Football Hunter]

My whites are loaded this year. Last year all I had was chestnut oaks.

Thats about like having nothing,aint it?

 

[stik]

i'm seeing red oaks with acorns but not loaded.

 

[BSK]

I find all these reports fascinating. Isn't it amazing how localized acorn production can be?

 

[BSK]

The deer in my area do not eat chestnut oaks.

In my area, deer will only eat them for about a week to two-week period. Of all the oak species in my area, Mountain Chestnut Oak acorns are the first to fall, hence for the week to two weeks they are the only acorn on the ground, deer will eat them. But once the White Oak acorns begin to fall, Mountain Chestnut acorns are ignored.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

In my area, deer will only eat them for about a week to two-week period. Of all the oak species in my area, Mountain Chestnut Oak acorns are the first to fall, hence for the week to two weeks they are the only acorn on the ground, deer will eat them. But once the White Oak acorns begin to fall, Mountain Chestnut acorns are ignored.

Exactly the same way in my area. And only being able to get there on the weekends makes it hard to see that transition for me. But when you first start to see the whites and reds dropping with sign under them, GET ON IT! But the problem is, alot can change in 5 days (Sunday - Friday). Saturday morning walking into the woods before light to where the sign was the weekend before could be a completely failed hunt...which happens all too often to hunters that hunt a considerable distance from their home. I find my successful Saturday morning hunts (on a preferred food source) to be "luck" and then I can do my scouting for the rest of the weekend when I get down for some lunch

 

[buckaroo]

I agree with you all on the chestnut oaks, but I have seen deer feed from a red oak to the chestnut tree my stand was in and feed for 15 minutes. The chestnut oak is in the white oak family, seems they would like them!

 

[TJS209]

Last year we had a ton of red and black oak acorns, hardly any white oaks (the ones I did see were rotten). 11 pt I killed on Dec 23 was full of them

 

[BSK]

I agree with you all on the chestnut oaks, but I have seen deer feed from a red oak to the chestnut tree my stand was in and feed for 15 minutes. The chestnut oak is in the white oak family, seems they would like them!

I have no idea why they don't like them as much, but once the white oak acorns start to fall, I won't find Mountain Chestnut Oak acorns in the deers' stomachs anymore.

 

[Bayou Buck]

I agree with you all on the chestnut oaks, but I have seen deer feed from a red oak to the chestnut tree my stand was in and feed for 15 minutes. The chestnut oak is in the white oak family, seems they would like them!

I have no idea why they don't like them as much, but once the white oak acorns start to fall, I won't find Mountain Chestnut Oak acorns in the deers' stomachs anymore.

Like others, I have seen deer eating them good for a couple of weeks and once the acorns start falling, they wont touch them. Sucks that I have so many of them on my place.

 

[BSK]

I agree with you all on the chestnut oaks, but I have seen deer feed from a red oak to the chestnut tree my stand was in and feed for 15 minutes. The chestnut oak is in the white oak family, seems they would like them!

I have no idea why they don't like them as much, but once the white oak acorns start to fall, I won't find Mountain Chestnut Oak acorns in the deers' stomachs anymore.

Like others, I have seen deer eating them good for a couple of weeks and once the acorns start falling, they wont touch them. Sucks that I have so many of them on my place.

Mountain Chestnut Oak dominate all of our worst areas, especially the thinest, rockiest ridge-tops, and south and southwest-facing slopes, where the soils are driest. Anywhere where conditions are too poor for white or red oak you will see Mountain Chestnut Oak.

 

[TNlandowner]

Not looking so good on my place in NE Carroll County. I checked my cameras today and found the woods absolutely loaded with southern red oak acorns all over the ground. I guess the severe storm last Thursday night was a bit more than they could handle. This was the third severe storm in four months. I have lost several 40+ year old southern red oaks and a few big pine trees, but all of my white oaks, populars, and cherry trees are standing tall.

Also, I checked 8 different persimmon trees, that usually have great production. I could only find a few fruits per tree. Ouch, I hope my fall plots get plenty of rain.

 

[timberjack86]

I agree with you all on the chestnut oaks, but I have seen deer feed from a red oak to the chestnut tree my stand was in and feed for 15 minutes. The chestnut oak is in the white oak family, seems they would like them!

I have no idea why they don't like them as much, but once the white oak acorns start to fall, I won't find Mountain Chestnut Oak acorns in the deers' stomachs anymore.

TASTE EM THEY TASTE LIKE BATTERY ACICD

 

[dh1984]

the trees is loaded here.but they haven't started to fall yet but another few weeks and they should.

 

[stryker]

A Lot of good info being talked about. Thanks to all!!!! I had several red oaks last year but I'm like everybody else once the white oaks start to fall it's over. HEAD TO THE WHITE OAKS!!!!!!

 

[timberjack86]

A Lot of good info being talked about. Thanks to all!!!! I had several red oaks last year but I'm like everybody else once the white oaks start to fall it's over. HEAD TO THE WHITE OAKS!!!!!!

X2

 

[BSK]

...once the white oaks start to fall it's over. HEAD TO THE WHITE OAKS!!!!!!

IF you have any that year.

I remember back in the horrible year of the late freeze, severe summer heat and drought, and EHD outbreak of '07. That year, on 500 acres of predominantly oak timber, I found a grand total of 5 trees dropping acorns. All black oaks. Every acorn those 5 trees dropped was consumed within 24 hours.

 

[buckaroo]

And after the white oaks are gone in late fall, look for the reds and the chestnuts again.

 

[RaschChronicles]

Fascinating subject.

I've always been interested in what is in a deer's stomach ever since the early 70s.

I was a young kid, and some neighbors always went hunting and brought back deer. AT first the deer itself is fascinating, then the skinning, the muscles, etc...

But on this occasion it was late and they had brought the deer whole and ungutted. When he cut it open, I was right in there loking and touching all the parts and pieces.

To make a long story short, I asked what was in the stomach, after having it pointed out.

"Mr Dave, what do think is in the stomach?"

"I don't know, probably grass."

"Can I cut it open and see?"

"Sure kid, but use your own knife!"

I whipped out my trusty and even in those days razor sharp Boy Scout pocket knife and proceeded to cut that rubbery mass open.

I was oooing and ahhing over mushed up greens and white granular stuff, bits of brown and black stuff and asking a zillion questions.

Mr Dave stopped his skining and came over to see what I was pokeing around in. He stood there quietly, and finally squatted down next to me.

"You know what this is?" he asked, "It's acorns."

Here comes the interesting thing.

He said, "Where did he find the acorns?" as he mulled that over in his mind

When they all came in the next time, each one had a trash bag with a stomach in it. I was there, so I was from then on, the stomach guy. They had me slice them open and seperate everything out for them. In hindsight, what a great way to keep a kid out from under your feet.

It wasn't until decades later that I realized what I had discovered for them. Now it's a commonplace QDM practice.

Thanks for letting me share!

Best Regards,
Albert A Rasch
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
Lions in the Yard!

 

[BSK]

My ex-boss coined that "scouting from the skinning shed." Looking at the stomach contents of a harvested deer can lead to more harvests. Finding out what the deer are eating right now can help you locate feeding hotspots.

 

[BowGuy84]

Was out yesterday...red oaks showed good acorns, but whites oaks leaves were withered and no acorns. Hope to find some white oaks in future scouting.