Drought Question?????

[ManOfTheFall]

I have never seen this in all my years of hunting. There have been dry times and very wet times. I have even seen a year or two dryer than this one. I have a large oak tree by my house. I have always liked this because I would really notice when the acorns would start dropping. On Monday the 27th of August I saw maybe one or two acorns on the ground. When I walked out of the house on Tuesday, the ground was literally covered with green acorns. So, do you guys think the deer will come off of their summer feeding patterns early to hit the acorns? Will they go back to the fields after they have devoured what acorn crop has fallen? I knew the acorns would be dropping early but this is like 6 weeks early. I never would have thought that. I hope this doesn't mess with my early season hunting too much. I usually take down most of my deer in the early season. Any advice on this would be much appreciated.

[mrbb]

well I too have noticed acorns been dropping here for past two weeks, but there green acorns,
and if you ask me, deer right now will be sticking to crops till there gone, as green acorns I think need to dry before they eat them, or prefer them any how
right next to one of my food plots I have two 125+ yr old oak tree's
and with deer next to it every day, and there not eating any acorns now, just eating the food plots
so pending what your deer have as feed, I think they will hold off on acorns till there , well ripe to eat as they would/SHould be in a few weeks

just my guess though!

[ManOfTheFall]

Thanks for the info. Yes, there are alot of acorns but like you said, they are all green.

[Bushman]

Like bb said crop areas now and acorns later. Id also target water sources as well.

[Big_Holla]

Acorns that are dropping real early, if they have not matured, may not be as attractive to deer. That was something I read not too long ago on another site and I think there may be some truth to it. How much...heck I don't know....LOL

[mrbb]

a lot of early dropped acorns are hollow in side, you can check real easy by cutting a few open
if there hollow, they will not eat them unless there starving!

[Greybeard11]

Deer are hammering soybeans in my area right now. Haven't seen any indication that they have moved to acorns yet.

[Stumpy]

Yep, deer out this way are in the beans. Also in the harvested corn fields. There shelling corn already in a few areas.

[mrbb]

beans and corn right now are full of moisture, so deer will get some water from eating and not as dry as many other things with the dry summer

[tilelayer1]

I have 2 very large Red oaks on my property,most years Red oak are very prolific.2 years ago there were so many the ground was covered,last year ...zero.This year I see there are some very good size acorns,but not many.Chestnut oaks have very small green acorns,but very few.White oak have none at all.Beech have a scant few nuts as well.Lucily most farmers in my area have a decent corn crop thanks to thunder storms that happened this summer.Beans have also done well.Imo forested areas away from farmland will have a poor mast crop again this year but better than last year.If you find the acorns you will find the deer.Last year when there were no acorns the deer stayed closer to fields and low brush to browse, which was a tough way for me to hunt cuz most of my hunting is in wooded areas.I have heard that Ohio was hit a little harder than Pa as far as the heat and drought went this summer.I havent heard too much on that yet here but it is still early and alot of guys havent put summer away yet.

[Toke2]

Good article in the Sept. N.A. WhiteTail magazine about acorns. I am doing my homework on Acorns.... as I hunt public land and don't have the luxury of a food plot. In fact, according to the writer, he said many Deer who do frequent plots - abandon them for Acorns during the early hunting season - giving food plot hunters fits ( Can anyone confirm). Acorns are crucial to their diet, and when they start to fall it can change their patterns abruptly. White oaks are sweeter and more reliable ( drop acorns every year), whereas Red Oaks are more bitter and not as preferred by deer. Red Oaks often only drop acorns every other year the author said - but that they are much more nutritious for the deer - so they do eat them as well. Also said that you can tell if acorns are "ripe" by how easily the caps come off the nut. When the caps come off easily - this is when the deer will be in acorn mode. Green are not ready yet - but they will still eat them. Just thought I'd share some of the key points from the article.... I am definitely going to pay much more attention this year to the OAKs and plan accordingly since I have no plots to work. I suspect I will see the typical signs (droppings tracks) under these Oaks. Good topic!

[mrbb]

well I am a food plot hunter in my home state, BUT I have hunted in many states including Ohio, and OHIO public lands have lots of state installed food plots, so you can still hunt food plots on public lands

as for deer leavingfood plots to eat acorns, well NO and YES, here at my place deer feed in the food plots all yr no matter what other crops is on the ground, but acorns will change the timing some what, as deer live mostly off my property, and when there is NO acorns they pretty much come straight from bedding cover(off my lands) and walk real fast straight to the food plots with few if any stops
when there are acorns, they stop and feed on the way, making many deer not make it to the plots till after shooting hrs, but they always still feed on the plots, just many times at night
thats the bigger problems with plots, deer know there there can come at any hr fill up and leave, and many prefer to feed at night being so open, making acorns more attractive
I think when there about, as there is cover in the woods for them to eat, in a safer feeling
with the cover about, and I am sure a change in diet is a welcome thing for them as well

but food plots will always pull deer, like candy to a kid!

[mneal]

I have noticed that the apples are ripe early and I believe the corn and beans are going to be off early... It could be a long winter for the deer herd in terms of feeding. By late season.. they will be hungry. Especially if we have a rough winter.

[gonehunting 45]

Haven't been down to check the acorns. Heading down this weekend for a quick walk. I'll take a look at the. One thing I have noticed is the leaves are falling and quickly where I live