Hoytail Hunter

I know that they are a deer's favorite food because it is most fattening. I know that they will abandon all other food for it. The thing I'm wondering is how much of a deer's diet will be comprised of acorns? They way I see it, I simple don't think there are enough trees in smaller parcels or urbanish areas to feed 40 plus deer per square mile. I don't even think there are enough trees in bigger woods to do that considering there are squirrels and turkeys gobbling this stuff up during the day too.

Deer have to still be hitting the soybean and cornfields correct? But, since the acorns have started dropping, I haven't seenone fourthas many deer in the fields right before dark.

What are you thoughts?

earnabuck

In my situation, straight west of you in Grant county, my stand isin an oak along alfalfa and there is a bean field running just past my treeline adjacent to the alfalfa. Now as far as I have noticed the deer seem to be making there way to the beans. That seems to be the primary feeding area. They are eating alfalfa and acorns along the way but spending most of their time in the beans. Those will be cut in the next week or two so from there I am not sure what will become their major food source. There are a ton of acorns on the ground.

GMMAT

What they will do here.....is they will feed on the available acorns in the areas closest to their beds, first. My sightings are down during this time.....because those areas are off limits to me (and all "legal" hunters).

Once they deplete the mast crops close to their bedding areas.....they will begin to venture out more and more. That's when it gets "good", here.

Here.....they will feed on acorns all through the winter. They may have to travel more to do so.....but there are abundant mast crops available to those who do (venture out).

Right now....I haven't seen a deer in the still green bean fields in over a week.

BowHuntingFool

Hue, the acorns are a plenty around here as you know. I was on the beans all last week, they are dying out now and turning yellow. I'm off them until late season and hunting the acorn mast now. They were hitting them hard and all last week then at the end of the week even the green patches would turn up empty until after dark. The deer were in the beans heavy after dark when I would shine the same fields I hunted that evening. They were stripping the plants of all there leaves, pretty amazing. I personally think the bean fields around here are to yellow and done for now! I will hunt them big time up in the Kettles when the late season arrive when it get cold, cold, cold!!!!!

Hoyt_Viper

Here they have harvested the beans, or at least started to. I see the deer going more in search of other foods such as acorns. I would bet that besides plots, etc. this is there main source until it goes, and they will always be in search of the white oak acorns. If you dont know thw difference...research. Set up near the white oaks and if the mast is good...you will score. They will walk past red oak acorns to get to the whites....jmho

You may have to go deeper, but it will pay off

Dr Andy

Especially the white oak acorns. Why walk all the way to the bean field for drying beans when the fresh acorns are falling on your head?

Ironworker2813

hey guys, im from Princeton,Ma. Central , Ma to be exact. We have no bean fields or alfalfa, just cow corn. Anyway i notice acorns everywhere, we have alot of oaks. How could i pinpoint a certain hotspot? All looks the same to me. Thanks...Jay

shrewbeer

I am in CT. I found a white oak tree that is absolutely massive, and drops a ton of acorns. The ground below it is so torn up with tracks that there is barely any grass left. I've seen plenty of oaks dropping, but it seems to me like they find the tree that is dropping the most, and feed it regularly, while doing miscellaneous browsing on the other oaks.

GMMAT

When does your season start....and where will they be going when they deplete the readily available acorns?

Just like beans. We all get excited when we see them there.....without thinking (sometimes) that they may be off the beans by the time the season opens. I got excited seeing them in there, this summer.

They're now on the mast crops. They'll move further and further from their bedding areas as they deplete the nearer trees.

What about persimmons? Honeysuckles? Something else?

When does your season open?.......and be thinking a step ahead.

nodog

They leave the acorns lay here. To much food in the fields. There are many places like you said that they do eat'm up. Got 2 gallon size sip bags saved up for some of those places.