IDENTIFYING OAK TREE ACORNS: DEER’S FAVORITE DESSERT
Fall is just around the corner. Hopefully, you’ve done your summer scouting homework and found yourself some Oak trees with acorns. Oak trees make excellent spots for setting up your tree stand as well as great places to set up trail cameras.
Now is the time to go back and check on the acorn crop. You can do this by scouting the Oak treetops looking for the acorns clusters. In the fall you’ll be able to judge acorn production by how many you step on in your boot print. A good rule of thumb to use is 10 acorns in a footprint.
ACORN NUTRITION
Deer love the taste of acorns, as well as the nutrients acorns provide. They provide deer with:
- low in protein but HIGH in fats and carbohydrates
- easily digestible
- readily absorbed
Deer judge the taste of the acorn by the level of tannic acid in the nut and prefer acorn nuts with low tannic acid. We will go through the top “delicious” acorn producing trees from the sweetest to the tart.
OAK TREE ACORNS
- White Oak– The “sweetest” acorn around due to low tannic acid level. White Oak produces acorns heavily every 3rd year and then producing a regular acorn crop every other year. Identification: short, light grey cup with warty scales; cup covers about ¼ of nut
- Pin Oak– #2 for sweetness (low-medium tannic acid level), produces a crop every second year. Identification: thin, smooth, reddish-brown cup; light brown nut is often striped, and can be either round or oval
- Red Oak– Has a low-medium tannic acid level, produces a crop mostly every 2nd year. Identification: cup scales are reddish-brown, hairy, often with dark margins; the inside of the cup is smooth or has a ring of hair around the scar; nut may have grey stripes
- Black Oak– Another every 2nd-year acorn producer, low-medium tannic acid level, a great treat after the spring thaw. Identification: reddish-brown, hairy cup with a knob on top and a fringed edge; hair inside the cup as well; light reddish-brown, oval nut with light stripes
- Bur Oak– Produces a large acorn, crop every year, and easily identified by the “bur” coat that covers the majority of the nut, low- medium tannic acid level. Identification: The largest acorns on the continent, about 1.5 inches (4 cm) long with a very deep cupule (basically a cupule is a protective cover that covers the nut while it matures) that covers at least half of the nut
PARTS OF THE ACORN
For our discussion today, the top of the nut (A) is called the “cup”. Part (D) is the “fruit”. All North American and European Oak acorns have a spiral of overlapping cups. Acorns come in many shapes and can be classified into two groups:
- Some are “globose”/round – nearly round with a blunt tip
- Others are “ovoid”, “oblong”/elongated- taper to a point
Colors vary from acorn species. They can range from:
- light brown
- dark brown
- black
- chestnut red
- green color means it fell off of the tree early
WHITE OAK ACORN
If deer have a choice, they would choose the White Oak acorn, hoofs down. It has the least amount of tannic acid, making it the sweetest acorn. Acorns in big supply mean deer weight increases. For fawns, acorns become a great bone builder and develop muscle mass. Adding thick fat reserves underneath their coats and a noticeable underbelly.
REPLANTING YOUR FUTURE
Take advantage of the fall acorn harvest for yourself as well. Make good use of the seeds by gathering up a handful of quality acorns. Check each acorn over and remove any acorn that has worm holes in the shell.
You can plant each acorn into a plastic coffee can with good soil. Then plant the coffee can into the ground to survive the winter months. Hopefully your fall will provide your acorn with generous watering. Come spring you’ll be able to replant the Oak once it becomes a strong and sturdy seedling.
Check out Chuck at thecheapbastard.net. Chuck gives you an excellent youtube tutorial on finding, replanting, and repopulating your Oak trees. A great alternative to buying Oak trees.
Acorns provide deer with a fast, readily available carbohydrate, helping your herd pack on the pounds. Aiding in growth for the young and winter survival reserves for all. Oak trees provide you with excellent tree stand hunting opportunities, and your family with a bright hunting future for generations to come.
RESOURCES:
- http://www.bowsite.com/bowsite/features/armchair_biologist/acorns/acorns.html
- https://www.realtree.com/deer-hunting/articles/everything-you-need-to-know-about-acorns
- https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/oak/common-oak-trees.htm
- https://www.wikihow.com/Identify-Oaks-by-the-Acorns
- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Acorn_diagram.jpg
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