Going to be Major shortage of Acorns in parts of Central Minnesota

[Steve Oehlenschlager]

I had not been to my farm in 2 weeks since I got the corn planted. About 10 days ago we had a major hard frost. Got down to 29' in the Metro area, but at my farm in Wadena County it got down to 22'! You can't believe how bad the oaks look! They are all green up at the top where the frost missed them, but the bottom half look terrible. All the flowers and leaves on the lower half are dead. I imagine the leaves will reform shortly, but the flowers are toast. I was too busy trying to get all my beans planted to take pictures, but the damage will still be evident next week and will try to do so then. Some of the shorter young oaks had everything die on them. They look dead, although I know they will be back.

 

[j-bird]

Based on that info Steve, I would look for tall oaks on higher elevations now. These trees will be the ones that produce and you may be able to keep that in the back of your mind coming hunting season if you can't figure out where the deer have gone. Also consider red oaks take 2 years so you may have to depend on them for your acorn crop. The lower elevation and smaller trees may be toast just like you say but many folks won't know why there are no acorns or even worse won't change the way the hunt even based on that information and will simply move to hunting plots. When those trees that do have acorns start dropping the deer will beat a path to them. Find those areas well ahead of time and be prepared.

I missed a golden opportunity on my place a few years ago when I had a large white oak produce....acorns came down like rain, under the tree was covered in deer poop. I was to head strong to hunt that location ASAP - instead I waited until cooler weather. By the time the weather cooperated the acorns where all gone....and so where the deer. I had a very sick feeling in my stomach as this was the first time in many years this tree had produced a decent crop of acorns and I failed to capitalize! Also some folks wont hunt red oaks....that can be a mistake as they will get eaten and because of their bi-annual type production they may not be as affected by this frost you had that may have otherwise destroyed most of your white oak acorn crop this year. Information is a great thing.....but it's what you do with it is what matters.

 

[Steve Oehlenschlager]

We don't have any high elevation! Our highest hill cant be much over 15 feet! My land is very flat. The field I was planting is my highest ground and it was ringed by the damaged trees.

 

[sandbur]

Some people have concerns about our recent appearance of turkeys hurting other wildlife that use acorns for feed, specifically in low acorn years. A forestry professional mentioned this to me.

 

[shawnv]

I'm not sure what our apple or acorn crop will be like in WI this year due to the frost, I know the state wineries lost their grape crop for the year.

 

[Steve Oehlenschlager]

I know in bad acorn years before...that all of my 13 acres of corn and beans are gone by Feb 1st or so. I can't believe they can eat as mush as they do when the acorns are scarce

 

[chummer]

Happened to me last year. It took them a month to catch back up and the trees didn't add any growth for the year.

 

[bueller]

Our oaks got hit real bad by that freeze also. We had 22 degrees on our land. Some large trees froze all the way up while others still have green tops. These are black oaks from the red oak family. I don't know what this means for acorns this year or next.

 

[Big Snow Man]

If we don't have that bumper crop of acorns like last year we maybe able to pattern the deer this year. With so many acorns my plots were not touched until the rut was over.

 

[j-bird]

Acorns can be a blessing or a curse depending on your perspective. When they are everywhere so are the deer and patterning them can become seemingly impossible. When you have a few trees dropping then it's much easier to pattern the deer, but timing is everything and it makes their use of plots more predictable as well. have the same issue while the corn crop in particular is still in the fields. Hunting is tough then.....once the combines start removing all that food and cover the deer are pushed back into the cover.....where the hunters are! It's all part of understanding what is going on during the hunting season and trying to be a step ahead. I personally love to see good acorn drops - I think it's better for regeneration and wildlife in general....the less the deer rely on our plots the better....even if it makes hunting more difficult.