Meals plots are nice, agricultural crops are good too, however throughout the correct window in mid-fall, nothing attracts in deer like acorns. These oak tree nuts are filled with vitamins, they’re usually obtainable in massive portions, and so they permit deer to feed whereas staying inside the cowl of the woods.
However not all oaks and their acorns are created equal. There are about 90 totally different native oak species within the U.S. To maintain this straightforward for deer hunters, we’ll break down the oak tree world into two classes: white oaks and crimson oaks. Understanding how deer use these two meals sources will make you a extra profitable hunter this fall. —A.R.
Predicting Acorn Crops and Deer Exercise
Throughout some years, there’s an enormous acorn crop. Different years, not a lot. This varies area by area and typically even tree to tree. A number of years in the past, a tree skilled of some type instructed me the principle cause oaks didn’t produce acorns yearly is due to a pure protection mechanism. If oaks have been bountiful every season, he stated, finally the mammals and birds that eat acorns would change into so plentiful over time that not one of the acorns would ever be spared. Consequently, fewer oaks would sprout up out of the forest flooring to replenish the woods. Oak bushes battle this by having bumper crops some years, overwhelming the acorn predators (and making certain that a number of the seeds mature), after which producing minimal crops the following yr.
Climate additionally performs an element. Unfavorable climate throughout pollination and seed growth durations may end up in decreased manufacturing of acorns. Late spring freezes, extraordinarily excessive temperatures, summer season droughts and different excessive climate stressors can cut back acorn pollination and manufacturing, based on Purdue College.
I’ll go away it to you to guage why you’ll or gained’t have a variety of acorns the place you hunt this yr. However I can say for sure that deer relish acorns and can abandon feeders—and something you care to plant in a meals plot—to get at them for so long as they final. —C.M.
Figuring out Oaks and Acorns
For many outdoorsmen and ladies, figuring out an oak tree is fairly easy. However what sort of oak species are we taking a look at? You possibly can dive down the rabbit gap on tree identification (this text is an effective begin), or you may hit the simple button and use the PictureThis tree identification app. The app is quick, easy, and correct.
Taking a fowl’s-eye-view, you may also establish potential oak tree stands by means of on-line scouting. Some apps like HuntStand can help you see a satellite tv for pc view of your looking space by month. As a result of oaks have a tendency to carry their leaves longer, you choose for November and December and search for hardwood areas that also maintain leaves within the cover. It’s an excellent guess that these are oak bushes. Even utilizing google Google Earth may give you a leap begin. You’ll have the ability to rule out stands of evergreen, marshy areas and brushy areas with out canopies. Search for massive, rounded treetops on hills and ridges.
After you’ve situated and recognized your oak bushes, it’s time to take a look at the standard of the acorns themselves. One trick whitetail skilled Scott Bestul taught me years in the past was to search for acorns with out caps, as a result of deer favor these (for reference, all of the acorns within the picture above are capped). Capped acorns, Bestul says, are typically wormy and deer keep away from them. So if you happen to discover a stand of big oaks, all dropping acorns with out their caps, you’ve probably discovered an excellent feeding space. —A.R.
Deer Love White Oak Acorns
Now let’s get into the distinction between white oak acorns and crimson oak acorns. Within the higher South and different areas, white oak acorns are most popular—chestnut white oak acorns, particularly. These produce massive, meaty acorns, and it’s stated that in pioneer days settlers even used floor chestnut oak acorns as an alternative choice to wheat flour. Many, if not most, white oak leaves are multi-lobed with rounded edges. The leaves of chestnut oaks, nonetheless, are just like the late, nice American chestnut (therefore the identify), although extra oval in form.
The Deep South’s swamp chestnut oak, which produces arguably an important acorn to bowhunters in that area, has pretty massive, teardrop-shaped leaves that taper to a degree, with rows of pointy “tooth” ranging down both facet. The swamp chestnut’s leaves are a bit thinner in width than these of the upland chestnut oak, however broader than one other essential white oak: the chinkapin. The swamp chestnut’s acorns additionally are typically extra oval in form than these of its cousins.
Maybe that’s greater than you need to learn about chestnut oaks, however they’re value consideration as a result of deer appear to favor their acorns above all others. In case you find just a few chestnut oaks—and even one—that may drop acorns this fall, you must put up a stand there and hunt as usually as you may. If you begin scouting for deer signal, use binoculars to search for acorns, too. If bushes are going to bear them in any respect this yr, they need to be seen by now. —C.M.
Save Purple Oaks for Later
So why don’t crimson oak acorns appeal to deer in addition to white oak acorns early within the fall? There are theories about that too, probably the most outstanding of which pertains to the upper stage of tannic acid current in crimson oak acorns. It’s stated that it takes a number of days of frosty climate to dilute the tannic acid and make crimson oak acorns extra palatable to deer. So, they usually wait till later within the season earlier than visiting the water oak and willow oak flats, and ridgeline crimson oaks. Once more, deer react otherwise to totally different meals sources relying on the area. However the level stays. If yow will discover white oaks early, you would possibly need to save the crimson oak stands for later. —C.M.
