Hunting falling oaks

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


Bowhunter1
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2017 12:08 pm
Status: Offline

Hunting falling oaks

Unread postby Bowhunter1 » Thu Aug 24, 2017 5:51 pm

What is everyone's opinions on how to hunt falling acorns. Is morning better then evenings or vise versa. This is public ground that I'm talking about and i am used to hunting ag fields and not so much on acorns.. any opinions would be awesome


User avatar
Ack
Posts: 3030
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2010 6:52 pm
Location: Michigan
Status: Offline

Re: Hunting falling oaks

Unread postby Ack » Thu Aug 24, 2017 6:14 pm

Personally I'm only going to hunt near oaks/acorns if there is buck bedding nearby, or if I feel like shooting something for the freezer. Mornings are not ideal for hunting oaks because most times there will be deer already there when you walk in. Late morning/mid-day can be alright, but afternoon will be your best bet to slip in before they start feeding.
Last edited by Ack on Thu Aug 24, 2017 6:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Ack
Posts: 3030
Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2010 6:52 pm
Location: Michigan
Status: Offline

Re: Hunting falling oaks

Unread postby Ack » Thu Aug 24, 2017 6:16 pm

Double post
User avatar
seazofcheeze
500 Club
Posts: 3860
Joined: Wed Sep 18, 2013 1:13 pm
Location: Billings, MT
Status: Offline

Re: Hunting falling oaks

Unread postby seazofcheeze » Thu Aug 24, 2017 9:31 pm

Ack wrote:Personally I'm only going to hunt near oaks/acorns if there is buck bedding nearby, or if I feel like shooting something for the freezer. Mornings are not ideal for hunting oaks because most times there will be deer already there when you walk in. Late morning/mid-day can be alright, but afternoon will be your best bet to slip in before they start feeding.


x2
User avatar
Net Guy
500 Club
Posts: 1407
Joined: Fri Aug 04, 2017 3:18 pm
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Status: Offline

Re: Hunting falling oaks

Unread postby Net Guy » Fri Aug 25, 2017 1:32 pm

I think you're best odds are the evening hunts.
User avatar
WV Bowhunter
500 Club
Posts: 1629
Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2016 5:39 pm
Location: West Virginia
Status: Offline

Re: Hunting falling oaks

Unread postby WV Bowhunter » Fri Aug 25, 2017 1:37 pm

I've busted deer out a bunch of times in years past when I thought I'd slip in on some good oaks dropping early in the morning. Had it work out a few times but never on a nice buck.
Luck is when preparation meets opportunity!!
User avatar
Boogieman1
500 Club
Posts: 6590
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2017 11:18 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Hunting falling oaks

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Sat Aug 26, 2017 2:38 pm

I have had my best luck on isolated oaks close to bedding at midday.
Life is hard; It’s even harder if you are stupid.
-John Wayne-
User avatar
tgreeno
500 Club
Posts: 4770
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2016 5:06 am
Location: WI
Status: Offline

Re: Hunting falling oaks

Unread postby tgreeno » Sun Aug 27, 2017 1:50 am

Remote oaks lone oaks in marshy areas. Or on islands.

Otherwise big oak ridges I stay away from. Two many people, very little cover.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid, than to open it an remove all doubt
User avatar
creepingdeth
500 Club
Posts: 951
Joined: Wed Sep 28, 2016 2:09 pm
Facebook: Huh?
Location: So. metro Mn
Status: Offline

Re: Hunting falling oaks

Unread postby creepingdeth » Sun Aug 27, 2017 2:03 am

Still somewhat new to the game but, from my experience, I'd be interested more where there is limited acorns because of a potential of acorns everywhere...its easier to predict travel patterns for a lone oak than a whole hillside. And as mentioned before the pressure from hunters on that hillside of oaks. Anything but AMs :handgestures-thumbup:
Yesterdays common sense is no longer common
Bowhunter1
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2017 12:08 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Hunting falling oaks

Unread postby Bowhunter1 » Sun Aug 27, 2017 2:40 am

Thanks for all the advice. The oaks are on a hillside that drops down to the shoreline of a lake to the south and have a big crp field just to the north
User avatar
Southern Man
500 Club
Posts: 3827
Joined: Sun Feb 21, 2010 7:04 am
Location: Extreme Western Kentucky
Status: Offline

Re: Hunting falling oaks

Unread postby Southern Man » Tue Aug 29, 2017 11:50 pm

I like hunting acorns. Early in the year deer will flock to them here. In my area post oak are the first to fall usually in September. Deer tear them up. White oaks are next and that usually starts around the first of October, just about the time bucks start changing patterns. Even if there's alot of acorns they seem to have preferred trees to dine at. And they will wear the gound to the dirt if you can find the right tree. When the Red Oaks start falling in late October through early November does will hit the oaks before coming to crop fields to feed. As it gets closer to rut, the bucks will follow. When they do that they will come to the oaks earlier in the day and arrive at the crop fields right at dark. I always assumed it was because of the cover around the oaks.

Oaks are great.
You Can't Argue With A Sick Mind
User avatar
Jonny
500 Club
Posts: 5754
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 3:11 am
Location: In a van down by the river
Status: Offline

Re: Hunting falling oaks

Unread postby Jonny » Wed Aug 30, 2017 12:04 am

It just depends on the pressure in your area. I have seen very nice bucks at 9:30 feeding in oaks, and to my knowledge not near any buck beds. I have also seen plenty of deer in morning hunts. Just need to plan your access and not go tromping through the woods.

Best bet is what everybody else is saying. Evening hunts, get in early and quiet, and be close to bedding. Food sources are great hunting, but you still need to go to the deer. I have wasted lots of hunts learning that the deer don't like coming to you.
You have a monkey Mr. Munson?
nanookodanorth
Posts: 21
Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2016 5:01 am
Location: Pennsylvania
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Hunting falling oaks

Unread postby nanookodanorth » Fri Sep 01, 2017 11:50 am

I prefer to hunt oaks in the afternoon for the same reasons that others have explained, but I will add that deer, at least where I hunt in PA, will very often just about bed under the oaks during a year with a huge mast crop. It is very difficult to get in and set up on the area where the deer are feeding. Much better if there are just a few trees dropping acorns.
I'm probably thinking about big bucks right now!
hunter10
500 Club
Posts: 1218
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2014 5:24 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Hunting falling oaks

Unread postby hunter10 » Sat Sep 02, 2017 12:08 pm

John eberhart has success hunting isolated oaks in thick areas. Sometimes it's a lone tree or just a few . I find hunting oaks hard if there is a good drop or abundance. It's hard to pinpoint an exact hunting location based off what trees they are feeding underc
GoInLight
Posts: 189
Joined: Wed Feb 22, 2017 1:20 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Hunting falling oaks

Unread postby GoInLight » Sat Sep 02, 2017 3:45 pm

I go in with a stand on my back and scout/ hunt until I find hot sign. Once I find a hot tree I hunt it right then. Deer in my area will come to the tree at all times of the day, but of course the more mature bucks are closer to dark. Main thing is go in prepared to hunt and get on it while it's hot. I've killed a pile of deer this way.


  • Advertisement

Return to “Scouting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 35 guests