acorns falling = no deer at the feeder

[wabi]

I should have guessed. I was getting several "regulars" at my feeder including a couple tasty looking yearlings.



Even a couple bucks were stopping by in the evenings.



Then season opened, the wind blew, and the oaks carpeted the ground with acorns. No deer at the feeder during hunting hours for a week now.

With my hip pain it's just too difficult for me to do much scouting to try to locate where the deer are dining right now, so it may be a few weeks before I put an arrow through one this year.

The good news is that the new food plot strip (peas, turnips, chicory) we planted near the feeder/stand is growing well now and may provide an added attraction when cold weather gets here!

[Ont_Excal]

My home area has a healthy crop of acorns as well.
Even for once the squirrels have quit attacking my bird feeders.

[Masboy]

Our first day in the morning an lots of rain coming in so not to excited about a morning hunt an calling for windy . My son was over where we hunt last evening watching from a far an seen a couple nice bucks in the field next to our stands so sounds good. I,m ready for a little break from fishing an been hammering the smallmouths about everyday.

[Onetimeonly x-->]

It sounded like hail was pelting every structure this past weekend in the lower northern part of Michigan. Was actually pertty cool, don't think I remember a show like that. Come on snow...can't hide in the snow

[gendoc]

we are going to have a late season for acorns, they are the size of bb's right now....

[bubba]

gendoc you say your from lowest Alabama. My sons 700 acres of hunting land is in southern Mississippi he has planted 9 plots this year, and he is tellin me the trees are dropping acorns all over the hardwood areas, and his plots and feeders an'it been getting as much attention lately, and he says the acorns are good size and the white acorns are as always bigger. So hes been moving some stands in the hardwoods around, Just saying. Good luck this season......bubba.....

[Fazan]

Is there a way of preserving acorns for next year? I wonder if you keep them in a white feed bag same as corn would they spoil.
I bet there won't be too many acorns next year. On my oak trees they are plenty every three year or so, not so much in between.

[Lake shooter]

Corn dries out, acorns just sprout! I still have about a quart bag of Sawtooth Oak acorns in the fridge from last year. Even at 40 degrees and pitch black, many have sprouted and are looking for a place to take hold!!!

[Ont_Excal]

I don't bother with saving the acorns from one season to the next.
If next year is a poor crop of acorns then the deer will hit the feeders better.

To save acorns one would have to freeze them.
Not sure if it's worth it as they will pick up all sorts of food odours.

[wabi]

A few years ago I had the bright idea to pick up some of the acorns (bumper crop that year) and bring them home to put in my squirrel feeder.
They disappeared quickly but we now have oak trees coming up in several of the flower beds.

[JPjunkie]

A few years ago I had the bright idea to pick up some of the acorns (bumper crop that year) and bring them home to put in my squirrel feeder.
They disappeared quickly but we now have oak trees coming up in several of the flower beds.

Farmers are they

[gendoc]

gendoc you say your from lowest Alabama. My sons 700 acres of hunting land is in southern Mississippi he has planted 9 plots this year, and he is tellin me the trees are dropping acorns all over the hardwood areas, and his plots and feeders an'it been getting as much attention lately, and he says the acorns are good size and the white acorns are as always bigger. So hes been moving some stands in the hardwoods around, Just saying. Good luck this season......bubba.....

I think the 6 day- 16 degree temps in march and the 29" flooding rains in april
had something to do with it..... is my guess...
















'

[bubba]

That would be a good guess.......hope all works out...bubba..

[cevans]

Red oaks produce every year. White oaks seem to do their thing every other year. This is the year of the oak,,all oaks have a great abundance due to the wet springs and summers in most places. When I was 15-16 working in my cousins sporting goods store, a old timer bow hunter who always killed big racked bucks told me if I ever deer hunted to hunt the oak mast,,he left the store and I said to everybody, what the heck is the oak mast and what was he talking about? As he always had his tree stands in oak mast. I learned that day, to hunt the oak and acorns was the mast. Never forgot it. All my stands are in oak trees to this day, and that was 40 yrs ago. Good luck hunting the oaks this year. Tons of acorns abound and acorns are 60% of a deer's diet this year.

[Lake shooter]

Down here in Arkansas the White Oaks only produce a bumper crop every 3-5 years. I have many big ones in my yard that will go between those times with nary a nut. Post Oaks are also in the White Oak family and are much more dependable, although they produce smaller acorns. Some of them produce every year even if the crop is a little up and down.

I too like hunting the oaks, but I make an effort to scout the trees with my bino to check the tops first because even in the same species, some drop relatively early and some the opposite. I can't always rely on there being acorns on the ground this time of year to show which trees are loaded, but the tops may indicate a bumper crop and a good place to set up in the future, but not yet.