Natural food sources and the best time to hunt them
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Natural food sources and the best time to hunt them
I thought I would start a thread about natural food and the timing of when you have seen the deer eating them.
I know it is going to change depending on what part the country you are from.
I am in SE Ohio.
Here is what I have observed in farm and hill county.
White and Chinkapen oak. Mid September to early October.
Red and Chestnut oaks mid October.
Hickory nuts early October
Beech nuts mid September to early October
Apples varies depending on verity
Pope berry early fall
Jewel weed early to mid fall
Maple leaves when they are falling
Honey locusts pods late season
I know it is going to change depending on what part the country you are from.
I am in SE Ohio.
Here is what I have observed in farm and hill county.
White and Chinkapen oak. Mid September to early October.
Red and Chestnut oaks mid October.
Hickory nuts early October
Beech nuts mid September to early October
Apples varies depending on verity
Pope berry early fall
Jewel weed early to mid fall
Maple leaves when they are falling
Honey locusts pods late season
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Re: Natural food sources and the best time to hunt them
same. Also have seen them hit pin oak/swamp oaks/black oaks. Marshy areas where they tend to drop late. + osage oranges (aka monkey brains).Jdw wrote:I thought I would start a thread about natural food and the timing of when you have seen the deer eating them.
I know it is going to change depending on what part the country you are from.
I am in SE Ohio. Sw Ohio for me, similar farm and hill country
Here is what I have observed in farm and hill county.
White and Chinkapen oak. Mid September to early October. Same + stinging nettle (tall plant growing near creeks and rivers that feels like a 5 min bee sting)
Red and Chestnut oaks mid October. Same
Hickory nuts early October haven't seen that but I'll look for it
Beech nuts mid September to early October haven't seen that but I'll look for it
Apples varies depending on verity
Pope berry early fall
Jewel weed early to mid fall same
Maple leaves when they are falling same
Honey locusts pods late season
- cspot
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Re: Natural food sources and the best time to hunt them
I suppose they do eat them, but I don't recall ever seeing a deer eat hickory nuts? Just curious if they eat them with much consistency?
The other plants I agree with on timing although I am not too far from you being in SW PA and I have a camp in SE Ohio.
The other plants I agree with on timing although I am not too far from you being in SW PA and I have a camp in SE Ohio.
- Drenalin
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Re: Natural food sources and the best time to hunt them
cspot wrote:I suppose they do eat them, but I don't recall ever seeing a deer eat hickory nuts? Just curious if they eat them with much consistency?
I’ve heard deer don’t eat them much because of how large and hard the hulls are, and difficult to digest. Whatever the reason, I don’t see deer on hickories in my area either.
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Re: Natural food sources and the best time to hunt them
Drenalin wrote:cspot wrote:I suppose they do eat them, but I don't recall ever seeing a deer eat hickory nuts? Just curious if they eat them with much consistency?
I’ve heard deer don’t eat them much because of how large and hard the hulls are, and difficult to digest. Whatever the reason, I don’t see deer on hickories in my area either.
I didn’t think they ate them either but I have seen deer eat hickory nuts on occasion.
I could hear them crunching from 30 yds away.
I am not sure if it is a specific type of hickory or if they will eat any type.
I guess I need to try to identify what type of hickory I’ve seen them eating.
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Re: Natural food sources and the best time to hunt them
Evanszach7 wrote:same. Also have seen them hit pin oak/swamp oaks/black oaks. Marshy areas where they tend to drop late. + osage oranges (aka monkey brains).Jdw wrote:I thought I would start a thread about natural food and the timing of when you have seen the deer eating them.
I know it is going to change depending on what part the country you are from.
I am in SE Ohio. Sw Ohio for me, similar farm and hill country
Here is what I have observed in farm and hill county.
White and Chinkapen oak. Mid September to early October. Same + stinging nettle (tall plant growing near creeks and rivers that feels like a 5 min bee sting)
Red and Chestnut oaks mid October. Same
Hickory nuts early October haven't seen that but I'll look for it
Beech nuts mid September to early October haven't seen that but I'll look for it
Apples varies depending on verity
Pope berry early fall
Jewel weed early to mid fall same
Maple leaves when they are falling same
Honey locusts pods late season
What time of year have you seen them eat Osage orange?
- Motivated
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Re: Natural food sources and the best time to hunt them
In Indiana I've only seen the osage orange eaten in January or later. That's just what I've seen.
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Re: Natural food sources and the best time to hunt them
Persimmon are a big draw to deer here in WV. Anywhere from late September through October they hit them hard
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Re: Natural food sources and the best time to hunt them
Motivated wrote:In Indiana I've only seen the osage orange eaten in January or later. That's just what I've seen.
They rot on the ground here - but hogs do eat some of them.
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- wolverinebuckman
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Re: Natural food sources and the best time to hunt them
I'm new in the area that I'll be hunting this year, and while I was scouting today I found these on the ground, is anybody familiar with what these are, and do deer like them? South Central Kentucky
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Bummer of a birthmark, Hal.
- cspot
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Re: Natural food sources and the best time to hunt them
We always called them monkey balls as kids. Like you I have really only seen them eat them in the winter.Motivated wrote:In Indiana I've only seen the osage orange eaten in January or later. That's just what I've seen.
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Re: Natural food sources and the best time to hunt them
wolverinebuckman wrote:I'm new in the area that I'll be hunting this year, and while I was scouting today I found these on the ground, is anybody familiar with what these are, and do deer like them? South Central Kentucky
IMG_20190724_210437.jpg
I am no expert, but those look like some type of hickory nut to me. During this time of year mast trees typically shed some of the nuts. They aren't mature and animals don't generally eat them.
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Re: Natural food sources and the best time to hunt them
wolverinebuckman wrote:I'm new in the area that I'll be hunting this year, and while I was scouting today I found these on the ground, is anybody familiar with what these are, and do deer like them? South Central Kentucky
IMG_20190724_210437.jpg
Pignut hickory is my guess
- wolverinebuckman
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Re: Natural food sources and the best time to hunt them
cspot wrote:
I am no expert, but those look like some type of hickory nut to me. During this time of year mast trees typically shed some of the nuts. They aren't mature and animals don't generally eat them.
Hawthorne wrote:
Pignut hickory is my guess
Thanks guys for a starting point, I'll look closer at the leaves tomorrow to see if I can make a positive ID
Bummer of a birthmark, Hal.
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