Predicting Acorn Yield
Filed under: Ask Grant, Deer Biology, Habitat Management, Hunting Tactics
Is there a way to tell what the acorn mass will be this fall by looking at the trees in the spring? We haven’t had a bumper crop in 8 years. Two hundred and fifty miles west, on another farm, it seems to hit every 3 years. Can a frost or heavy rain, maybe even a strong wind, affect the acorns?
I look forward to seeing your new video each week.
Thanks,
Chad
Chad,
I’m not aware of any reliable method during the spring to predict acorn production for the following fall. Oaks produce flowers, although their flowers aren’t showy like many plants. These flowers can be damaged by frost, heavy rain, hail, etc. Once the flowers are pollinated, another gad of events can prevent the young acorns from developing. This is why acorn production is so variable! In fact, in areas where acorns are the primary food source during the fall/winter, it’s best to keep the herd density at a low level so there is plenty of food during years of minimal acorn production. Years of good acorn yield should be considered a bonus food source because it is so unreliable. Otherwise there will be many years when the herd is malnourished.
Growing Deer together,
Grant
