Locating Fruit Trees

[funderburk]

I was thinking about calling a wildlife biologist or forestry agent to see if they knew where some fruit bearing trees were located based on studies, known groves, or what not. Just trying to think outside the box. Any thoughts?

[DaveT1963]

Not all fruit trees are the same - a tree that produces fruit in summer doesn't do much for you. Apples, (some varieties) pears, and persimmons can drop during season thus those are great to ID and focus on. I am sure there are others, but most fruit trees drop before season (but even these can be good locations to take inventory with cameras).

[Huntress13]

With apples, the deer don't really eat them once they start turning to mush, so there is a timing for them. And they eat them in between other favorites. You would have to find that window in your area based on your weather, timing and other food sources.

[Dpierce72]

I mark every persimmon tree I find, but honestly have NEVER had any luck with them. And some are fairly remote. Not sure what the deal is...

[DaveT1963]

I mark every persimmon tree I find, but honestly have NEVER had any luck with them. And some are fairly remote. Not sure what the deal is...

Do your acorns fall same time? I have noticed that when acorns fall at same time its hit or miss. Also, I think a frost is really necessary to drop the sugar into the fruit - minus a good frost they just are not as palatable for deer. It really depends on what else is available but i have seen other times where a persimmon was the single best spot to be.

[MN_DeerHunter]

I was thinking aboutcalling a wildlife biologist or forestry agent to see if they knew where some fruit bearing trees were located based on studies, known groves, or what not. Just trying to think outside the box. Any thoughts?

I think that would be a good idea, it can't hurt to give it a try anyway. I imagine that a lot of the old farms that get sold to the dnr would have apple tree groves on them somewhere.

Just to add a little more info on apple trees from my limited experience:
I have never found a wild apple tree on the public that I hunt, but I have a few apple trees on the property I live on. I will say the type of apple tree makes a difference in when they are visited regularly by deer. The tree behind my house steadily dropped apples all last fall and even had some still on the tree in early December. Needless to say the deer were visiting it the entire length of fall (mostly at night). However, it changes year to year too. A big storm in late summer can knock the majority of apples off from a tree overnight and everything gets gobbled up over the next week. But I have also noticed that deer will still check this area out even if there are no apples on the ground.

[Dpierce72]

I mark every persimmon tree I find, but honestly have NEVER had any luck with them. And some are fairly remote. Not sure what the deal is...

Do your acorns fall same time? I have noticed that when acorns fall at same time its hit or miss. Also, I think a frost is really necessary to drop the sugar into the fruit - minus a good frost they just are not as palatable for deer. It really depends on what else is available but i have seen other times where a persimmon was the single best spot to be.

Thinking back, most of my experience has likely been before a first frost. Persimmons/White Oaks do drop approximately the same time here. Perhaps I should put some of the better/more remote trees on my radar for post first frost. I've had lots of guys confirm great success, but my personal experience just hasn't been the same. Thanks for the tip!

[Dpierce72]

I mark every persimmon tree I find, but honestly have NEVER had any luck with them. And some are fairly remote. Not sure what the deal is...

Do your acorns fall same time? I have noticed that when acorns fall at same time its hit or miss. Also, I think a frost is really necessary to drop the sugar into the fruit - minus a good frost they just are not as palatable for deer. It really depends on what else is available but i have seen other times where a persimmon was the single best spot to be.

Thinking back, most of my experience has likely been before a first frost. Persimmons/White Oaks do drop approximately the same time here. Perhaps I should put some of the better/more remote trees on my radar for post first frost. I've had lots of guys confirm great success, but my personal experience just hasn't been the same. Thanks for the tip!

I'm now thinking about moving into 2-3 spots with large/remote trees and dropping some cameras. Might be valuable intel for 2020 - wheels spinning now...

[DaveT1963]

I mark every persimmon tree I find, but honestly have NEVER had any luck with them. And some are fairly remote. Not sure what the deal is...

Do your acorns fall same time? I have noticed that when acorns fall at same time its hit or miss. Also, I think a frost is really necessary to drop the sugar into the fruit - minus a good frost they just are not as palatable for deer. It really depends on what else is available but i have seen other times where a persimmon was the single best spot to be.

Thinking back, most of my experience has likely been before a first frost. Persimmons/White Oaks do drop approximately the same time here. Perhaps I should put some of the better/more remote trees on my radar for post first frost. I've had lots of guys confirm great success, but my personal experience just hasn't been the same. Thanks for the tip!

I'm now thinking about moving into 2-3 spots with large/remote trees and dropping some cameras. Might be valuable intel for 2020 - wheels spinning now...

Honey locust pods are another one of those hot or cold food items. I've seen them rot on the ground and then i have seen trees almost bare underneath them do to deer and pigs tearing them up. Believe it or not, we have acorn flats that have so much mast drop that they literally rot on the ground. usually blackjack or red oak species but you would think they would be better than twigs - not to the deer apparently. natural browse is such a finicky thing that is why folks that rely on ag fields seldom do well in deep woods - they have no clue what deer browse on or how to hunt them there - its exponentially harder to figure any sort of pattern outside very specific short term opportunities.

[Dpierce72]

I mark every persimmon tree I find, but honestly have NEVER had any luck with them. And some are fairly remote. Not sure what the deal is...

Do your acorns fall same time? I have noticed that when acorns fall at same time its hit or miss. Also, I think a frost is really necessary to drop the sugar into the fruit - minus a good frost they just are not as palatable for deer. It really depends on what else is available but i have seen other times where a persimmon was the single best spot to be.

Thinking back, most of my experience has likely been before a first frost. Persimmons/White Oaks do drop approximately the same time here. Perhaps I should put some of the better/more remote trees on my radar for post first frost. I've had lots of guys confirm great success, but my personal experience just hasn't been the same. Thanks for the tip!

I'm now thinking about moving into 2-3 spots with large/remote trees and dropping some cameras. Might be valuable intel for 2020 - wheels spinning now...

Honey locust pods are another one of those hot or cold food items. I've seen them rot on the ground and then i have seen trees almost bare underneath them do to deer and pigs tearing them up. Believe it or not, we have acorn flats that have so much mast drop that they literally rot on the ground. usually blackjack or red oak species but you would think they would be better than twigs - not to the deer apparently. natural browse is such a finicky thing that is why folks that rely on ag fields seldom do well in deep woods - they have no clue what deer browse on or how to hunt them there - its exponentially harder to figure any sort of pattern outside very specific short term opportunities.

Yes ...I have targeted, and had success w/Honey Locust. Also, while we have limited numbers of cow oak acorns, if you can find them, they are golden...

[DaveT1963]

I mark every persimmon tree I find, but honestly have NEVER had any luck with them. And some are fairly remote. Not sure what the deal is...

Do your acorns fall same time? I have noticed that when acorns fall at same time its hit or miss. Also, I think a frost is really necessary to drop the sugar into the fruit - minus a good frost they just are not as palatable for deer. It really depends on what else is available but i have seen other times where a persimmon was the single best spot to be.

Thinking back, most of my experience has likely been before a first frost. Persimmons/White Oaks do drop approximately the same time here. Perhaps I should put some of the better/more remote trees on my radar for post first frost. I've had lots of guys confirm great success, but my personal experience just hasn't been the same. Thanks for the tip!

I'm now thinking about moving into 2-3 spots with large/remote trees and dropping some cameras. Might be valuable intel for 2020 - wheels spinning now...

Honey locust pods are another one of those hot or cold food items. I've seen them rot on the ground and then i have seen trees almost bare underneath them do to deer and pigs tearing them up. Believe it or not, we have acorn flats that have so much mast drop that they literally rot on the ground. usually blackjack or red oak species but you would think they would be better than twigs - not to the deer apparently. natural browse is such a finicky thing that is why folks that rely on ag fields seldom do well in deep woods - they have no clue what deer browse on or how to hunt them there - its exponentially harder to figure any sort of pattern outside very specific short term opportunities.

Yes ...I have targeted, and had success w/Honey Locust. Also, while we have limited numbers of cow oak acorns, if you can find them, they are golden...

Burr acorns late in season has led to a few ivory points sticking up form the forest leaves for me

[Huntress13]

I was thinking aboutcalling a wildlife biologist or forestry agent to see if they knew where some fruit bearing trees were located based on studies, known groves, or what not. Just trying to think outside the box. Any thoughts?

I think that would be a good idea, it can't hurt to give it a try anyway. I imagine that a lot of the old farms that get sold to the dnr would have apple tree groves on them somewhere.

Just to add a little more info on apple trees from my limited experience:
I have never found a wild apple tree on the public that I hunt, but I have a few apple trees on the property I live on. I will say the type of apple tree makes a difference in when they are visited regularly by deer. The tree behind my house steadily dropped apples all last fall and even had some still on the tree in early December. Needless to say the deer were visiting it the entire length of fall (mostly at night). However, it changes year to year too. A big storm in late summer can knock the majority of apples off from a tree overnight and everything gets gobbled up over the next week. But I have also noticed that deer will still check this area out even if there are no apples on the ground.

Yes. Apples here ripen anywhere from the last week of August through the end of October, depending on the variety. The deer will eat them off the tree, whatever they can reach, not just the ground picking.

Often there are scrapes under apple trees. In orchards they tend to be around the edges of the orchards nearest hedge rows or the more thicker nearby cover. In a no longer farmed orchard that is overgrown, this can be anywhere throughout, focus on the thickest areas.

[Edcyclopedia]

Follow the Dems, they seem to know a lot about them...

[RatMe]

I’m an Apple tree fanatic. With the expanded season opening Sept. 7th, a first time sit on a remote Apple tree might be the ticket. Over the last four years I’ve documented just under 80 trees ( crab Apple included ) and have tried to get a handle on usage through out the season. We have all got our things...and I’m the weirdo obsessed with apple trees (and my apologies I’m also a democrat).

[funderburk]

**UPDATE**

So, I wanted to chase this thing down. And I did

First, I called the Forestry Association. They had no idea but told me to call the local Ranger District for my area of public land. So I called them...and they had no idea. They suggested I call the State Botanist. BRILLIANT! I called her...and she had no idea. She said, “Well, persimmon trees are everywhere.” But she then called someone she knew (not sure who it was), and gave me the exact WMA land code, road name, and landmark where I could find fruit-bearing persimmon trees

Nerd Win of the century, but hey...I’m trying to think outside the box