Acorns

[goshenmountainman]

My chesnut oak worked again, got a nice eight as he stood there gobbling up them chesnut acorns, might even get a bear there. I got his pic twice so far and he seems to like them real good.

Guys, moved to a different area this evening where I found some chesnut oaks dropping a couple weeks ago, set up this evening and at 7 pm I filled my 2nd buck tag on an old monarch that I have three years of history with. My son shot under him last year, and as soon as I saw him coming out of the ivy thicket I recognized him, he came straight to the chesnut oaks, walking right through some white oaks that are dropping too. The chesnut oaks have treated me well this year!

 

[Buckman18]

Guys, moved to a different area this evening where I found some chesnut oaks dropping a couple weeks ago, set up this evening and at 7 pm I filled my 2nd buck tag on an old monarch that I have three years of history with. My son shot under him last year, and as soon as I saw him coming out of the ivy thicket I recognized him, he came straight to the chesnut oaks, walking right through some white oaks that are dropping too. The chesnut oaks have treated me well this year!

Great job and Congratulations!!!!

 

[splatek]

Wow.. Awesome
Congrats!

 

[ddd-shooter]

Acorns all around me this evening. Nice little saddle on a ridge. A 200 lb momma and two cubs ran all over me. One cub was directly under my stand.
Later, two small bucks in velvet were under me at 15 yards.
Great evening, and a great weekend. Had deer all over us all weekend.

 

[kevin17]

That buck better look out come December with you finding his shed

 

[splatek]

Guys, moved to a different area this evening where I found some chesnut oaks dropping a couple weeks ago, set up this evening and at 7 pm I filled my 2nd buck tag on an old monarch that I have three years of history with. My son shot under him last year, and as soon as I saw him coming out of the ivy thicket I recognized him, he came straight to the chesnut oaks, walking right through some white oaks that are dropping too. The chesnut oaks have treated me well this year!

goshenman - what type of chestnut oak are you hunting in the mountains? Q montana or Q michauxii? do you know?

 

[goshenmountainman]

goshenman - what type of chestnut oak are you hunting in the mountains? Q montana or Q michauxii? do you know?

I have no idea, its pretty prevalent around here, they have long leaves with serrated edges and big blocky bark if that helps. And more rounded acorns, I have seen some that have more longer,slender acorns too.

 

[splatek]

I have no idea, its pretty prevalent around here, they have long leaves with serrated edges and big blocky bark if that helps. And more rounded acorns, I have seen some that have more longer,slender acorns too.

OK, thanks. I think that's the swamp chestnut or Q michauxii. I was reading about how game love those, but the report I read said they are rarely found above 1000ft. Could be a hybrid... anyhow, I appreciate it.

I never realized that trying to learn how to hunt would have me going down the rabbit hole of learning the names and details of trees (and I still have to figure out how to identify other game food items such as persimmons, wild grapes, etc etc) I realize that the true white oak Q alba is the holy grail of tasty acorns, but when they are absent the bears/deer don't just starve; that's not how nature works. So I am trying to create a map of where some trees are for next season, but in order to do that I have to have a general idea of what the tree is and whether the animals are hunting it. Funny story, last season, before I knew anything other than a tree has leaves, I was hunting this one tree line, that later a buddy told me doesn't even produce a food item for deer. I thought it was a white oak.... man how I've learned.

 

[goshenmountainman]

OK, thanks. I think that's the swamp chestnut or Q michauxii. I was reading about how game love those, but the report I read said they are rarely found above 1000ft. Could be a hybrid... anyhow, I appreciate it.

I never realized that trying to learn how to hunt would have me going down the rabbit hole of learning the names and details of trees (and I still have to figure out how to identify other game food items such as persimmons, wild grapes, etc etc) I realize that the true white oak Q alba is the holy grail of tasty acorns, but when they are absent the bears/deer don't just starve; that's not how nature works. So I am trying to create a map of where some trees are for next season, but in order to do that I have to have a general idea of what the tree is and whether the animals are hunting it. Funny story, last season, before I knew anything other than a tree has leaves, I was hunting this one tree line, that later a buddy told me doesn't even produce a food item for deer. I thought it was a white oak.... man how I've learned.

There are plenty of whiteoak acorns all around these trees, but for some reason they are eating mostly the chesnut oaks first. I don't know if they are sweeter or what, but they are gobbling them up first.

 

[FMBear]

The red oaks are really coming down in the last 5 days or so in the areas I've been focusing.
Including this afternoon, I'm finding the best sign on ridge tops with both white oaks and red oaks dropping. Unfortunately, no bears seen this afternoon, but again, food is ample & the sign is there.
On a side note, I found my first scrape this afternoon with a fresh licking branch.

 

[Timberman]

goshenman - what type of chestnut oak are you hunting in the mountains? Q montana or Q michauxii? do you know?

The tree Goshen speaks of is Q. Montana. You won't find Q. Michauxii in the mountains.

 

[splatek]

The tree Goshen speaks of is Q. Montana. You won't find Q. Michauxii in the mountains.

Thanks Timberman: After a little more research, I realized that Q montana was present in Appalachia, whereas the michauxii rarely occurs above 1000ft.
Still trying to figure all this stuff out... and find the animals...

 

[Timberman]

Checked out a new area this am. Found a good number of white oaks dropping on a bench above a gap at 2800-3000’. They really liked one tree in particular it was trashed.

 

[ucfireman]

Not in the mtns but my white oaks are producing but the acorns are smaller than usual. Always have a bumper crop and they are usually large , Maybe the lack of rain kept them from getting as bug as normally?
Normal 1 inch long and .5 diameter, this year .5 long and .25 diameter.

 

[Ghost G]

So are these Chestnut Acorns? They were coming down heavy around 2500 and I picked these up from my hammock seat.

 

[mayoung]

Yes. Lot of folks know them as mountain oak, same tree.

 

[HardlyHangin]

Yes. Lot of folks know them as mountain oak, same tree.

Thanks for clarifying that, i always knew them as mountain oaks and associated the chestnut with the giant american chestnuts that died out way back when