So how about those ACORNS?!

[Geno C]

anyone else notice the abundance this year in the acorn harvest? there huge and theres a ton of them which should make for some good natural forage for the deer. around my house is loaded up already...

i also have a chestnut tree slamming my yard with chestnuts! guess its going to be a harsh winter as they say? 

[Doewhacker]

YES! they are really heavy this year. Darn things hurt when you get hit by them too!!! So far both the wife and myself have been vitims of the Acorn Rage..hey isn't that a bait product or some thing..haha now I know what  it means.

[Fantail]

I know 1 white oak with a bumper crop this year. Whats weird is 30 yards from it there's a red with only a handfull this year. And, another 40 yards from that another pair of white oaks with only a handfull between them.

[Fantail]

Hey I'm wondering about something - we all know deer like the sweeter acorns, but can they tell the difference by leaf recognition or a sence of smell?

[Doewhacker]

I know 1 white oak with a bumper crop this year. Whats weird is 30 yards from it there's a red with only a handfull this year. And, another 40 yards from that another pair of white oaks with only a handfull between them.

Here is why.. I got this from some tree lovers web site because I remembered my Dad telling me about it as a youngster. (I do have a memory I guess)

The masting cycle:

Much of the variability in acorn production is the result of a natural cycle in oaks called "masting".

In this cycle, oaks produce low or moderate acorn crops most years, and an abundant acorn crop once every two to five years.

Acorn production during an abundant crop year may be 80 percent higher than in a low production year; the difference to deer can be hundreds of pounds of acorns per acre

[burmjohn]

I would guess smell, since their sense of smell is so strong.  I noticed a ton of acorns this year as well. 

[Doewhacker]

Here is the web site, some might find it interesting.

http://www.gardening-for-wildlife.com/Gardening_For_Wildlife-Acorns-and-oak-trees-142.html

[Doc]

In my area, red oaks are bearing super-heavy. White oaks ....... I haven't found one with acorns yet.

Doc

[Geno C]

yeah, ive noticed some producing more then others... theres alot of em around my stand so thats good.

i hear them dropping like crazy!

[Larry]

lots of mass is not allways good for hunting it's good for the the deer but it spead them out more they have more places to feed. if your where the the deer are feeding at the time you will see alot of action

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Has to be the smell between the two types. when I took my bow hunter ed course years back the instructor brought in a bunch of acors and had us taste them.....he broke them open and the meaty inside we tasted. It was amazing how much better the taste of the White acorns were. I can understand, given a choice, why deer prefer them