White oak (Quercus alba) is one of the main tree species in the eastern US. A large portion of us, whether or not we center around untamed life, lumber, or entertainment, concur with this. There are many motivations to respect white oak. White oaks can live for more than 200 years, with some reaching 600 years. White oak likewise is one of the most generally dispersed of the multitude of oaks developing on many soils. Therefore, white oaks are much of the time significant milestone trees, having verifiable or social importance. They fill in urban areas and metropolitan regions and their normal environment in rustic and detached timberlands. Many have an individual relationship with white oak in some structure or style.
White Oaks and Wildlife
The worth of white oak isn’t exclusively connected with how long it lives or any other economic value. White oak has exceptional qualities that make it environmentally and financially significant. White oak is important to wildlife because it provides both shelter and food for both game and non-game species. We should think about the oak seed. White oak seeds are the most satisfactory to deer. This is because of their somewhat low centralization of tannic acids that makes other acorn species very bitter. This is why deer love white oak acorns the best and every hunter should take note.
While we would find that white oak acorns are not that tasty, wildlife love them and are a great source of food for wildlife. When acorns fall from the trees in the months of September and November, this can be observed.
Under white oak crowns, numerous wildlife species, including deer, squirrels and turkey, frequently scratch, rake, paw, and dig through the leaves to obtain the nutritious acorns. White oak, on the other hand, provides food in more than just its acorns. Deer love to browse the tender buds and new shoots of seedlings and saplings in the spring. Indeed, even bunnies can be observed eating youthful bark and twigs.
White oaks provide great places for animals to hide and live. Birds, squirrels, and raccoons, to name just a few, can use cavities in mature trees as dens. The Cerulean Warbler, a bird that is in danger of extinction, spends much of its time hopping from branch to branch in the canopy of mature white oaks to feed on insects. White oaks happen to be one of the most popular places for birds to build their nests. Forest-dwelling bats, some of which are protected by the federal government, also use the cavities as hiding spots. White oaks are essential to the ecosystem’s overall health because they provide food and shelter to numerous wildlife species.
Oak Tree Diversity
With regards to their worth to bowhunters, not all oaks are made equivalent. Botanists bunch them into two general gatherings: red and white. The morphology of their leaves is different, but the most important difference between the species in the two groups is how they make acorns. A year is needed for white oak acorns to mature. A mature red oak acorn takes two years. White oaks will generally drop their acorns early and quick, while reds drop over a more extended period. White oak acorns contain more carbohydrates, while red oak acorns contain more fats and tannins. So, which one is superior?
White oaks could appear to be the legitimate decision, since they’re fit for creating a guard yield of acorns consistently. Yet, that is just under good natural circumstances. a cool spring or a late frost, or significant downpours during the fertilization time frame could mean a disappointment in the white oak seed crop (acorns) in the fall.
Red oaks are subject to the same successes and failures — sort of. Because their acorns require two years to mature, there is a lag effect. A cold spring this year won’t have much impact on this fall’s nut crop, but could depress it next fall. Furthermore, mast-bearing trees may have both tiny first-year and larger second-year acorns present. Given favorable conditions, they can also produce some acorns every year; though it is unlikely they would produce large yields in consecutive years.
So Which Oak Species Is Best
The answer is both. While as a bowhunter the white oak is definately the better species, at least in our eyes. However, the diversity of having the two species dropping at different times and effected differently to bad conditions that effect the mast they produce. While deer love white oak acorns there are times when these conditions limit their crop and deer then must resort to red oak acorns. It is mother nature’s way of balancing the food sources for wildlife.
Why is Learning About Oak Trees and Acorns Important for Bowhunters
As a bowhunter it was many seasons before I started to realize that knowing more about the foods that deer consume would only add to my arsenal as a bowhunter. I did always consider the acorns in my scouting, of course. However, as I learned about the way these oak trees produced acorns I was able to see the how one oak tree was doing in one place compared to another. Then adjust where I scouted. By seeing low land swamps loaded with acorns and nothing on the ridges or maybe only one side of a ridge, I could focus on more areas that most likely were producing acorns. Whether it be white or red. While some may not hunt a large enough property to utilize this information. I hunt 170,000 acres of public ground and very few agricultural fields. Knowing the pattern of the mast crop is very beneficial to breaking down a large piece of ground. There are obvious deer trails where I hunt. I learned early on that these trails are what I call ancient trails. They are used by deer when the mast crop like white oak and red oak acorns are available. I’ve hunted these trails enthusiastically until I realized there were no deer anywhere around. By taking the time to study the trail up close, since I just put up a stand when I saw the well worn trail, I found that there was no fresh sign along vast stretches of these trails. Now I set up on trails with sign. If there are fresh acorns dropping there will probably be some sign. This is unless the mast crop is massive that year then the deer might not have needed that area yet. However, they will be there to eat those acorns eventually.
Early Droppers
Early dropping oak trees can be a great place to set up your stand. While early droppers are normally white oak, the deer’s favorite acorn to eat, another important factor is that when you locate a white oak dropping before other trees you have an ultra focused spot. Deer will find this spot soon if they haven’t already. I have even seen a mature buck set up camp near the early dropper and keep other deer away from his white oak. This is why you must be careful when you find a tree like this because the deer that are consuming the acorns are usually nearby. I was fishing a bass tournament years ago and could hear acorns dropping on shore hitting the rocks and water below. As I neared the spot another acorn dropped with the familiar thud when it hit and a small buck ran off a ridge and ate that acorn then ran back up to where he was. I watched this little buck do this several times as I moved down the shore. It was comical.
When you do find an early dropper take note of everything that might have caused it to produce mast and drop before other white oaks in the area. The few really early droppers I have found usually have excessive water like a creek that might go dry until it rains but has a nice pool that retains water for a longer period of time. I have also noticed a spring that saturated the area from underground. While this is the obvious possibilities I observed, I have also seen a few that I could not figure out any ryme or reason. I just hunted it.
Adding Knowledge to Your Bowhunting Arsenal
Learning about deer habits that change throughout the season is vital to consistent success as a bowhunter. Learning about the food sources in the wild that deer eat has helped me locate and harvest more deer. Whether you’re a big buck hunter or love harvesting deer for the table or hunting experience, knowing where the deer are at any given time is paramount. Add to your arsenal with this knowledge and apply it to your scouting to compound that knowledge for more deer sightings and more deer harvested.
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