• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

What food to focus on right now?

greg728

greg728

Active Member
SH Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2021
Messages
180
Location
Pennsylvania
I hunt smaller wood lots on Pennsylvania public and recently some more mountainous areas. I tagged out for the year but I still have some doe tags I’d like to try to fill and wanted to key in on some food sources for evening sits. There’s some acorns still but they seem to be scattered and buried under leaves. For early season it’s easy to find feeding sign because there’s no leaves on the ground and easy to find a ton of white oak acorns and poop. Not sure if anyone has any tips on locating fresh feeding sign with after the foliage drops and the rut pressure picks up. I was thinking of hugging bedding or staging areas with thick cover.

My gut tells me that does won’t be running out into an open wood lot of mature oaks to eat acorns in shooting light after rut pressure from bucks and hunters but I might be able to catch some hugging the edges eating browse in thicker security cover. If anyone has any insight it would be appreciated!
 
greg728 said:
One filled their buck tag and had a very long day and didn’t word it properly
Click to expand...
Jk guy. I still focus on acorns. If I was looking for doe I'd walk and walk till I found hot sign. Lots of fresh poop and set up on it
 
Int
bigmike23 said:
Jk guy. I still focus on acorns. If I was looking for doe I'd walk and walk till I found hot sign. Lots of fresh poop and set up on it
Click to expand...
Interesting, should you switch to red acorns at some point or do you like white acorns or bust? I'm in west Michigan, not PA with you guys but I am wondering about food to key in on too

I guess you didn't say white acorns but still curious
 
Horn said:
Int

Interesting, should you switch to red acorns at some point or do you like white acorns or bust? I'm in west Michigan, not PA with you guys but I am wondering about food to key in on too

I guess you didn't say white acorns but still curious
Click to expand...
Great minds lol. I think we commented the same thing at the same time
 
I've never had much success with whites soley because I find the deer and especially bear gobble them up so fast.
Not all acorns are created equal. Some trees must produce straight bangin acorns while others must taste like a toilet seat. Theres certain trees that are the hot trees out there. You cannot miss it when you find it. Fresh gooey poo will be everywhere and lots of it. Many times in the past soon as I find that kind of sign the does weren't even 100 yards away and spooked.
 
I'll add I'd only do that if I didn't know where the doe bedding areas were. Now that I do I just sit back with my .257 Weatherby and wait lol
 
bigmike23 said:
I've never had much success with whites soley because I find the deer and especially bear gobble them up so fast.
Not all acorns are created equal. Some trees must produce straight bangin acorns while others must taste like a toilet seat. Theres certain trees that are the hot trees out there. You cannot miss it when you find it. Fresh gooey poo will be everywhere and lots of it. Many times in the past soon as I find that kind of sign the does weren't even 100 yards away and spooked.
Click to expand...
Not to be gross but gooey poo is very insightful. Thanks for your help! I'm always trying to figure out a little more from every clue out there, I need all the help I can get lol, and having at least a little better idea what they've been eating could be the key to the next successful hunt
 
Horn said:
Not to be gross but gooey poo is very insightful. Thanks for your help! I'm always trying to figure out a little more from every clue out there, I need all the help I can get lol, and having at least a little better idea what they've been eating could be the key to the next successful hunt
Click to expand...
I should be more clear gooey as in still really wet not a pile of goo lol
 
Walk around till you find some does. Set up nearby. Shoot ‘em.

Not trying to be sweet. Get to walkin
 
I’ve found a few areas where they have been rooting around for acorns under the leaves, when you find the hotspots it’s fairly apparent. It’s been tough where I’m at in VA though, there are acorns EVERYWHERE. The only way I’ve been able to figure it out is put miles on my boots.

I’m switching to does for now, have to kill one before I can kill another buck. I think it’s going to be tough as I’ve only seen 5 does in about 15 sits.
 
Here in southern New England we had a minor acorn crop this year. The deer were eating some as they fell and now seem to be ignoring them. Best I can tell the foods of choice here are mushrooms (which are hard to target as they are so ephemeral) and whatever green foods remain after several hard frosts. I’ve seen deer focusing on clover, briars, and Christmas ferns.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top