![]() ![]() So, how can you use this information to punch your tag? Get out and find the trees that are producing in your area. However, it is rare for a tree in the red oak group (such as black, blackjack, cherrybark, pin, red, scarlet, shingle, and willow oaks) to not produce a single acorn, and good acorn crops can be expected every two to five years. Bumper crops of red oaks are even fewer and farther between at every five to seven years, according to Purdue University. Some years, white oak trees will not produce a single acorn. In fact, trees in the white oak family (such as white, bur, chestnut, chinkapin, swamp white, and post oaks) are known to only produce an abundance of acorns every two to five years, according to the University of Tennessee. Forest Service to develop predictive models for mast production.Īs hunters, we cannot rely on a consistent acorn crop. This means the number of acorns on the ground and available to deer and other acorn predators is heavily dependent on the year, and identifying the groups of trees that are producing in your hunting area is crucial to your hunting success.Īcorn productivity of five common oak species in the eastern United States used in a study by the U.S. ![]() During bust years, acorns can become very scarce. During boom years, trees can produce an abundant, or bumper, acorn crop. Prevalence of Bumper Acorn CropsĪs many know, oaks have evolved to produce acorns in an annual boom or bust cycle. Finally, I wouldn’t send you to the woods without a quick guide to identifying the two major oak families based on leaves, bark, and acorn caps. It’s also essential to understand how acorn availability, oak family, and nutrition impact the level and timing of deer sightings. Follow along as I run through the science behind the acorn cycle and how you can put together a hunting strategy to capitalize on them this fall.Īcorn production cycles vary every season, and regardless of the oak species, every tree is not equally valuable to a hunting strategy centered around acorns. This time of the year, acorns are often key for most whitetail hunters. Focusing on the best food source is an important part of every deer-hunting strategy.
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