Late Frost

[Timberjack86]

32 degrees this morning across the state line in Polk county TN. I'm sure it got all our oak trees. They all bloomed out last week. Anyone know the conditions at cohutta? Had the oaks bloomed out yet?

 

[Joe Brandon]

32 degrees this morning across the state line in Polk county TN. I'm sure it got all our oak trees. They all bloomed out last week. Anyone know the conditions at cohutta? Had the oaks bloomed out yet?

I sure hope it did! Keep them on the move.

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

I sure hope it did! Keep them on the move.

C'mon now, let's not get too carried away. Yes, it's easier to find bears on years where they have to hunt for acorns, but hoping for a total mast failure is a bit extreme. Bears ain't the only critters that need to store fat for the long winter.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Not a late frost by any means in most of the mountains, just normal weather. Here in my part of the mountains, the average last frost date is May 10th. Oaks are pretty tough and adapted to this stuff.

BTW, red oaks produce acorns from last year's blooms, white oaks from this year's.

 

[280 Man]

There's a difference in frost and freezes and each depending on duration can be devastating! Damage done boils down for the most part to how long plants, trees etc are subjected to the low temps. Of course they are other factors involved as well!!

 

[strothershwacker]

It'll take more than a 32 degree morning to wipe em out. Usually just gets em above 3000' anyway. Least thats been my experience.

 

[tree cutter 08]

30 at the house and heavy frost. Reds are leafed out and whites are at that iffy stage. Trees at higher elevation probably not affected since they are not as far along. Still got several weeks to go. I believe lots of rain during the pollination stage seems to hurt worse than frost most years.

 

[NCHillbilly]

30 here this morning. Oaks aren't blooming here yet.

 

[Sautee Ridgerunner]

I was at 2600 today. Whites were still in winter stage

 

[Buckman18]

I was between 3000-4100 today. Still wintertime up high. No signs of any kind of life other than where some hogs had been and hearing 3 grouse drumming. No turkeys. Yet.

 

[ddd-shooter]

I was between 3000-4100 today. Still wintertime up high. No signs of any kind of life other than where some hogs had been and hearing 3 grouse drumming. No turkeys. Yet.

This was what I was gonna say. In the heart of the mountains, oaks are only BARELY budding out good as of today. No harm here. I hope it’s a good year, just find the early trees if you want a bear, especially near funnels.

 

[tree cutter 08]

Got low to mid 30 temps Friday night. Not out of the woods yet.

 

[Buckman18]

This one coming Friday night could be the crop killer.

 

[ddd-shooter]

This one coming Friday night could be the crop killer.

Saw that this morning. Be upper twenties on top of the ridges for sure.
Might be a year where they're low.
But we might just be over thinking this.... Lol

 

[Buckman18]

Saw that this morning. Be upper twenties on top of the ridges for sure.
Might be a year where they're low.
But we might just be over thinking this.... Lol

Yep. You never know, and not a thing we can do about it! From a hunting standpoint I like those rare years when they only hit good up high.

 

[northgeorgiasportsman]

It's common knowledge around here that you don't plant your garden until the 10th of May. It's rare, but I've seen it snow the first week of May. Spring in the mountains still has potential for winter weather.

 

[Timberjack86]

Yep, saw Frost in the forecast tomorrow morning.

 

[NCHillbilly]

It's common knowledge around here that you don't plant your garden until the 10th of May. It's rare, but I've seen it snow the first week of May. Spring in the mountains still has potential for winter weather.

Exactly. Frosts and freezes in the mountains are perfectly normal and expected in April and into early May. Anyone who plants tender stuff here before at least Mother's Day is asking for it to get killed. In over half a century of living here, I've yet to see an April without killing frosts and freezes. I've seen deep snow in April several times. Supposed to be below freezing here the next two nights.

 

[ddd-shooter]

Turkey hunting today, noticed many white oaks just getting started good in the areas I hunt.
Called up a few hens and a Jake, and saw a nice bear on the way out. Was about 150 ish, eagerly looking for food and really didn’t see me as anything other than a hinderance to its feeding schedule. Lol

Really wish we had a spring season, as I always enjoy watching their movements now (I’ve seen at least three this Spring and I really dont get in the woods much)

 

[Joe Brandon]

C'mon now, let's not get too carried away. Yes, it's easier to find bears on years where they have to hunt for acorns, but hoping for a total mast failure is a bit extreme. Bears ain't the only critters that need to store fat for the long winter.

Maybe my "hope" led to the poor mast this year haha! Now let's just hope that part about being easier to find them is true. Maybe theyll get their bellies full next year with a bumper crop but not this year!