[caemol]

Does anyone pay close attention to the acorn crop in thier area? I just started hunting NJ and pretty much every area I have been has lots of oaks. Do you keep a close eye on this and change your hunting patterns? Do you look more for white over red?

http://www.startribune.com/sports/outdoors/49890742.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUo8cyaiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU

 

[screaming eagle]

My cousin complained the crop last year was terrible. If thats how you approach how you hunt, than its a good thing to look into. I usually hunt by standing corn so I dont pay too much attention to the acorns.

 

[jcchartboy]

My cousin complained the crop last year was terrible

It absoltuely was. More importatantly, areas of the woods that were litered with deer the previous year when the crop was good, were almost devoid of activity when it was bad.

Piont being...yes, the acorn crop is unquestionably a huge factor in determining deer movement in many parts of NJ.

JC

 

[briarpatch]

Deer will prefer the white oak acorn over the red. White oak acorns are lower in tannic acid, and are considerably sweeter than the red. Where I live, the red oak trees outnumber the white oaks about 4 to 1. If you can locate a white oak (or group of them) that's dropping acorns, that's probably the place to be. As acorn crops go, so the deer movmement goes....

 

[caemol]

Thanks. I know deer usually will abandon everything for white oaks, so should probably start scouting for them in the areas I plan on hunting.

Acorns produce every 2 years, something i didn't know, so this year my well be dictated by the acorn crop.

Thanks

 

[jerseyhunter]

I totally agree with JC.

 

[loaded4bear]

Deer will prefer the white oak acorn over the red.

So do bears! [wallmad]

If you set up in bear country, know that a bumper white acorn crop will bring the bears a runnin'

 

[drenal]

More importatantly, areas of the woods that were litered with deer the previous year when the crop was good, were almost devoid of activity when it was bad.

Piont being...yes, the acorn crop is unquestionably a huge factor in determining deer movement in many parts of NJ.

i agree
this year i have a feeling ,i might have to wear the umbrella hat again ,should be a good one for the acorns[up]

 

[mightyhunter]

should be a good one for the acorns

I hope so because last year was terrible for acorns.

 

[jerseyhunter]

I intend to rig a tarp under the oak in ,my yard and catch the acorns. free natural bait.

 

[beaverman]

Speaking of acorns as free bait. I had a situation years ago I wish I could find again today. A new development was being put in an area that was an oak flat. Every house in the new development had a basement poured well before being framed. All the oaks in the area rained acorns into the basements and the contractors were pissed, I went around and shoveled them into trash cans, the contractors started doing the same thing so I would come in with a bunch of boxes and fill them with acorns. I probably had over 1000 lbs of acorns at one point. They worked great as bait.

 

[TheDFP]

My dad had a bumper crop at his house 2 years ago. I got 280 pounds. Deer love them. White oaks are like deer crack when they are dropping!

 

[shoot2kill8]

hardly any acorns by me last season, the deer were really skinny earlier this spring because of it, ive also noticed im seeing less fawns this yr, and when i do see a doe with fawns, it usually only has one fawn

 

[Northernhunter]

The acorn crop near me was horrible last year. Almost non existent. However, just last Monday I trimmed some branches at my in-law's house as they were leaning over the deck and some too close to the house. I must have felled 10-15 decent sized branches in lengths of 8-15ft each. All of them were loaded with acorns. And also last week I was on a few morning walks and noticed a few streets had lots of crushed acorns under some oaks that lined the streets.

Not sure if this is connected in any way, but several months ago some weather guy forecasted a cooler than normal summer for the northeast. So far he's been right. And I heard someone mention at a picnic that she heard this winter is expected to be one of the worst in recent years....cold, snow storms, etc. Maybe it is all making sense...cool summer, tons of acorns thus far and who knows what's next?????

 

[Buck619]

Whats the best way to tell the difference between a red oak and a white oak? Also do you think trees dropping oaks this early will cause a problem come hunting season if trees are holding very few acorns?

 

[Buck619]

Whats the best way to tell the difference between a red oak and a white oak? Also do you think trees dropping oaks this early will cause a problem come hunting season if trees are holding very few acorns?

 

[bushnlo]

A red oaks leaves are more pointy than the white oaks leaves witch tend to be more webbed and rounded.

 

[drenal]

round leaves ,and spike leaves ,round leaf tips=white
spike leafs red

 

[drenal]

dam i cant type that fast lol what he said

 

[screaming eagle]

Whats the best way to tell the difference between a red oak and a white oak?

White oak acorns are really large and red oak are small. Also the white oak's leaves are rounded while the red are pointed.