# Acorns



## strothershwacker (Jun 9, 2019)

I've got a big white oak in the yard that had not one acorn last year. Looks like its gonna be loaded this year! What ya'll seeing?


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## Buckman18 (Jun 9, 2019)

Looks like it’s going to be a bumper crop this year, high and low - whites and reds. If they make it through and develop. Sometimes that can make for a tough bear season, as it can make it a challenge to concentrate the critters.


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## JN86 (Jun 9, 2019)

strothershwacker said:


> I've got a big white oak in the yard that had not one acorn last year. Looks like its gonna be loaded this year! What ya'll seeing?


Seeing the same at my house. I'm at 2050 ft elevation. White oaks are loaded.


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## strothershwacker (Jun 9, 2019)

Lot of muscedines and blackberry this year too.


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## tree cutter 08 (Jun 9, 2019)

Yeah I've seen same thing. Acorns looking good. reds are absolutely loaded and every white I've looked at has acorns but not loaded heavy. I did notice this dry spell has dried up a lot of muscedines.


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## jbogg (Jun 9, 2019)

I’m at 1100’ in Cumming and the Whites are loaded.  Feast or famine the last few years.  As long as they are good up high I will be happy.  Spent two years scouting a ton of ground at 3000’ or higher and got caught flat footed last year.


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## Raylander (Jun 10, 2019)

I am in total agreement that it looks to be a good crop this fall. Hopefully the storm season will be kind to us and not beat up the old trees too badly. I’m ready!


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## JN86 (Jun 10, 2019)

strothershwacker said:


> Lot of muscedines and blackberry this year too.


Blackberry's are a little smallish around the house. Probably from the little dry spell we had.


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## JN86 (Jun 10, 2019)

jbogg said:


> I’m at 1100’ in Cumming and the Whites are loaded.  Feast or famine the last few years.  As long as they are good up high I will be happy.  Spent two years scouting a ton of ground at 3000’ or higher and got caught flat footed last year.


I know what you mean. Went out on both cohutta hunt's last year and found about enough reds to half way fill up my hat. I did see a good bear as he was running up the side of the mountain. Never got a shot.


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## Buckman18 (Jun 10, 2019)

For bow hunting bear purposes I like the acorns like they were last year. For hunting big bucks in the rut, I like a bunch of red oak acorns. Ymmv.


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## ddd-shooter (Jun 15, 2019)

Good acorn crop= slow bear season (mostly)


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## Bruin (Jul 6, 2019)

strothershwacker said:


> Lot of muscedines and blackberry this year too.



I was hopeful for a bumper crop of muscadines. However, last week I started to see them A LOT fall prematurely. This is the report from south and central Georgia. Is anyone seeing similar things up north. Now I’m curious if the acorns will hold all the way till September.  Any predictions from the farmer's almanac?


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## jbogg (Jul 6, 2019)

Some of my favorite White Oak saddles are looking great.  Bow season can’t get here quick enough.


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## ScarFoot (Jul 7, 2019)

When do the bears start pulling them down?


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## jbogg (Jul 8, 2019)

ScarFoot said:


> When do the bears start pulling them down?



Last summer I walked up on a sow and a cub destroying the top of a Chestnut Oak the day before small game season opened in August.


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## Joe Brandon (Jul 8, 2019)

And last year opening week of bow I walked up and missed on one practically pulling the top of the tree down from hanging on it and shaking it haha!


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## DeucesWild (Jul 8, 2019)

Got muscadines galore around home but that hot, dry spell we had a few weeks back caused my persimmon trees to abort a good many persimmons


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## Wayne D Davis (Jul 9, 2019)

During my weekend scouting I saw many green persimmons on the ground. Kinda disheartening till I looked up. Totally loaded!  I think the ample rain thru spring caused a bumper crop and this heat wave is causing just a few to drop.


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## Raylander (Jul 11, 2019)

Soft mast that didn’t dry up in that May hot spell is looking real good. Looks like someone’s been riding a 4wheeler through the berry patches I’ve seen


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## Raylander (Jul 11, 2019)

Bruin said:


> View attachment 975301
> I was hopeful for a bumper crop of muscadines. However, last week I started to see them A LOT fall prematurely. This is the report from south and central Georgia. Is anyone seeing similar things up north. Now I’m curious if the acorns will hold all the way till September.  Any predictions from the farmer's almanac?



I have a spot that produces muscadines EVERY year. Seems they always pitch some green ones early


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## jbogg (Jul 13, 2019)

As long as they don’t abort there should definitely be some Whites to hunt come Sept 14th!


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## strothershwacker (Jul 13, 2019)

Im seeing em high and low


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## strothershwacker (Jul 15, 2019)

I'm ready.  Orta be a good season. Can't wait till that 1st cool morning.


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## Rabun (Jul 15, 2019)

I was poking around this weekend...around 1900 feet seeing spotty white oak in creek bottoms but the reds are loaded.


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## jbogg (Jul 20, 2019)

Did some scouting yesterday between 3200 - 3600’ and found a lot of Reds that had already aborted, but the Whites are still holding on.


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## Raylander (Jul 20, 2019)

I found some Whites ~2000 ft that look like they’re ready to bust! Some premees knocked on the ground from rain storms last week


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## tree cutter 08 (Jul 21, 2019)

I seen a lot of the same this past week jbogg. They was loaded very heavy to start with so maybe they are just dumping some so what's left will thrive.


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## jbogg (Jul 21, 2019)

tree cutter 08 said:


> I seen a lot of the same this past week jbogg. They was loaded very heavy to start with so maybe they are just dumping some so what's left will thrive.



I agree Cutter. I think a lot of the Reds will abort a certain number of acorns but still retain a fair amount of nuts on the tree that will make it to maturity.  Persimmons and Apple trees will do the same.


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## tree cutter 08 (Jul 22, 2019)

Cut a few whites at about 2k ft today and they had very few acorns.


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Jul 22, 2019)

I know where I'll be sitting in the early season before acorns have started to fall...


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## Buckman18 (Jul 22, 2019)

northgeorgiasportsman said:


> I know where I'll be sitting in the early season before acorns have started to fall...



Hey Poacher, That’s the chestnut I’m hunting!


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Jul 23, 2019)

Buckman18 said:


> Hey Poacher, That’s the chestnut I’m hunting!


There's another one right next to it.


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## gobbleinwoods (Jul 23, 2019)

northgeorgiasportsman said:


> There's another one right next to it.



That's the one I'm hunting, poacher.


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Jul 23, 2019)

gobbleinwoods said:


> That's the one I'm hunting, poacher.


Yeah, but that one has like 5 different trunks and it's huge.


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## gobbleinwoods (Jul 23, 2019)

northgeorgiasportsman said:


> Yeah, but that one has like 5 different trunks and it's huge.



Can support more bears feeding.


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## strothershwacker (Jul 26, 2019)

Gonna put in a few miles on the mountain tomorrow. Got some trees I wanna check on.


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## jbogg (Jul 26, 2019)

strothershwacker said:


> Gonna put in a few miles on the mountain tomorrow. Got some trees I wanna check on.


 
Same here. It’s endless.   I find myself always wanting to know what’s  over the next ridge.


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## strothershwacker (Jul 27, 2019)

Aborted acorns everywhere tween 1800'-3200'.


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## strothershwacker (Jul 27, 2019)

pretty good set of trax.


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## livinoutdoors (Jul 27, 2019)

strothershwacker said:


> View attachment 977587 pretty good set of trax.


Im gonna say bout 60lbs. Give or take


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## JN86 (Jul 27, 2019)

There was a old man that told me how ever many inches the front pad we're across that's how long the bear was from nose to tail or close to it. Don't know if that's true or not but that's what he told me.


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## jbogg (Jul 27, 2019)

I went this morning and saw a ton of Reds that the squirrels had already cut out.  Climbed higher and found some Whites slap loaded.  Also saw some climbing sign where the bears are checking trees.  It’s going to be a long seven weeks.


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## Raylander (Jul 29, 2019)

Food and tracks started low and finished up high. That largest track was almost 6" across. I'm thinking that's prolly decent sized bear! The others were small from cubs.. Come on September!


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## ddd-shooter (Aug 4, 2019)

Saw a few scarce white oaks around 2500. Weren’t just loaded, but look like an ok year. 
Idk how it will turn out. 
Any updates at other elevations?


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## jbogg (Aug 4, 2019)

ddd-shooter said:


> Saw a few scarce white oaks around 2500. Weren’t just loaded, but look like an ok year.
> Idk how it will turn out.
> Any updates at other elevations?



I am hearing about acorns at all elevations, but not heavy everywhere like two years ago.  Should make for good hunting.


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## tree cutter 08 (Aug 4, 2019)

Going to be some honey holes this year! Done some walking yesterday and seen a good many reds that the squirrels were working on. I'll be looking for a early dropping red for the opener.


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## Raylander (Aug 5, 2019)

I was out a bit last week. Most of the good looking trees I had been eyein through the summer had pitched. All the berries were dried up and gone. Didn’t see a fresh bear track anywhere. They went somewhere else. My guess is the corn? I don’t have access to any good corn fields..


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## goshenmountainman (Aug 11, 2019)

Finding acorns everywhere, high and low. Reds, whites, and chesnut oaks. Plenty!


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## The mtn man (Aug 12, 2019)

Over the weekend i seen bear sign in the black cherries pretty high up on the NC side. Looked like an ice storm just rolled through.


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## bowbuck (Aug 15, 2019)

Hunted this morning around 2100 feet. Red oaks look strong. White oaks looked hit or miss.  Hickory nuts were also hit or miss.  The two mature trees I found had 4 squirrels apiece in them.  No fresh bear sign but some hog sign of course.  I hope they are a little spotty and I do love a hot red oak when others don’t produce.  A lone big red oak with acorns draws everything when the whites miss.


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## splatek (Aug 17, 2019)

OK, I am totally new to this bear thing, but with some advice from a few folks I went scouting the yesterday - ended up putting on about 7 miles and nearly 2000 feet in elevation change looking for sign (not even sure I know what I am looking for in that dept, haha) and the elusive and all powerful White Oak .... 

I ended up finding what I think is a mess of Red Oaks at about 2100-2600 with them tapering off about 2350-2400. 



As I got higher into 2900-3600 I did see a few white oak patches, stands I think they are called, but I saw nothing on the ground and couldn't see any evidence of anything in the trees (although honestly, I am not sure I know what I am looking for). I saw a bunch of old hickory nuts that looked like they'd been crushed by some squirrels down real low (2000).

I am not sure if this means anything, or helps, or how to interpret this, but there it is... my first ever bear scouting report. HAHA


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## Joe Brandon (Aug 17, 2019)

splatek said:


> OK, I am totally new to this bear thing, but with some advice from a few folks I went scouting the yesterday - ended up putting on about 7 miles and nearly 2000 feet in elevation change looking for sign (not even sure I know what I am looking for in that dept, haha) and the elusive and all powerful White Oak ....
> 
> I ended up finding what I think is a mess of Red Oaks at about 2100-2600 with them tapering off about 2350-2400.
> 
> ...


Just keep doing what your doing! You will come across a bear in  tree soon enough! As others have said the game will change the week before bow season so don't be afraid to go somewhere totally new that you haven't scouted come that week. They can be anywhere.


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## tree cutter 08 (Aug 17, 2019)

I'm still looking for the perfect spot! Probably won't make a decision until the night before but knocking them out. From What I've seen acorns will defiantly be spotty from place to place so gonna take some legwork. Not all elevations are producing the same.


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## ScarFoot (Aug 17, 2019)

Does DNR put out a Mast report?


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## The mtn man (Aug 20, 2019)

splatek said:


> OK, I am totally new to this bear thing, but with some advice from a few folks I went scouting the yesterday - ended up putting on about 7 miles and nearly 2000 feet in elevation change looking for sign (not even sure I know what I am looking for in that dept, haha) and the elusive and all powerful White Oak ....
> 
> I ended up finding what I think is a mess of Red Oaks at about 2100-2600 with them tapering off about 2350-2400.
> 
> ...


When you find acorns, look for bear scat and climbing evidence on the bark, when bears are pounding acorns the scat will be more of a grey color when it's fresh, if it's black, it's old sign. When they are feeding on acorns that have fallen, they might make sign that looks like turkey sign.


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## j_seph (Aug 20, 2019)

strothershwacker said:


> I've got a big white oak in the yard that had not one acorn last year. Looks like its gonna be loaded this year! What ya'll seeing?


I think WO are every other year


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## Raylander (Aug 20, 2019)

Startin' to get a little rowdy..


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## The mtn man (Aug 20, 2019)

I know of a cornfield thats about to get destroyed, he already got the rest of my sweet corn.


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## ddd-shooter (Aug 21, 2019)

The mtn man said:


> I know of a cornfield thats about to get destroyed, he already got the rest of my sweet corn.


Nice bear, brave opossum. lol


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## NGAHILLBILLY (Aug 21, 2019)

I'm at about 1300 and it's looking like a big crop


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## Ghost G (Aug 28, 2019)

j_seph said:


> I think WO are every other year



It's the other way around.  Whites every year, Reds every other year. Reds can produce immature acorns on the off years.


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## j_seph (Aug 28, 2019)

Ghost G said:


> It's the other way around.  Whites every year, Reds every other year. Reds can produce immature acorns on the off years.



https://www.realtree.com/deer-hunting/articles/everything-you-need-to-know-about-acorns


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## Wayne D Davis (Aug 28, 2019)

I have found very few of any acorns dropping at Paulding forest....a few reds and that's it. I was looking with binos and could count acorns on one hand from a huge oak. Had bumper crops for past 2 seasons so it is what it is


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## Ghost G (Aug 28, 2019)

j_seph said:


> https://www.realtree.com/deer-hunting/articles/everything-you-need-to-know-about-acorns
> View attachment 981304



Interesting j_seph.  I think that is a typo. 

This link is for Oaks in North America and every white oak listed states it's an annual crop. See page 8 for species found in Georgia.   https://www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/technology/pdfs/fieldguide.pdf


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## jbogg (Aug 28, 2019)

Ghost G said:


> Interesting j_seph.  I think that is a typo.
> 
> This link is for Oaks in North America and every white oak listed states it's an annual crop. See page 8 for species found in Georgia.   https://www.fs.fed.us/foresthealth/technology/pdfs/fieldguide.pdf



Most of my white oak spots do not produce every year.  Seems like every 2 - 3 years is more common.  I know of one white on the edge of a clearing that has produced the last two years in a row but I thought that was likely an anomaly due to the tree getting more sunlight than most of the trees deeper in the woods.


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## tree cutter 08 (Aug 28, 2019)

That's true to some extent. I've seen some whites that have produced for 5 or 6 years straight. Some years more so than others. I checked some reds this evening that have had nothing the last 2 years. That country is loaded this year. I can also remember hunting those reds for 2 seasons in a row with bumper crops. I've learned some things just aint textbook in nature.


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## Buckman18 (Aug 28, 2019)

tree cutter 08 said:


> That's true to some extent. I've seen some whites that have produced for 5 or 6 years straight. Some years more so than others. I checked some reds this evening that have had nothing the last 2 years. That country is loaded this year. I can also remember hunting those reds for 2 seasons in a row with bumper crops. I've learned some things just aint textbook in nature.



I think folks get confused because it takes a red oak acorn two years to develop? That doesnt mean that the trees do not have developing acorns that bloomed this year and also some that bloomed last year? I am not a treeologist, but thats my thought?

https://www.qdma.com/red-oaks-important-deer-nutrition/


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## tree cutter 08 (Aug 28, 2019)

Buckman18 said:


> I think folks get confused because it takes a red oak acorn two years to develop? That doesnt mean that the trees do not have developing acorns that bloomed this year and also some that bloomed last year? I am not a treeologist, but thats my thought?
> 
> https://www.qdma.com/red-oaks-important-deer-nutrition/


that's what I always figured and noticed over the years.


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## Ghost G (Aug 29, 2019)

Buckman18 said:


> I think folks get confused because it takes a red oak acorn two years to develop? That doesnt mean that the trees do not have developing acorns that bloomed this year and also some that bloomed last year? I am not a treeologist, but thats my thought?
> 
> https://www.qdma.com/red-oaks-important-deer-nutrition/



Good point Buckman.


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## humdandy (Sep 1, 2019)

j_seph said:


> https://www.realtree.com/deer-hunting/articles/everything-you-need-to-know-about-acorns
> View attachment 981304


This is a false statement.  My oak trees produce every year.  Fact.


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## Wayne D Davis (Sep 2, 2019)

I finally found a white oak producing hidden within a red oak grove. And a opened up scrape with licking branch right under it.  Also a hog wallow 20 yards across the creek from it. Think I have narrowed it down where I'll be for the opener


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## splatek (Sep 4, 2019)

Can someone help me? These look like no other acorns I've found while hitting the woods. I think they might be white oak, but am just not that good at ID-ing them yet?

*First of all, I found this tree (2600-2700) that was producing acorns: I found them on the ground leading up to the tree and growing in concentration, although still not piles on the ground like red oaks I've been finding. When I looked up using my binoculars, I saw acorns on the tree. Some were just a single acorn on a small branch, others were sort of in bunches, or clusters (I don't know the technical term). It appeared to have climbing marks up the tree, I tried to get them in the picture. *

**

*On the way in I found these on the ground: *

**

*and*

**

*Then in another spot I hiked to I found a group of trees embedded in some red oaks that looked like the one below. Each of the trees that look like the one below were about 10-20 yards apart (give or take). But there were no acorns on the ground and I could not see any on the branches. That might be because this area had a ton of leaf debris or maybe they'd already been eating... *



*The leaves on both looked like what I googled for white oak (below), but I couldn't get a picture because dumb camera phones. I made sure to google and save the images prior to scouting today so I wouldn't get confused, but still wanted to cross-check with real people (assuming y'all are 'real' people, HAHA). Thanks in advance for any help. *

**


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## jbogg (Sep 4, 2019)

splatek said:


> Can someone help me? These look like no other acorns I've found while hitting the woods. I think they might be white oak, but am just not that good at ID-ing them yet?
> 
> *First of all, I found this tree (2600-2700) that was producing acorns: I found them on the ground leading up to the tree and growing in concentration, although still not piles on the ground like red oaks I've been finding. When I looked up using my binoculars, I saw acorns on the tree. Some were just a single acorn on a small branch, others were sort of in bunches, or clusters (I don't know the technical term). It appeared to have climbing marks up the tree, I tried to get them in the picture. *
> 
> ...



 The Google image you posted of the oak leaves are definitely white oaks, as well as the photo of the tree trunk that you posted. The large acorns shown in the palm of your hand are Chestnut Oaks, also called Mountain Oaks by many folks.   Bears will definitely eat chestnut Oaks,  but  they will turn their attention to White Oaks just  as soon as those acorns become palatable.   With that said, bears are spread throughout the national forest. The bears that live in areas without white oaks producing this year will feed heavily on red oak acorns if available,  or whatever else they can find.  White oak acorns seem to be their favorite acorn, but the bottom line is they can and do eat many other things. You are doing the right thing but hiking and learning. Looks like you found a spot that the bears are frequenting. Keep looking for that super fresh feeding sign and you’ll be in good shape.


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## Tio Hey Seuss (Sep 4, 2019)

White oaks readily hybridize with other members of the white oak family too so that can make a positive ID difficult on some trees.


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## ddd-shooter (Sep 4, 2019)

J bogg hit it. Definitely leaves and trunk of white oak, but no doubt those are chestnut oak acorns. They are without a doubt the least palatable of all acorns to game. 
If you look closely, there will be some trees with a thick bark and really rounded oak leaves nearby.


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## goshenmountainman (Sep 5, 2019)

ddd-shooter said:


> J bogg hit it. Definitely leaves and trunk of white oak, but no doubt those are chestnut oak acorns. They are without a doubt the least palatable of all acorns to game.
> If you look closely, there will be some trees with a thick bark and really rounded oak leaves nearby.


Not true!! I have killed two big bucks under chesnut oak trees, one of the bucks walked right under a big white oak loaded with acorns and they were all over the ground. I have killed three bear under the chesnut oaks and a whole slew of hogs. Most of the deer I have seen eating under the chesnut oaks in bow season have been bucks.. I heard the same thing for years but it doesn't hold true every where.


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## CornStalker (Sep 6, 2019)

goshenmountainman said:


> Not true!! I have killed two big bucks under chesnut oak trees, one of the bucks walked right under a big white oak loaded with acorns and they were all over the ground. I have killed three bear under the chesnut oaks and a whole slew of hogs. Most of the deer I have seen eating under the chesnut oaks in bow season have been bucks.. I heard the same thing for years but it doesn't hold true every where.



There are certainly exceptions to this conventional wisdom. I normally only see bear sign under white oaks and different species of red oaks, but have also seen a chestnut oak hammered by bears before. Sometimes animals will also have preference for a single tree. I'd love to see some more research done on this, as there doesn't seem to be any obvious reasons. I suspect the chemical makeup of acorns on each tree can vary tremendously. The moral of the story: just follow the sign and hunt where it dictates. 8 days fellas!


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## goshenmountainman (Sep 7, 2019)

CornStalker said:


> There are certainly exceptions to this conventional wisdom. I normally only see bear sign under white oaks and different species of red oaks, but have also seen a chestnut oak hammered by bears before. Sometimes animals will also have preference for a single tree. I'd love to see some more research done on this, as there doesn't seem to be any obvious reasons. I suspect the chemical makeup of acorns on each tree can vary tremendously. The moral of the story: just follow the sign and hunt where it dictates. 8 days fellas!


I have seen so many nice bucks over the years under the chesnut oaks that now if I find a few trees dropping them and some deer sign under or around I will have a sit or two there before any other oaks.. It has worked well for me for years, found a little grove yesterday and watched a small six eating them, that will be my opening weekend spot.. never no what might show up, killed a big eight there about four years ago under the same trees. Maybe luck will strike again..


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## tree cutter 08 (Sep 8, 2019)

goshenmountainman said:


> I have seen so many nice bucks over the years under the chesnut oaks that now if I find a few trees dropping them and some deer sign under or around I will have a sit or two there before any other oaks.. It has worked well for me for years, found a little grove yesterday and watched a small six eating them, that will be my opening weekend spot.. never no what might show up, killed a big eight there about four years ago under the same trees. Maybe luck will strike again..


i would agree! I had tons of bear pics last year under one than was dropping early. They usually drop before anything else and there's several of them this year.


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## jbogg (Sep 8, 2019)

goshenmountainman said:


> I have seen so many nice bucks over the years under the chesnut oaks that now if I find a few trees dropping them and some deer sign under or around I will have a sit or two there before any other oaks.. It has worked well for me for years, found a little grove yesterday and watched a small six eating them, that will be my opening weekend spot.. never no what might show up, killed a big eight there about four years ago under the same trees. Maybe luck will strike again..



 I was checking out a new spot on national Forest this morning off of Highway 180. Every time the wind Gusted the chestnut acorns were raining down. Tons of them in the area I was at this morning.


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## whitetailfreak (Sep 10, 2019)

After a lot of walking, scouting and glassing the last few days, it has become very clear that the White Oak crop on Cohutta is very very spotty. Red's are loaded and raining. Muscadines didn't fare well either.

I did find a nice shed


Found a handsome Garter Snake at around 4k ft


I know reading is hard, but this idiot camped right in front of the "no camping here" sign. 


I did run into a lady from Florida who was looking for Hernando DeSoto's hidden treasure. I told her if there was treasure in these mountains some hillbilly would have found it by now. It was an interesting few days.


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## ScarFoot (Sep 10, 2019)

Did you see any bears?


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## whitetailfreak (Sep 10, 2019)

ScarFoot said:


> Did you see any bears?



Nope


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## ddd-shooter (Sep 10, 2019)

That’s an awesome shed!


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## CornStalker (Sep 12, 2019)

Anyone seen many white oaks dropping in the Chat or SC area?


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## Buckman18 (Sep 12, 2019)

CornStalker said:


> Anyone seen many white oaks dropping in the Chat or SC area?



Extremely spotty but there are a few in places. On both WMA's.


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## Tio Hey Seuss (Sep 12, 2019)

CornStalker said:


> Anyone seen many white oaks dropping in the Chat or SC area?


Yep, I found some up high on Chattahoochee. In the 3000 feet neighborhood.


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## goshenmountainman (Sep 15, 2019)

tree cutter 08 said:


> i would agree! I had tons of bear pics last year under one than was dropping early. They usually drop before anything else and there's several of them this year.


My chesnut oak worked again, got a nice eight as he stood there gobbling up them chesnut acorns, might even get a bear there. I got his pic twice so far and he seems to like them real good.


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## tree cutter 08 (Sep 15, 2019)

goshenmountainman said:


> My chesnut oak worked again, got a nice eight as he stood there gobbling up them chesnut acorns, might even get a bear there. I got his pic twice so far and he seems to like them real good.


Good deal! Send me a pic!


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## keiths04 (Sep 16, 2019)

Acorns seem spotty here at cohutta, found a few dropping but not much bear sign.


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## splatek (Sep 16, 2019)

I was standing in an area with a lot, seemed like dozens of white oaks, but none were dropping and I only saw a handful on the ground. a buddy mentioned they might be way up at the top of the trees... I can't climb that high... unfortunately, I cannot get back out into the bear woods again until the coming weekend. So good luck to y'all!


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## ddd-shooter (Sep 16, 2019)

I'll say this... Find the red oaks right now. I found a mess dropping low, got in a saddle above them and had a barely legal bear walk right under me in my summit...


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## WoodlandScout82 (Sep 17, 2019)

I hunted Cohutta from daylight till dark both Saturday and Sunday. Lots of red oak acorns but the only whites that were falling were being dropped by the squirrels. I sat Saturday evening in one of my spots in a saddle and had a Sow and 2 cubs walk right past me at 30 yards. It was hot and dry up there. 0 deer sign and very little bear sign. Hoping things pick up.


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## jbogg (Sep 17, 2019)

WoodlandScout82 said:


> I hunted Cohutta from daylight till dark both Saturday and Sunday. Lots of red oak acorns but the only whites that were falling were being dropped by the squirrels. I sat Saturday evening in one of my spots in a saddle and had a Sow and 2 cubs walk right past me at 30 yards. It was hot and dry up there. 0 deer sign and very little bear sign. Hoping things pick up.



Same here.  Did a lot of walking Friday and Saturday.  Raining white oak acorns, but little fresh sign.  Sat in my tree saddle all day Sunday and at 6:30PM I had a nice 180 - 200lb bear walk past quickly at 25 yds and never presented a shot.


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## WoodlandScout82 (Sep 17, 2019)

Do you guys think that the high temps and the full moon had anything to do with the lack of sightings?


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## FMBear (Sep 18, 2019)

WoodlandScout82 said:


> Do you guys think that the high temps and the full moon had anything to do with the lack of sightings?


The hot temperatures definitely are impacting the movement right now.  The clear skies with full moon didn't help, but the heat is biggest contributor. 
Hoping to see some movement before the 20+ mph winds we're supposed to get this afternoon.


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## ScarFoot (Sep 18, 2019)

FMBear said:


> The hot temperatures definitely are impacting the movement right now.  The clear skies with full moon didn't help, but the heat is biggest contributor.
> Hoping to see some movement before the 20+ mph winds we're supposed to get this afternoon.


I camped over night sat night near oaks with good sign, I saw one bear in daylight, starting 7pm till 2AM bears climbing and breaking limbs woke me up continually


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## tree cutter 08 (Sep 18, 2019)

I'm still getting all daylight pics right now. Random times with no pattern. They are hungry!


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## keiths04 (Sep 18, 2019)

Finally starting to see a few bears, still not seeing a lot of sign though.


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## ScarFoot (Sep 18, 2019)

I met a fellow sunday morning while hunting Cohutta, had long blonde/brown hair said he had just had a bear stand up on its back feet and woof at him, I was dressed in a khaki shirt and and full ruck sack on my way out if that was any of you pm me, just wondering how your hunt went,


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## goshenmountainman (Sep 20, 2019)

goshenmountainman said:


> My chesnut oak worked again, got a nice eight as he stood there gobbling up them chesnut acorns, might even get a bear there. I got his pic twice so far and he seems to like them real good.


Guys, moved to a different area this evening where I found some chesnut oaks dropping a couple weeks ago, set up this evening and at 7 pm I filled my 2nd buck tag on an old monarch that I have three years of history with. My son shot under him last year, and as soon as I saw him coming out of the ivy thicket I recognized him, he came straight to the chesnut oaks, walking right through some white oaks that are dropping too. The chesnut oaks have treated me well this year!


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## Buckman18 (Sep 20, 2019)

goshenmountainman said:


> Guys, moved to a different area this evening where I found some chesnut oaks dropping a couple weeks ago, set up this evening and at 7 pm I filled my 2nd buck tag on an old monarch that I have three years of history with. My son shot under him last year, and as soon as I saw him coming out of the ivy thicket I recognized him, he came straight to the chesnut oaks, walking right through some white oaks that are dropping too. The chesnut oaks have treated me well this year!


 Great job and Congratulations!!!!


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## splatek (Sep 21, 2019)

Wow.. Awesome
Congrats!


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## ddd-shooter (Sep 22, 2019)

Acorns all around me this evening. Nice little saddle on a ridge. A 200 lb momma and two cubs ran all over me. One cub was directly under my stand. 
Later, two small bucks in velvet were under me at 15 yards. 
Great evening, and a great weekend. Had deer all over us all weekend.


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## kevin17 (Sep 23, 2019)

That buck better look out come December with you finding his shed


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## splatek (Sep 23, 2019)

goshenmountainman said:


> Guys, moved to a different area this evening where I found some chesnut oaks dropping a couple weeks ago, set up this evening and at 7 pm I filled my 2nd buck tag on an old monarch that I have three years of history with. My son shot under him last year, and as soon as I saw him coming out of the ivy thicket I recognized him, he came straight to the chesnut oaks, walking right through some white oaks that are dropping too. The chesnut oaks have treated me well this year!



goshenman - what type of chestnut oak are you hunting in the mountains? Q montana or Q michauxii? do you know?


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## goshenmountainman (Sep 23, 2019)

splatek said:


> goshenman - what type of chestnut oak are you hunting in the mountains? Q montana or Q michauxii? do you know?


I have no idea, its pretty prevalent around here, they have long leaves with serrated edges and big blocky bark if that helps. And more rounded acorns, I have seen some that have more longer,slender acorns too.


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## splatek (Sep 24, 2019)

goshenmountainman said:


> I have no idea, its pretty prevalent around here, they have long leaves with serrated edges and big blocky bark if that helps. And more rounded acorns, I have seen some that have more longer,slender acorns too.


 OK, thanks. I think that's the swamp chestnut or _Q michauxii_. I was reading about how game love those, but the report I read said they are rarely found above 1000ft. Could be a hybrid... anyhow, I appreciate it.

I never realized that trying to learn how to hunt would have me going down the rabbit hole of learning the names and details of trees (and I still have to figure out how to identify other game food items such as persimmons, wild grapes, etc etc) I realize that the true white oak Q alba is the holy grail of tasty acorns, but when they are absent the bears/deer don't just starve; that's not how nature works. So I am trying to create a map of where some trees are for next season, but in order to do that I have to have a general idea of what the tree is and whether the animals are hunting it. Funny story, last season, before I knew anything other than a tree has leaves, I was hunting this one tree line, that later a buddy told me doesn't even produce a food item for deer. I thought it was a white oak.... man how I've learned.


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## goshenmountainman (Sep 24, 2019)

splatek said:


> OK, thanks. I think that's the swamp chestnut or _Q michauxii_. I was reading about how game love those, but the report I read said they are rarely found above 1000ft. Could be a hybrid... anyhow, I appreciate it.
> 
> I never realized that trying to learn how to hunt would have me going down the rabbit hole of learning the names and details of trees (and I still have to figure out how to identify other game food items such as persimmons, wild grapes, etc etc) I realize that the true white oak Q alba is the holy grail of tasty acorns, but when they are absent the bears/deer don't just starve; that's not how nature works. So I am trying to create a map of where some trees are for next season, but in order to do that I have to have a general idea of what the tree is and whether the animals are hunting it. Funny story, last season, before I knew anything other than a tree has leaves, I was hunting this one tree line, that later a buddy told me doesn't even produce a food item for deer. I thought it was a white oak.... man how I've learned.


There are plenty of whiteoak acorns all around these trees, but for some reason they are eating mostly the chesnut oaks first. I don't know if they are sweeter or what, but they are gobbling them up first.


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## FMBear (Sep 25, 2019)

The red oaks are really coming down in the last 5 days or so in the areas I've been focusing. 
Including this afternoon, I'm finding the best sign on ridge tops with both white oaks and red oaks dropping. Unfortunately, no bears seen this afternoon, but again, food is ample & the sign is there.
On a side note, I found my first scrape this afternoon with a fresh licking branch.


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## Timberman (Sep 27, 2019)

splatek said:


> goshenman - what type of chestnut oak are you hunting in the mountains? Q montana or Q michauxii? do you know?



The tree Goshen speaks of is Q. Montana. You won't find Q. Michauxii in the mountains.


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## splatek (Sep 27, 2019)

Timberman said:


> The tree Goshen speaks of is Q. Montana. You won't find Q. Michauxii in the mountains.



Thanks Timberman: After a little more research, I realized that Q montana was present in Appalachia, whereas the michauxii rarely occurs above 1000ft. 
Still trying to figure all this stuff out... and find the animals...


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## Timberman (Sep 29, 2019)

Checked out a new area this am. Found a good number of white oaks dropping on a bench above a gap at 2800-3000’. They really liked one tree in particular it was trashed.


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## ucfireman (Sep 30, 2019)

Not in the mtns but my white oaks are producing but the acorns are smaller than usual. Always have a bumper crop and they are usually large , Maybe the lack of rain kept them from getting as bug as normally?
Normal 1 inch long and .5 diameter, this year .5 long and .25 diameter.


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## Ghost G (Oct 4, 2019)

So are these Chestnut Acorns? They were coming down heavy around 2500 and I picked these up from my hammock seat.


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## mayoung (Oct 4, 2019)

Yes. Lot of folks know them as mountain oak, same tree.


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## HardlyHangin (Jun 21, 2020)

mayoung said:


> Yes. Lot of folks know them as mountain oak, same tree.


Thanks for clarifying that, i always knew them as mountain oaks and associated the chestnut with the giant american chestnuts that died out way back when


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