Honey Locusts

[Bagg-it Tag-it]

I've seen deer and all sorts of animals eating honey locust bean pods but haven't really studied up on them until this year. I've made a point to keep a record every time I've seen a tree with those crazy long thorns on the trunk and branches. But I might not be identifying them quite correctly. Some trees right now seem to have the bean pods growing on them and others don't. Could be a slightly different species or one is male vs female. Do all locust trees have the long thorns? Are some Black Locust and some Honey Locust? Do wildlife prefer one over the other? What is the best time in middle TN to hunt that particular food source? Do they prefer it to crops or acorns? Or prefer crops and acorns? There is a lot of info out there but some of it seems contradictory.

 

[catman529]

I have little experience hunting specifically over honey locust but I can tell you the difference between black locust.

Both trees have compound leaves. The leaflets on a honey locust are much smaller than those of black locust.

Honey locust bark is usually on the smooth side, but is covered in multiple branched thorns. The amount and size of the thorns varies depending on the tree. They even managed to breed a thornless variety for urban landscaping.

Black locust bark is deeply furrowed and doesn't have thorns. The branches and twigs however will have single thorns, but not the branched thorns like honey locust

Honey locust pods are the huge pods that everyone talks about deer eating. Black locust pods are smaller, similar to redbud or mimosa. I have no idea if deer like black locust pods.


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[Volbuck777]

Catmans responses are spot on, and I'll add they sure don't prefer them over acorns or crops. Although I personally love hunting around them mainly because I hunt thickets a lot and you find them there. So I make it a point to find them. I actually had a pic of a deer eating a Locusts pod and it wrapped around his nose and he was eating it on each side of his mouth, I'll try to find it. In saying all this I wouldn't put a whole lot of faith in one certain tree because if you have one, you probably have more. I would just look for the best food source and hunt. Good luck.

 

[catman529]

Found one in the backyard I didn't know about

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[Bagg-it Tag-it]

Found one in the backyard I didn't know about

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Thats what I've been seeing. I guess maybe I've been seeing all honey locust trees.

 

[Bagg-it Tag-it]

I've been finding a bunch but I guess they are all honey locust


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[TN Whitetail Freak]

Don't confuse the honey locust pods with Kentucky Coffee tree pods. Ive personally never seen browse on honey locust pods but I've seen countless browse on the KY coffee tree pod.

 

[drawforce]

Here ya go

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[catman529]

Don't confuse the honey locust pods with Kentucky Coffee tree pods. Ive personally never seen browse on honey locust pods but I've seen countless browse on the KY coffee tree pod.

we don't have those in middle TN. The pods look a lot different


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[tug]

From what I have seen, deer it things in sequence. For instance, white oak, then red oak, then chinquapin oak. I have honey locust and they eat those last. As in there is nothing left.

 

[Volbuck777]

Don't confuse the honey locust pods with Kentucky Coffee tree pods. Ive personally never seen browse on honey locust pods but I've seen countless browse on the KY coffee tree pod.

we don't have those in middle TN. The pods look a lot different


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Never seen them in East Tennessee either

 

[catman529]

From what I have seen, deer it things in sequence. For instance, white oak, then red oak, then chinquapin oak. I have honey locust and they eat those last. As in there is nothing left.

where I hunt they like white and chinkapin more than anything. They eat the reds that dropped first until the whites drop, then go back to reds later in the season


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[Simpleman.2]

I have hunted and killed deer over honey locust. I like hunting them later in the year (December) when there's not as many available food sources. They can be really good to hunt when the timing is right.


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[Bagg-it Tag-it]

From what I have seen, deer it things in sequence. For instance, white oak, then red oak, then chinquapin oak. I have honey locust and they eat those last. As in there is nothing left.

Thanks Tug. That was part of my questions...what time in the sequence? Sounds like late year. Which is weird. I was listening to a guy from Arkansas and he said in his swamps that they key in on them in October. But I've always heard late around here but haven't personally witnessed it so I asked. Preciate it.


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[Bagg-it Tag-it]

I have hunted and killed deer over honey locust. I like hunting them later in the year (December) when there's not as many available food sources. They can be really good to hunt when the timing is right.


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Thanks Simpleman 2. I hope you kill out before having to hunt over them late season!


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[catman529]

From what I have seen, deer it things in sequence. For instance, white oak, then red oak, then chinquapin oak. I have honey locust and they eat those last. As in there is nothing left.

Thanks Tug. That was part of my questions...what time in the sequence? Sounds like late year. Which is weird. I was listening to a guy from Arkansas and he said in his swamps that they key in on them in October. But I've always heard late around here but haven't personally witnessed it so I asked. Preciate it.


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you'll have to check them throughout the season to see if and when the deer eat them. I'm gonna have to pay more attention to them myself this year.


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[Jmed]

I cant stand those trees. My KY property is loaded with them and they have cost us thousands of dollars in tractor and UTV tires.

 

[bobbuck]

I cant stand those trees. My KY property is loaded with them and they have cost us thousands of dollars in tractor and UTV tires.

I hate them. I cut everyone I see down and put straight gly4 on stump.

 

[Bagg-it Tag-it]

From what I have seen, deer it things in sequence. For instance, white oak, then red oak, then chinquapin oak. I have honey locust and they eat those last. As in there is nothing left.

Thanks Tug. That was part of my questions...what time in the sequence? Sounds like late year. Which is weird. I was listening to a guy from Arkansas and he said in his swamps that they key in on them in October. But I've always heard late around here but haven't personally witnessed it so I asked. Preciate it.


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you'll have to check them throughout the season to see if and when the deer eat them. I'm gonna have to pay more attention to them myself this year.


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Agreed....several of the spots I'm targeting to hunt this year have them...so it won't be hard to monitor. Usually they are within 50 yards of other food sources I'll be hunting. Crop field edges in those areas have them as well as deeper in the woods near other transitions and even around oak tree patches and ridges I'll be monitoring.