Oak Flats and Random Question

[Jrichard]

Okay so I was out running around the woods in a new spot trying to find some fresh sign and oak trees. Now our oak trees in a lot of areas in CT and RI were decimated by gypsy moths and caterpillars. But one thing I am looking for is an Oak flat. Now that would probably be easier if I knew what I was looking for. Now I can find one or two trees close to each other that are dropping acorns. But I keep hearing on videos I have been watching that they are finding oak flats. If someone could give me more information on what an Oak flat is I would appreciate it. lol How to identify one. And what characteristics to look for in the oak trees.


Also the Random question. I just bought a loan wolf combo hand climber 2 and I got it in and I opened the box and put it together. Now The tree straps that go around the tree seem really cheap. Is it just me? It said on the website this tree stand is able to hold up to 350 lbs. I mean I only weigh 235. But I just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to get 22 feet up in the tree and have the straps fail on me bahaha.

But the more serious question is the oak flat question. lol The other one I can live with cause everyone uses these loan wolf tree stands. lol Just wanted some reassurance.

[Ghost Hunter]

Oak flat in my area is a flat bottom land with a bunch of mature oaks. The area might be as big as a football field or go for several hundred yards. Hope that helps.

[JoeRE]

I think its pretty regional. Around here you don't see as many oaks in bottoms, mostly softwoods down there. Here the oaks are more often on ridges. Anywhere that has a lot of mature oaks - a few acres to dozens of acres - all at a similar elevation, I would tend to call an oak flat.

You find them by burning boot leather more so than looking at a map, although with a good set of glasses you can ID oaks from a distance. Get out there!

Deer frequent oak flats only when they have acorns....on poor acorn years they are often devoid of deer.

[Jrichard]

I mean I have been in the woods and found oak trees. But I just wasn't sure what to look for. Cause we have a cluster of two or three white oak trees here and there. I wasn't sure exactly why to look for and how to set up for them when they go to the oak flats

[JoeRE]

Ok, yea I don't know if there are oak flats in your area or not. Oak flats around here have large oaks spaced out (lower stem count) and due to their dense canopy usually not much underbrush - pretty open and park like. I find it hard to directly bow hunt a large area of oaks because of the number of deer that are walking all over the place - high likelihood of something getting downwind. I hunt it like any other large food source destination, pinpoint the buck bedding nearby and hunt the travel route toward the food where I think I will get daylight movement not the destination. I also find bucks in the rut cruise through oak flats that have a lot of does feeding in them. Buck cruising routes through those areas can be hunted.

One benefit of an oak flat is deer seem to be more comfortable approaching it in daylight, more so than an ag field. Still dependent on hunting pressure. I have had a lot of success gun hunting over oak flats late season where I can back off a couple hundred yards and have a low impact hunt.

If you have smaller clusters of oak trees, that is easier to bow hunt right over them. Pick a likely oak right next to good bedding and give it a shot.

[Horizontal Hunter]

Some things to keep in mind:

1. There are many "white" oak acorns and deer have a preference.
2. Not all trees on an oak flat are created equal. Some trees produce better tasting acorns than others on the same oak flat and you will find that there often is a primary oak tree that the deer prefer.

Here is a good read:
http://bowsite.com/bowsite/features/arm ... corns.html

Keep maple leaves in mind. After the first frost deer will often hit the maple leaves for a short time and they know where the sweetest ones are.

Also keep persimmon trees in mind. You might see some in southern CT.

http://www.pursuithunting.com/2007/09/t ... immon.html


Bob

[ Post made via iPad ]

[Ghost Hunter]

Don't get hung up on oak flats. But use the flats as a place to back track into thicker areas where they will be on the beds waiting for that last moment of light to get moving. Also be close to the entry an exit points into the thick stuff before daylight to catch the bucks getting back at the beds just as daylight breaks or little after it breaks.

Oak flats usually have no undergrowth because the mature oaks rob all the sunlight. Also look for the ocassional logging road that has grown up thick with undergrowth. The deer sometimes use the undergrowth as browse an a way to get across the flat with somewhat of cover.