Red vs white oak?

[catman529]

We all know deer prefer the white oaks, especially chinkapin. But say you're hunting a patch of woods that hasn't got any white oaks dropping yet because it's too early. But say there's red oak acorns all over the ground. Will the deer hit red acorns real early in the season? This is assuming they aren't near any crop field.

 

[BSK]

Yes, they will. Acorns from the red oak family are generally more bitter to the taste because of a higher tannin content. But because of their higher tannin content, they do not rot or go to root until spring, unlike the "sweeter" white varieties that rot/go to root in fall, after which deer will hardly touch them. So it is the sweeter acorns from the white variety of oaks that deer fatten up on in early fall, but it is the more bitter red oak variety acorns deer subsist on through the winter (hence are a more important acorn). If there are no white variety acorns on the ground, deer will flock to the reds.

 

[DaveB]

I watched a deer pass on some red oak acorns and it has bothered me ever since. Why would one acorn taste better? If taste is actually involved? Is one Acorn rotten inside and they can tell?

I think the deer can smell the degree of tannin and those that have a lot of it, they pass on by. Rain seems to wash the tannin out and they eat them as they get to some level. Just wonderin'.

 

[woodsman87]

I believe more often than not that deer prefer whites over reds. That being said, I know of one northern red oak tree on one of my spots that attracts deer throughout October. White oaks all around it, but they like that one for some reason.

I also believe they eat the best tasting stuff to them first, then later eat the red oaks if that is all that is available.

 

[Winchester]

They will definitely devour the Red oaks. Like BSK said they have a higher level of tannin but deer will readily eat them. Now if a White oak starts dropping near by, they will likely walk past the reds until the Whites are gone.

 

[TLRanger]

This is just my opinion: We keep trying to put human traits on wild animals and that just does not work. I think deer eat whatever is available regardless of taste. I have seen deer walk past white oak acorns to get to red oak acorns and the reverse of that. Just check around the trees that are dropping acorns and hunt near the one that has the most sign that deer are feeding on.

 

[bowriter]

Deer, at certain times and under some conditions, prefer red oak over white oak. Learn to recognize magnet trees. You may occasionally find a red oak magnet tree in the midst of dropping white oaks. I found it beneficial to hunt the magnet tree, not the species of tree. BTW- This is also true of persimmons. Take five persimmon trees and you might find deer feeding under three and ignoring the other two although you can see no difference.

Same with humans and bars.

 

[Boone 58]

love it when the reds are in. great place to hunt!!!!

 

[plinker22]

Several yrs ago I had three huge Red Oaks that were deer magnets. Then, one of the three Red Oaks died. Since that time, I have NEVER seen another deer under the two Red Oaks. :(

 

[stryker]

Early season I'm on white oaks if possible cause they usually walk past the reds until the whites are gone. Most cases on my lease anyways. But some deer will pick on there way to the whites as well. I like having both.

 

[Mike Belt]

Generally deer prefer the whites over the reds because of the tannin content. As mentioned, the reds last longer on the ground before going bad or sprouting so the deer subsist on them through the winter. For whatever reason there may be a certain tree or group of them the deer prefer over others of the same species. I've seen them pass by acres of white oaks on the ground to get to a certain tree and they'll continue doing so until all acorns under that tree are gone. Sometimes they had to cross open areas and leave better cover to do so. That makes it the acorn from that particular tree that was the draw and not a security move.

 

[7mminatree]

There's more red oaks in my part of the state than white oaks, plus the white oaks just seem to hit like they used to.

 

[barkscaler]

Deer, at certain times and under some conditions, prefer red oak over white oak. Learn to recognize magnet trees. You may occasionally find a red oak magnet tree in the midst of dropping white oaks. I found it beneficial to hunt the magnet tree, not the species of tree. BTW- This is also true of persimmons. Take five persimmon trees and you might find deer feeding under three and ignoring the other two although you can see no difference.

Same with humans and bars.

This has been my observation too.I hunt a place loaded with white oaks,but have had a stand beside a red oak for the last twenty years.Every other year when this red oak produces,the deer flock to it,walking by white oaks.There have been five white oaks out of hundreds year in and year out that the deer flock to on my place.Several others have come and gone,but these "special trees"have been dynamite for years.

 

[fairchaser]

I used to raise bees and I know once they find a nectar source they will continue on it until it's gone. Then they move to the next source. Somehow they know that if they leave that source to focus on another source, that is not efficient. Each source has a limited lifespan. Some longer than others. I believe deer know that they can feed on red oak scorns longer since they don't spoil as fast. This is likely the reason rather than taste. Deer eat for survival over taste IMO.

 

[flyinpro]

I seen it both ways but target White because of past experience.

I do often wonder if a mineral base or type soil that the roots are in make any difference. As some oaks are hit harder than other oaks year after year it seems. Just wondering.

 

[BSK]

I do often wonder if a mineral base or type soil that the roots are in make any difference. As some oaks are hit harder than other oaks year after year it seems. Just wondering.

Plausible idea in my opinion. That's my best guess as to why deer will pound a particular plant in one food plot but not touch in it another food plot on the same property. I believe it has something to do with the soil those plants are growing in. Sometimes we forget that plants are just a nutrient transfer agent from the soil to the deer in a digestible format. A plant can only contain the nutrients it draws from the soil, and if certain things are missing in the soil, the plant cannot manufacture them.

 

[DaveB]

And I think the deer can smell a leaf and make a decision not to eat. Somehow, they are identifying/relating the plant smell in front of them to a previous experience. They get a match that says YES they eat. If it says NO they don't. Or, maybe the beans stink and that does it.

Soil composition could easy be source of the problem. You would have to take two samples and have them chemically dismantled so you could compare the two side by side.

 

[BSK]

Without question deer can "smell" the nutritional value of a plant (although that's probably not how they mentally interpret it). But several studies have been done proving deer will choose the food source highest in the nutrients their bodies need at the time.

 

[Winchester]

No question some trees are much more preferred by deer in certain years. When acorns are abundant it takes some boot leather but you can always find what I call "killing trees" that are much preferred and will be hammered until the acorns are gone from them, even though acorns of the same and different varieties are laying all over. Ive heard lots of different theories for this but I too think its linked to soil quality.