Acorns Anyone?

[Ssamac]

I'm trying to place a stand and would like to get it close to the best acorns for deer. Here's a pic of the three kinds I've spotted:

 

Way over on the right are burr ok, I believe. They are way down the list for deer. The left and middle both look like either red or pin oak, pin oak being the better of the two, but notice the size difference between the smaller nuts on the left and those in the middle. That's not the pic: They are taken side by side. I don't see much difference other than the size between the two and there is the one light one in the middle which almost looks like white oak which would be terrific. Lots of these have the caps off too. Do the deer care about that? I don't think so.

Can you help me identify these nuts and rate them 1-3 on the list of favorites? The trees are within half a mile or less of each other and I know that deer will eat the favorites first. I hate to be sitting by the least favorite while the deer are gathered 1000 feet away.

Thanks
sam        

[adeeden]

Sam, I think your ID's are correct. You would be much better off finding a white oak. The deer will eat all the whites before even thinking about the reds or burr's. The whites (leaves) have rounded end lobes like the burr does but the overall profile will be closer to the red oak shape if that makes any sense at all!

[Ssamac]

Yes it does. I think the white oak acorns are more light green color too. Unfortunately, there are no white oak in the area I'm hunting, but I was pretty happy to find acorns at all. Nice crop too. I'll stay closer to the red oaks then.

thanks
sam

[weedwacker]

They're harder to hunt when the acorn crop is good.  Predicting tough season in southern mo due to acorn crop.

[Ssamac]

True unless you're sitting on top of the right acorns. However they won't move around as much

sam

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Left pin, middle red, right burr.  

I disagree that burr oak is low on the deer's preferred acorn list, though.  They are closer to white oak than either of the others.

I'd rank them burr, pin, then red.

You want to figure out what the deer prefer just crack a couple and eat them. You'll spit the red oak right out due to the high tannin content and REAL bitter taste.  Pin oak is OK, as I recall burr oak will be nearly as sweet as white oaks.

When I'm hunting a good white oak I pick up a few to nibble on while I'm waiting for the deer.

In my experience the red oak is the last thing the deer will eat  - around home they usually rot on the ground.

Ryan

[lpcjon2]

You should look for the trail that leads to the acorns and set up off that.

[wapiti792]

I went squirrel hunting last night in a patch of hardwoods...the deer are turning their noses up at the red oaks. There are 3 giant white oaks in that patch. Guess what? Looked like hogs were rooting! Gonna hang a stand and hunt there!

[SEMO_HUNTER]

Sam, it's been my experience that the smaller acorns are generally sweeter like the pin oaks and white oaks. The deer around here will devour the pin oaks, post oaks, and white oaks before anything else. Look for copious amounts of droppings around those trees and hang a stand near the trees with the most droppings around them. You better hurry because they eat em up pretty quick and you will have to move again when they are gone. When the deer are heavily feeding on acorns it's best to use a climbing stand or a blind to stay mobile because you have to follow the deer to the trees they are working on this week, then the next. Look for the squirrels too, usually they will clue you in on what's for dinner and the deer won't be too far behind them.

[Ssamac]

thanks guys
I am using a blind which is very mobile.
I thought there was a difference between middle and left, and for sure, the red oak has the highest amount of tannic acid and is least preferred. There are no white oak at all.

Didn't think burr oak were high on the list but that's good news since that's the closest, the best spot, and the most of them. Also a nice tracked trail to and from which I think will be exceptionally good in the evening.

I'll keep you posted

Thanks
sam

[smokin joe]

I agree that white oak acorns are the best. burr oaks are good and the fact that you have a trail with sign going to them is great. You will get some action, I'm sure.

[Jerry Jeffer]

I:ve been getting pelted with these. Chestnut oak I think.

 

[geales]

The only other thing I would look for is locust bean pods. They have been tearing them up in my area. The deer have been eating them instead of the white oaks in a couple of places. It has been really wet here this year and I think that may have something to do with it. Jerry do you have a nuclear power plant nearby. Those things are HUGE.

[Ssamac]

They sure are
I don't have any locust in the area I can hunt. But glad to have acorns. There are also some hickory nuts but the deer don't mess with them until very late when there's snow on the ground and not much else. They'll pick on whatever squirrels have left.

sam

[SEMO_HUNTER]

If you have other hard mast and soft mast here are some to look for.
Persimmons are like candy to all creatures big and small and draw deer like a magnet.
Beechnuts are also high on the preferred food list.
Geales has already mentioned Honey Locust pods, I saw a nice 10pt. munching one of those down one time and couldn't believe my eyes, I had no idea they would eat those.
Maple leaves get devoured very quickly as soon as they hit the forest floor. When they turn colors they have a sweetness that deer love, also walnut leaves are edible and sweet when they turn yellow.
Of course apples, pears, and honey suckle if there's any left.

Just look for the freshest droppings in the areas you have found food and that's where you need to be. Stay mobile and move with the food, don't just assume that a certain spot is evening or morning until you spend some time there. It could be an all day spot if the sign and food are there.

Look for squirrels and turkey, they eat the same food as deer except for hickory nuts and walnuts and they are so hard that mainly squirrels just eat those, but I have heard that deer will occasionally eat a hickory nut, why is beyond me?

Nothing can replace lots of time in the woods, and the animals will tell you what they want and what they like.

Good hunting this season!

[Ssamac]

Nice summary, Semo Hunter and thanks. Spending time where you hunt is definitely the way to go since you can more easily spot changes and movement that way. Was not aware of the maple leaves. That's a good tip as there are some maples in the area. I noticed deer eating hickory nuts under the snow last year. Squirrels had opened the nut and the deer came and took them. Interesting how nature works. Those squirrels can point you to a lot of stuff.

Have a great hunt this year all my fellow Trad Gangers!!

sam

[Killdeer]

Jerry, I found a bunch of those yellow acorns today. Struck my eye as a mushroom at first, then saw a mess of those yellow puffs, then looked and it was a capless acorn. The oak they were under was a chestnut oak.

Now, what was that ebony acorn with the brown cap that I picked up...?

Killdeer  

[Looper]

Deer won't eat chestnut oak at all.  If you think red oak acorns are bitter, try one of those.

[Killdeer]

One of those turned a shooting buddy's mouth inside out this morning. He turned to me and offered it... "No thanks, I've done that before," was my reply.

Sometimes, older is better.   :D
Killdeer

[Jerry Jeffer]

Killy,I also had a thought of fungus when I first saw one. The place I sat that morning was carpeted with them. I can't believe your buddy ate one of those?       Looper, Bitter to us does not mean bitter to deer. I watched 3 doe sucking up chestnut acorns for an hour. Yes they have preferences, but they do eat most of them. The supposed favorite white oak would pucker your face as well. Acorns need a bunch of leeching before people can eat them.