Teeder
5 year old buck +
I'm in 5 and get winter die back if they aren't in a perfect location.
Oaks: Let's have a hard conversation
- Thread starter SD51555
- Start date
Teeder
5 year old buck +
Another thing, you say you have lots of burs on your property. Having more burs at a food plot would be no special draw. They can get that anywhere. I'd put something different in.
Foggy47
5 year old buck +
When I was building my pole shed......nearly 15 years ago........I noticed a small Burr Oak seedling close by the shed. Maybe a foot tall. I put a stake next to that tree and have watched it grow each year. It's now got about a 3" trunk and produced it's first good crop of acorns this year. In zone 3 it takes a long time for decent growth to occur. .....just saying.
I tell my kids and grandkids about that tree in order that they understand the time it takes to grow 'em here. I am blessed with thousands of nice burr oak that were released when I had my place logged 5 years ago. I've also got birch and aspen. They produce acorns on various years. I have a few in some food plots too.......and a little shade on my plots has proven valuable. Deer seem to frequent those plot trees. I have cut a few in my plots where it was difficult to operate my tractor and implements. But I would rather not cut those in the plots.
I feel the oaks drop acorns for several weeks each fall......and lots of wildlife depend on those oaks. When I got my land it was nearly SOLID pines....and little wildlife was seen. Not even a squirrel. Today I got far more various small critters as well as deer. The seeds from a variety of trees provide nutrition at different times.
I tell my kids and grandkids about that tree in order that they understand the time it takes to grow 'em here. I am blessed with thousands of nice burr oak that were released when I had my place logged 5 years ago. I've also got birch and aspen. They produce acorns on various years. I have a few in some food plots too.......and a little shade on my plots has proven valuable. Deer seem to frequent those plot trees. I have cut a few in my plots where it was difficult to operate my tractor and implements. But I would rather not cut those in the plots.
I feel the oaks drop acorns for several weeks each fall......and lots of wildlife depend on those oaks. When I got my land it was nearly SOLID pines....and little wildlife was seen. Not even a squirrel. Today I got far more various small critters as well as deer. The seeds from a variety of trees provide nutrition at different times.
SD51555
5 year old buck +
The oaks in my plot don't hinder plot growth, and they're far enough apart that I can farm around them. Those things aren't the problem. I actually get my best clover growth under the oaks, and the leaves do wonders to keep the native grasses down.
The problem is that there's too much bear traffic and they are making it look like there was a country music festival in my food plot. 2 weeks ago I had outstanding forage coming in my cereals. Now after all the traffic, I don't see much at all, and it's far too early for any kind of cereals pressure. I've never seen this before. It's a combination of lots of bears and an odd growing season.
Like I said earlier, I'm not rushing out to whack them just yet, but it's something that's caught my attention. For the ten that I've got in my plot, there are probably another 25 or 30 right on the edge, or within 20 feet of the edge of that same plot.
The problem is that there's too much bear traffic and they are making it look like there was a country music festival in my food plot. 2 weeks ago I had outstanding forage coming in my cereals. Now after all the traffic, I don't see much at all, and it's far too early for any kind of cereals pressure. I've never seen this before. It's a combination of lots of bears and an odd growing season.
Like I said earlier, I'm not rushing out to whack them just yet, but it's something that's caught my attention. For the ten that I've got in my plot, there are probably another 25 or 30 right on the edge, or within 20 feet of the edge of that same plot.
Troubles Trees
5 year old buck +
It sounds like your issue is the lack of Oak diversity SD. Your hardiness zone doesn't allow for much of a variety but I am sure there are some oaks you can add to negate this problem. Maybe push back the tree line to give you more sunlight on the plots, and go a little further to make room for some new plantings.
In my area Oaks are an important food source and major draw for Deer and Turkeys where I hunt, there is a good variety that spread out the drop from mid August and Deer will dig them under snow into late November. My house property didn't have any Oaks when I bought it, so I have been planting them every year, but where I am planting them they aren't in the way of anything so our situation isn't the same, I also don't have many bears but it made me cringe when I hear people considering cutting down Oaks lol
Edit: I was typing when your last comment came in so maybe not a correct response on my behalf.
In my area Oaks are an important food source and major draw for Deer and Turkeys where I hunt, there is a good variety that spread out the drop from mid August and Deer will dig them under snow into late November. My house property didn't have any Oaks when I bought it, so I have been planting them every year, but where I am planting them they aren't in the way of anything so our situation isn't the same, I also don't have many bears but it made me cringe when I hear people considering cutting down Oaks lol
Edit: I was typing when your last comment came in so maybe not a correct response on my behalf.
Last edited:
Wind Gypsy - I have a collection of seedling bur oaks from TX, OK, AL, NY, KY, MO, IL, ID. KS, Manitoba, and other sites I've forgotten. Those from the northern-most areas make small acorns - some in the 100/lb range... but also have a selection I made from AL that has acorns that run as large as 6-8/lb(with cap removed!) .
There's a huge variation in acorn size/shape in a species that has a native range running from Mexico to Canada.
There's a huge variation in acorn size/shape in a species that has a native range running from Mexico to Canada.
BrushyPines
5 year old buck +
I think it all depends on your location for the love/hate relationship for oaks. It seems like drop times differ from location to location too. Here in MS white oaks start dropping Octoberish into the middle of November, which is perfect for our bow season. Nuttalls start dropping December into January, which is perfect for our rifle season and rut. Deer hammer acorns in October and November and then switch over to food plots when winter really sets in for our area.
I try to think more like a deer(bear, squirrel, grouse, turkey, etc...) that has to eat year 'round and not just during hunting season. 
Wildlife needs support 24/7/365 so think this through before firing up the Stihl. Shade on poor soils helps retain moisture, give it too much sun and your food plot crops wither in the sun.
Good luck with your decision, I've seen it both ways with mixed results.
Wildlife needs support 24/7/365 so think this through before firing up the Stihl. Shade on poor soils helps retain moisture, give it too much sun and your food plot crops wither in the sun.
Good luck with your decision, I've seen it both ways with mixed results.
BuckSutherland
5 year old buck +
Sounds like the problem is the bear and not the oak trees at all. If there are 100s of other oaks all around the property cutting down the ones along the edge or inside the plot will do absolutely nothing. The bears will still be there cleaning up on all the other acorns. The cubs will still be there rolling all over and the place and playing in the wide open food plots and chasing grasshoppers. Perhaps the problem is seeding desirable food that the bears will consume in the plot in the first place. Bears eat plants, grasses, forbes, bugs, etc....
Foggy47
5 year old buck +
^. One of the reasons I dont plant corn anymore. It draws coons and bears. Also row crops promote too much bare dirt for me....which promotes pigweed. I got enough corn and bean crops adjacent to my land......so I let them buy fertilizers and weed sprays.....and I go for green diversity.
wklman
5 year old buck +
But you still draw lots of bears in your food plots without corn or beans
. What is it? 8 now? I believe any green food source in the fall is going to draw critters wanted and unwanted. Chris is just gonna have to get used to bears with or without oaks. Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk
Foggy47
5 year old buck +
Good point on the bears. Fist-bump. Grin. But if dont have corn....they cannot destroy it. lol. Note the three burr oaks in the pic.But you still draw lots of bears in your food plots without corn or beans. What is it? 8 now? I believe any green food source in the fall is going to draw critters wanted and unwanted. Chris is just gonna have to get used to bears with or without oaks.
Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk
Attachments
BuckSutherland
5 year old buck +
^^^ Right down the road from SD. I could eliminate every single oak tree on my property and I would still have a copious amount of bears to deal with. When my nephew and I bumped into the sow and cubs back in June there were no acorns to be had. I'm sure bears like the edges/openings and tender growth a food plot provides. It's a fun playground for them, especially a bunch of cubs. By using the logic that I should cut down oak trees to try and eliminate bears from a bear infested area then I guess I should start shooting the fawns too so it quits bringing the bears around.
Foggy47
5 year old buck +
Just a note on bears..... A few weeks ago I had bears on my cameras every day. Often multiple bears and multiple times each day. Now?......have not had a pic in a week or more. (knock on wood). They were grazing lots of clover in my plots....which I was once told is done to "plug up" for hibernation. At any rate....I'm glad my bear activity is down......and my deer activity has increased.....now if the damn wolves will go away. Always sum thing.
Edit: Decided to do a google on the plug issue above. Here is one thing I found that seems to be authoritative: https://bear.org/bears-mysterious-fecal-plug/
Edit: Decided to do a google on the plug issue above. Here is one thing I found that seems to be authoritative: https://bear.org/bears-mysterious-fecal-plug/
Last edited:
paleopoint
5 year old buck +
On my ground acorn production from native oaks is unreliable. One year it is good...abundant. But the nuts are gone promptly...by every critter out there.. Other years there ain't enough acorns to speak of. So, on my deer dirt native oaks are overrated. Glad I've got what I've got.....but I don't intentionally plant acorns or seedlings of them.
Now with that said, I do plant English Oaks and am quite happy with their nut production. From acorn and if planted in good dirt with full sun exposure.....they will begin producing nuts in about 7yrs. And from then on they increase their nut production. A tree 12+ years old really really puts out a lot of large acorns. And they hang later than my natives. Though even with the EO's most all nuts are down by the 1st or 2nd week of November.
Now with that said, I do plant English Oaks and am quite happy with their nut production. From acorn and if planted in good dirt with full sun exposure.....they will begin producing nuts in about 7yrs. And from then on they increase their nut production. A tree 12+ years old really really puts out a lot of large acorns. And they hang later than my natives. Though even with the EO's most all nuts are down by the 1st or 2nd week of November.
Gravel Road
5 year old buck +
I wish I had more oaks of any kind! Zero red oaks and I can count the mature white oaks on one hand. I don't care when they drop, oaks are one of my favorite trees. I'll trade you some hedge and honey locust...
Teeder
5 year old buck +
I'm a big fan of English oaks. I have about 3 dozen at my home property. Between them and my sawtooth oaks, I have nuts dropping from mid September to early December.
SD51555
5 year old buck +
I cannot believe the acorn crop here. I've never seen it last this long, and seen so many on the ground un-eaten. I decided to count all the mature oaks just within 30 yards of my outhouse, and I quit at 41. With the ones just off my lawn, it's close to 50.
The cedars are also throwing an epic nut yield this year. I counted 8 red squirrels in this tree Saturday morning hauling them away as fast as they could.
There’s no shortage of critters around to eat all this either.
The cedars are also throwing an epic nut yield this year. I counted 8 red squirrels in this tree Saturday morning hauling them away as fast as they could.
There’s no shortage of critters around to eat all this either.
Similar threads
