# 2017 Acorn Report



## jbogg (Jul 1, 2017)

Took the family up to do a little hiking today and saw a fair number of white oak acorns up high.  This was up top at around 3300'.


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## ripplerider (Jul 3, 2017)

I havent even checked any white oaks yet I'll bring my binoculars next time I'm out and give a report.  When are you coming up to do some trout fishing?


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## Joe Brandon (Jul 3, 2017)

John can't tell you how good it makes me feel to see ita acorn report time!


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## jbogg (Jul 3, 2017)

ripplerider said:


> I havent even checked any white oaks yet I'll bring my binoculars next time I'm out and give a report.  When are you coming up to do some trout fishing?



Hey Jeff things have been crazy with work this summer with so many of our folks taking time off.  Hopefully things will settle down soon and I can take you up on that offer.


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## jbogg (Jul 3, 2017)

Joe Brandon said:


> John can't tell you how good it makes me feel to see ita acorn report time!



It's that time Joe!  About ready to put the string back on my old Excaliber.


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## Killer Kyle (Jul 3, 2017)

Ain't no acorns left after all they dropped last year! Trees are gonna be all dried up after that last crop!!  Haha! 
Don't know about the high woods yet, but my Sawtooth Oak at the house has a bumper crop on it. We're looking at probably 5x the amount it has ever dropped before. But that tree is finally getting some age on it, so that's probably the reason for that. My persimmon trees are slap loaded this year as well. We've already had one eject maybe 400 persimmons, and it is just hanging low with all the fruit. If you've got a good persimmon tree to hunt, might aughta make a hike in to check it out!


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## tree cutter 08 (Jul 4, 2017)

I'm seeing the same thing! Muscidines are loaded as well. I've seen white oaks from up high to down low. Have not checked a lot but a lot of the ones I've looked at have acorns. Reds may be spotty, seems for every one I've seen acorns on, 2 or 3 won't.


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## Buckman18 (Jul 4, 2017)

Them bears ain't gonna know what hit them when we put a Rage in their cage!


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## Bowhunter77 (Jul 4, 2017)

jbogg, thanks for the report. Now if you will show me on the map about where them hanging loaded trees are I can take it from there....


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## Killer Kyle (Jul 4, 2017)

Spotty red oak drop probably means better hunting on the white oaks, you think??


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## Buckman18 (Jul 4, 2017)

Killer Kyle said:


> Spotty red oak drop probably means better hunting on the white oaks, you think??



I would say yes, especially early. I usually like red oaks after a couple hard freezes.


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## tree cutter 08 (Jul 4, 2017)

Also they are a little ahead of schedule this year to.


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## Panther25 (Jul 5, 2017)

I saw one red oak that was loaded. Saw a bunch of fox grapes in a couple different spots.


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## jbogg (Jul 5, 2017)

Bowhunter77 said:


> jbogg, thanks for the report. Now if you will show me on the map about where them hanging loaded trees are I can take it from there....



Hey Phillip!  If you ever decide to venture off of Cohutta  and head east give me a shout and I will definitely try to point you in the right direction.  Good luck this fall.


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## Bowhunter77 (Jul 7, 2017)

I plan to jbogg, I am 100% hooked on hunting in the mountains and want to get a few more hunts under my belt before I venture out but I have a few in places in mind on my list Blue Ridge, Warwoman, Swallow Creek and the others. You guys let the cat out of the bag now as long as my legs are able I'm gonna bear hunt year after year.
I got a feeling about this year, all the help you guys have been to me, good things are gonna happen... gonna be a great year. I want to see big bears pics and hear about how you backs hurt from getting them out.


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## ddd-shooter (Aug 5, 2017)

White oaks around 2000' have decent acorns, not loaded, not huge in size. Any more updates?


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## livinoutdoors (Aug 6, 2017)

It might just be me but it looks like an early fall this year. Things seem a bit ahead of schedule in some places this year.


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## tree cutter 08 (Aug 7, 2017)

I hope so to. Maybe make up for last years heat in the fall. The white oaks I've seen are decent size and are almost everywhere just not loaded as heavy as last year. A lot of trees are just in the crown and harder to see.


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## jbogg (Aug 7, 2017)

tree cutter 08 said:


> I hope so to. Maybe make up for last years heat in the fall. The white oaks I've seen are decent size and are almost everywhere just not loaded as heavy as last year. A lot of trees are just in the crown and harder to see.



This is what I have been noticing on my last few scouting trips.  I wonder if the bear would be able to access acorns in the very tops of these white oaks, or if they might end up waiting for them to drop.  I have seen some Reds that were slap full top to bottom.


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## ripplerider (Aug 8, 2017)

I scouted Sunday for a long time and I didnt see any fox grapes to amount to anything. Tons of vines, almost no grapes. Someone on here said he'd seen plenty I wonder what elevation he was at? I was between 2500' to 3500'. Didnt bring my binocs so I couldnt tell much about acorns couldnt see them with the  naked eye and only found one early dropped red oak acorn on the ground. This place was absolutely torn up with hog sign from top to bottom. I did find an old pile of bear scat as big around as a dinner plate!


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## Killer Kyle (Aug 8, 2017)

ripplerider said:


> I scouted Sunday for a long time and I didnt see any fox grapes to amount to anything. Tons of vines, almost no grapes. Someone on here said he'd seen plenty I wonder what elevation he was at? I was between 2500' to 3500'. Didnt bring my binocs so I couldnt tell much about acorns couldnt see them with the  naked eye and only found one early dropped red oak acorn on the ground. This place was absolutely torn up with hog sign from top to bottom. I did find an old pile of bear scat as big around as a dinner plate!



Hey Ripple, I've been seeing muscadine vines absolutely slap loaded in several places this year, but low down. Anywhere 1,400'-2,000' +-. I have seen vines slap hanging heavy with fruit. Unfortunately, these are not in places that I hunt, so they don't matter much to me. 

I did find a place on Wilson Shoals WMA that I am going to sit on a few times. It is a persimmon tree loaded with fruit, and already aborting some, and it is dead in the middle of a stand of pine trees that are covered in muscadine vines, and they also are loaded and dropping a few early. It's low...around 1,200' maybe. Could be a little more or less. Never looked at it on a map. That place deserves a good sit or two I'd say. Ain't gonna kill no hear there, but the deer and yotes might be interested.


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## Panther25 (Aug 10, 2017)

ripplerider said:


> I scouted Sunday for a long time and I didnt see any fox grapes to amount to anything. Tons of vines, almost no grapes. Someone on here said he'd seen plenty I wonder what elevation he was at? I was between 2500' to 3500'. Didnt bring my binocs so I couldnt tell much about acorns couldnt see them with the  naked eye and only found one early dropped red oak acorn on the ground. This place was absolutely torn up with hog sign from top to bottom. I did find an old pile of bear scat as big around as a dinner plate!



The place I saw the fox grapes was around 3000', and there were a good many on the same vines last year.


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## GT Whitetail (Aug 14, 2017)

I scouted 2200 - 3800 ft on a 10 mile hike and didn't see near as much sign as I was hoping for. Is it too early to find climbing sign? Didn't have my binos to check the tops of the whiteoaks but, checked areas that had a lot of sign in previous years. Found 1 pile of scat and what I thought might have been a marking tree.


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## Timberman (Aug 14, 2017)

Took a walk yesterday between 2500' and 3000'. Found a good number of marked trees, well worn trails and dug up yellow jacket nests. Found one chestnut oak that had been climbed with broken hulls, limbs and acorns strewn around. I think I could kill a bear in there but getting it out will be something else!


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## jbogg (Aug 14, 2017)

GT Whitetail said:


> I scouted 2200 - 3800 ft on a 10 mile hike and didn't see near as much sign as I was hoping for. Is it too early to find climbing sign? Didn't have my binos to check the tops of the whiteoaks but, checked areas that had a lot of sign in previous years. Found 1 pile of scat and what I thought might have been a marking tree.



The first white oak I found last year with fresh climbing sign was August 25th.  Some of the Red Oaks and Chestnut Oaks seem fairly far along this year so I wouldn't be surprised to hear that there were some trees already being climbed.


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## Killer Kyle (Aug 15, 2017)

There is already a little climbing going on. Not a lot, but a little. I have been finding places where squirrels have been cutting down red oak acorns and eating them, and a few days ago, I found a white oak where squirrels had been cutting down and eating acorns.
The days are getting shorter, and opening day draws nigh. The anticipation is killing me!


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## Timberman (Aug 15, 2017)

It was the only climbing tree i found in over 5 miles of prime country. The bears are there just not in the oaks yet.


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## ddd-shooter (Aug 17, 2017)

Got out yesterday, oaks looking good. Decent size, decent number. 
Chestnuts around 2200-2400 were starting to brown, so white oaks won't be too much further behind.


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## amoore28 (Aug 20, 2017)

Was up at Pisgah national Forest and saw tons of white oak acorns at 6000 to #6400 feet


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## CornStalker (Aug 31, 2017)

Has anyone scouted Chattahoochee in the last week or planning to go this weekend? Jbogg, kyle? 

I'm hoping the crop won't be as big as last year. I feel like we've had a bumper crop for 3-4 years straight...


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## Buckman18 (Aug 31, 2017)

I have. And went with the Killer one day also. Looks like there are gonna be several red oaks. There's a few white oaks, but many are faulty.


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## jbogg (Aug 31, 2017)

As Buckman said the white oaks are spotty.  I haven't found any trees that are loaded.  Most of the acorns are up high in the crowns of the trees.  I have seen some Reds that are slap loaded.  Should be a good year.


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## CornStalker (Sep 1, 2017)

jbogg said:


> As Buckman said the white oaks are spotty.  I haven't found any trees that are loaded.  Most of the acorns are up high in the crowns of the trees.  I have seen some Reds that are slap loaded.  Should be a good year.



Nice! 

Let's hope the trees that do have them will be magnets.


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## Killer Kyle (Sep 2, 2017)

Let's all be cautious though! I am thinking over the last few years on the acorn reports here. I don't remember if it was last year or the one before, but we had lots of reports of spotty crops, and ended up with bumper crops. I'll have to dig through the threads to remind me which year it was. The crop can fool the naked eye. I say prepare for the worst, and hope for the best. 
With several reports of spotty crops here, it might be wise to cover a lot of ground in your usual spots early on to confirm! I have seen quite a lot of white oak acorns on the ground over the last few weeks. Seems to be the work of squirrels. I am anxious to see what the drop is going to shape up to be two weeks from now!


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## tree cutter 08 (Sep 3, 2017)

Killer Kyle said:


> Let's all be cautious though! I am thinking over the last few years on the acorn reports here. I don't remember if it was last year or the one before, but we had lots of reports of spotty crops, and ended up with bumper crops. I'll have to dig through the threads to remind me which year it was. The crop can fool the naked eye. I say prepare for the worst, and hope for the best.
> With several reports of spotty crops here, it might be wise to cover a lot of ground in your usual spots early on to confirm! I have seen quite a lot of white oak acorns on the ground over the last few weeks. Seems to be the work of squirrels. I am anxious to see what the drop is going to shape up to be two weeks from now!


Yea, I've been going back and forth myself all summer. While I don't think its going to be a bumper crop there are acorns that you can't see. They are in the crown and very hard to see. I cut several whites the other day that I looked over pretty good and only seen a few till they hit the ground. ALOT more than I thought. Time will tell.


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## josh chatham (Sep 5, 2017)

Scouted a little bit this week.  Found a few white oaks falling already (may have been the wind a few days ago...) but every place the acorns had fallen had a ton of sign!  Deer and bear.


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## Triton Mike (Sep 7, 2017)

I have never seen more green white oak acorns on the ground in my life.  I don't know if they are just slap loaded and the limbs can't take anymore or why so many green ones are falling.  I know green acorns hit the ground but I mean literally covered up with green white oaks.  Anyone else?


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## The mtn man (Sep 7, 2017)

Triton Mike said:


> I have never seen more green white oak acorns on the ground in my life.  I don't know if they are just slap loaded and the limbs can't take anymore or why so many green ones are falling.  I know green acorns hit the ground but I mean literally covered up with green white oaks.  Anyone else?



I'm seeing a normal amount.


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Sep 7, 2017)

Triton Mike said:


> I have never seen more green white oak acorns on the ground in my life.  I don't know if they are just slap loaded and the limbs can't take anymore or why so many green ones are falling.  I know green acorns hit the ground but I mean literally covered up with green white oaks.  Anyone else?





The mtn man said:


> I'm seeing a normal amount.



Just wait until the rain and winds from Irma pass through here.  I'd say the acorns are fixing to fall en masse.


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## AustinB (Sep 7, 2017)

Yesterday around 3600' there were lots of red oaks both on the ground and in the trees.  All the white oaks seem to be already on the ground with very few left in the trees.  Lots of miles walked and only found two trees bears have climbed.


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## Killer Kyle (Sep 8, 2017)

northgeorgiasportsman said:


> Just wait until the rain and winds from Irma pass through here.  I'd say the acorns are fixing to fall en masse.



I was just thinking the same thing about an hour ago. I was out picking up Chinese chestnuts. I looked up in the tree and saw tons of burs still hanging and I thought "yep, those will be on the ground Wednesday!" Same for the acorns. If we get much wind with the rain from Irma, there's gonna be a boatload of acorns on the ground real quick and in a hurry!!


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## Triton Mike (Sep 9, 2017)

With all the acorns this year I can't find any concenation of critter sign.  No need for bears to climb trees imho.  On the upside seems like the squirrels have returned to the mountains after that drought year we had.


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## SWbowhunter (Sep 13, 2017)

*Check the regs*



Killer Kyle said:


> Hey Ripple, I've been seeing muscadine vines absolutely slap loaded in several places this year, but low down. Anywhere 1,400'-2,000' +-. I have seen vines slap hanging heavy with fruit. Unfortunately, these are not in places that I hunt, so they don't matter much to me.
> 
> I did find a place on Wilson Shoals WMA that I am going to sit on a few times. It is a persimmon tree loaded with fruit, and already aborting some, and it is dead in the middle of a stand of pine trees that are covered in muscadine vines, and they also are loaded and dropping a few early. It's low...around 1,200' maybe. Could be a little more or less. Never looked at it on a map. That place deserves a good sit or two I'd say. Ain't gonna kill no hear there, but the deer and yotes might be interested.


Archery on Wilson Shoals opens at the end of September or 1st of Oct. I imagine the persimmons will be gone especially after all this wind.


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