[Shady]

Seems like its been a bumper crop for the acorns this year. Does that put a damper on hunting over a plot? I know that deer like variety and will still hit forages even with acorns everywhere, but still has to put a damper on it. Maybe late season brassica, oat, winter wheat plots will be good? Discuss, debate....anyone?

 

[springfreak]

acorns don't make a lot of difference here, a lot of agriculture and wood lots.

 

[CJBS2003]

I think the acorns will have an effect more in the early season, but as they get eaten up deer will have to go to other sources...

 

[HomeintheWoods]

The deer are hitting the plentiful acorns hard. That's good because it will extend the life of my brassica plots. I think the early season plots will see minimal use early, but will come into their own once the snow covers those acorns.

 

[jlh42581]

in my area theres so many food sources its almost impossible to pattern the deer. youll hunt a woodlot... one side of it will be beans, the other side corn, the other a swap and then loaded with acorns in the woods. GIANT guessing game of where theyre going. Are they bedding in the standing corn, woods, pines, beans?

tough going right now.

 

[CJBS2003]

For the first time in many years, a field within 1/3 of a mile of our hunting property is about 20 acres of currently standing corn. Not sure how this is going to affect deer movement in the area... Plus this year has been a bumper crop for red oaks and for the first time in many years there is a decent white oak acorn crop.

 

[RB]

The 1600 acre lease behind me is having a BIG clear cut done. According to those guys there are oak tops full of acorns everywhere...I think deer are passing thru my plots on their way in there. My mature aoks are largely gone except for two spots...and once these cut tops there loose thier mast, there is going to be a big gap on the hill for mast. Something I am already planning for....

I think your question depends on where your plot is...if it is in the travel path from bedding to feeding your good. If not, you might see less. I think deer like nuts above all else...and rightfully so they seem to do the most for them.

I have not been thru my section of mature white oaks...but i can hear them falling on my other neighbors parcel from my one treestand..I have permission to hunt over there too just don't like my stands over there. As long as those trees draw the does I am happy cause they browse right thru my plots to and from there and the bucks will soon be "hanging out" up there waiting on them.

Going to be some nice bucks next year...and hopefully some very good birthing next spring too.

 

[CJBS2003]

Going to be some nice bucks next year...and hopefully some very good birthing next spring too.

I agree... The bumper crop of acorns is going to lead to some great racks next year! The bad acorn crop last year definitely seems to have affected the average quality of the buck's racks in my neck of the woods this year...

 

[Q2XL12]

around home there is too much food for them in the fields to notice the acorns impacting their feeding habits.

At camp however, acors and crab apples are the ticket