Acorns

Another post here asks about protein percentages in deer/goat pellets. I'm wondering about acorns and what they do for deer. When I get a massive acorn drop, the deer absolutely ignore corn, 14% pellets and rice bran. With no acorns they hit everything pretty hard.

I expect that there is a difference in acorns but mine are 90% post oak and the rest blackjack.

""The acorn is low in protein content, but very high in fats and carbohydrates."" Good, full article here:

http://bowsite.com/bowsite/features/armchair_biologist/acorns/acorns.html

Acorn is a mast crop. Think of it as candy or ice cream to a child.

Agreed, I look at Mesquite Beans the same way...

The post oak are some of the best tasting acorns there are. Find some of your best looking trees and fertilize them. Set up a stand nearby. It works very well when they have a lot of trees to choose from.

White Oak is the most preferred by deer because they have the least talcum. Don't know if you have any white oaks where you hunt but if you do you may want to pay them a visit in late Sept-Oct. I had them on my last lease and they would pass up anything for the white oak acorns.

Thanks all.

Western, that's a good article and it mirrors my experience of deer just staying in one place and eating. The few that I did see were fat looking.

Predator, my land is totally oaks and some cedar. I wouldn't know where to start fertilizing.

I believe you mean tannin which makes the acorn bitter. Another factor with acorns is that they are high in phosphorus. Deer will scavenge there bones for phosphorus, to support antler growth for bucks and milk for lactating females, replacing it in the fall after both process stop. Because most mast is high in phosphorus, they instinctively search out mast crops, in the fall.

Yeah, tannin......my bad

Pick the lower areas where the water run off goes. That's where your healthiest trees will be and where most of the rain will go to fertilize the tree.

I prefer Bur Oaks acorns...........