Let's talk Beech nuts as a food source

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xpauliber
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Let's talk Beech nuts as a food source

Unread postby xpauliber » Thu Aug 24, 2017 4:59 am

I'm hearing from a number of different people that work outdoors that the Beech Nut crop this year in my area is going to be killer. I've never really targeted Beech nuts before since there's not really much of a harvest. Where do they fall in a deer's diet? Preferred? Opportunity? Is it worth throwing one of those crucial first week evening hunts at a spot that has lots of Beech trees?


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Re: Let's talk Beech nuts as a food source

Unread postby Brad » Thu Aug 24, 2017 5:11 am

I usually have a hard time finding it and always get Redman :lol:
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Re: Let's talk Beech nuts as a food source

Unread postby Dan T » Thu Aug 24, 2017 5:19 am

They are considered a mast crop. They drop early, like right now and are usually done dropping by mid to end of September. Earlier on a dry year. Black bear and deer love them. On a good crop year, I've put some of my bear baits right in the thick of them as they are hard to compete with that tie of year. Even on an active bear bait site, plenty of deer sign would still remain in the area to give an example of how much they enjoy them. We have some big secondary beech ridges here, with very dense groves of them. For an early season buck, I prefer to find one utilizing a single Mature tree that stands alone, rather than an area forested with them. They get clean up fast here, and don't have much benefit after September, the nuts anyhow, the buds of young beech are good brows.
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Re: Let's talk Beech nuts as a food source

Unread postby Hawthorne » Thu Aug 24, 2017 5:55 am

They are a small nut and deer love them. In Michigan seems like they are about gone by oct1st. I have found buck rubs underneath them.
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xpauliber
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Re: Let's talk Beech nuts as a food source

Unread postby xpauliber » Thu Aug 24, 2017 6:43 am

Dan T wrote:They are considered a mast crop. They drop early, like right now and are usually done dropping by mid to end of September. Earlier on a dry year. Black bear and deer love them. On a good crop year, I've put some of my bear baits right in the thick of them as they are hard to compete with that tie of year. Even on an active bear bait site, plenty of deer sign would still remain in the area to give an example of how much they enjoy them. We have some big secondary beech ridges here, with very dense groves of them. For an early season buck, I prefer to find one utilizing a single Mature tree that stands alone, rather than an area forested with them. They get clean up fast here, and don't have much benefit after September, the nuts anyhow, the buds of young beech are good brows.


Great info. Thanks. Unfortunately with PA's September 30th opener, I may be out of luck. I do know where there are some MASSIVE beech trees though and perhaps some nuts will still be hanging around on those big trees so I think I'll still give them an in-season scout when I'm nearby.
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Re: Let's talk Beech nuts as a food source

Unread postby muddy » Thu Aug 24, 2017 6:49 am

I think that if you target beech trees you're only going to be seeing squirrels. My experience has shown that beech nuts have too hard of a shell for a deer to crack.
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Re: Let's talk Beech nuts as a food source

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Thu Aug 24, 2017 7:33 am

Beech = BEAR Nut
Expect the Unexpected when you least Expect it...
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Re: Let's talk Beech nuts as a food source

Unread postby Dan T » Thu Aug 24, 2017 8:29 am

muddy wrote:I think that if you target beech trees you're only going to be seeing squirrels. My experience has shown that beech nuts have too hard of a shell for a deer to crack.


Are you sure you have the right nut and tree? Beech nuts are way softer than the most water swollen white oak acorn. Beech nut pods will also split open them selves. I think maybe your seeing hickory?
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Re: Let's talk Beech nuts as a food source

Unread postby muddy » Thu Aug 24, 2017 9:23 am

Dan T wrote:
muddy wrote:I think that if you target beech trees you're only going to be seeing squirrels. My experience has shown that beech nuts have too hard of a shell for a deer to crack.


Are you sure you have the right nut and tree? Beech nuts are way softer than the most water swollen white oak acorn. Beech nut pods will also split open them selves. I think maybe your seeing hickory?


Ayup... as soon as I read Hickory I realized my mistake. That being said, still never had much luck with Beech trees here in Iowa.
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Re: Let's talk Beech nuts as a food source

Unread postby john1984 » Thu Aug 24, 2017 10:28 am

muddy wrote:
Dan T wrote:
muddy wrote:I think that if you target beech trees you're only going to be seeing squirrels. My experience has shown that beech nuts have too hard of a shell for a deer to crack.


Are you sure you have the right nut and tree? Beech nuts are way softer than the most water swollen white oak acorn. Beech nut pods will also split open them selves. I think maybe your seeing hickory?


Ayup... as soon as I read Hickory I realized my mistake. That being said, still never had much luck with Beech trees here in Iowa.


Beech trees don't grow in Iowa according to this pic

Image
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Re: Let's talk Beech nuts as a food source

Unread postby purebowhunting » Thu Aug 24, 2017 10:49 am

I have hickory nuts on my private ground that the deer love. I can bite through the nut so can't see how a deer wouldn't be able to. It's a smooth bark hickory I believe bitternut hickory so maybe the nut is much softer than the shagbark hickory?
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Re: Let's talk Beech nuts as a food source

Unread postby mainebowhunter » Thu Aug 24, 2017 10:50 am

I bit into one last week to see what the big deal was. Way tastier than a red oak. No where near as bitter. I have been out with binos scoping beech nuts. One of my areas has a ton of beech but no nuts to speAK off. Plus...that area season does not open til oct.

No beech in my urban sept spots.
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Re: Let's talk Beech nuts as a food source

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Thu Aug 24, 2017 11:05 am

Levi Garret for me
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Re: Let's talk Beech nuts as a food source

Unread postby elk yinzer » Thu Aug 24, 2017 12:29 pm

They are delicious first of all. Deer, turkey, bears and a whole bunch of other species love them. Pretty rare where I hunt but some areas not too far from here they are a dominant species. Beech brush is good cover too but a symptom of a sick forest. A stupid invasive blight or fungus is killing the big ones and it flat out sucks. So enjoy them while they last.
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