Should I plant oak trees on my property in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula?
Filed under: Miscellaneous
(Duplicate: fixing Typo on my email address)
I have heard you say that acorns are actually detrimental to antler development. That is causing me to re-think my plan to plant oak trees on my property after a selective timber harvest this spring. Are their better mast crops/options for me to consider. My property is located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Thank You,
Dan Carlson
Dan,
Acorns contain tannic acid which blinds to calcium. As the tannic acid is removed by the deer’s digestive track so is some calcium. In addition, acorns are very low in protein.
Deer LOVE acorns. So having a few oaks can be great for patterning deer! I don’t like it when acorns are the primary component of a deer’s diet throughout the fall and winter. I really like fruit trees. There’s often just as many acorns available on neighboring properties. However if there are apples, pears, etc., where I can hunt they may be the only fruit within the local herd’s home range. I have a variety of fruit and nut trees in my treeplot! The folks at http://www.FlatwoodNatives.com have been very helpful in selecting the right fruit varieties for the climate and soils where I live.
Enjoy creation,
grant
February 7, 2016
