This years mast crops?

[Jammintree]

We have had a lousy growing season so far this year. Very wet spring and summer. Our local farmers are all gonna lose their shirts this year. The apple trees in my area are pretty loaded but the apples are all small. As far as the oaks go the red oaks I've seen so far are hit or miss. They either are loaded or have nothing so when they start to drop I'm gonna have to be there or miss the boat. They will get cleaned up fast I'm sure. I haven't checked the white oaks yet as there aren't a ton of them in my hunting areas.

Similar story here…

it’s been one of the wettest years I can recall. Though The fruit and nut trees are loaded to the hilt. Many of them are dropping early due to worms and fungus. Still, there will be individual trees that produce quite well, which could be good for hunting purposes.

 

[Micneador]

No white oaks for me ( the limited amount on my property made last year) red oaks bumper crop. Moved a few pre sets already in anticipation. No persimmons, I think mine have a problem as they haven't made in a decade or so. Black Jacks are loaded, post oaks are little to none.

 

[woodsdog2]

So far the oaks and hickory nuts seem on par even a little above average, was worried the drought in the early spring summer would impact but the rains since have been helpful. Apples seem super perfect hopefully a repeat pattern from last season. Don’t know why but the farmer my Buddy leases his open fields to planted corn again in the same spots and it’s looking healthy as well. My mention of the corn was only I had a few shooters hitting apples last season every evening then moving into the corn and grapes alongside. Was real close to a very nice early season 10 that im hoping made it.

 

[boxerboxer]

All I have around me is burr oak and they'll have dropped long before season starts so I don't pay much attention.

 

[CharlieTN]

Did some scouting of local public land the other day and white oaks were dropping fairly heavily with the deer all over them. The acorns were huge as well. This is in East Tennessee.

 

[shmelton]

I found a nice little oak flat while scouting last week. It’s in the middle of some select cut that is over grown with 3’tall sweet gum and briars. There were no acorns on the ground, but the pin oaks trees were loaded. Once they start falling at the house, I’ll be in there for sure. It’s a 2mile hike, or I can boat in and wall 500yds. We had a crappy white oak crop last yr. So, I’m hoping the white oaks drop this yr. There were a ton of white oaks in that flat.


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[Fgirtyman]

I’ve never seen so many apple trees loaded like this year in OH.

Same here for apple trees. White oaks are heavy with mast as well. Doesn't bode well for bear hunters. Falling acorns on the opener in WI will draw bears away from bait stations, acorns are their favorite. Timing is everything.

 

[mschultz373]

Hoping to check a bit Monday. The stretch of two full months of 100F+ days and no rain makes me a little anxious. In the city, the live oaks are pretty bare - and last year they were littering the streets with acorns.

 

[austin1990]

Persimmons so far look to be about avg, so plenty. Honey Locust is spotty at best, lots of trees I have checked so far didnt produce this year. In the mountains, white oaks I think are going to be pretty good based on what I have seen. Last year was a pretty strong year for red and black oaks so not expecting much from them. Havent been back down south lately to see about the nutall, cow oaks, over cups or water oaks.

I planted apples, pears and crabs at my buddy's place in the hills and they were all looking good before we had a couple weeks of stupid hot weather. Will be back up to check them in a couple weeks when we plant the fall plots.

I've spent the last 2 weekends in river bottoms and looked at approximately 50 honey locusts, one had 3 pods on it.... I've checked 25-30 persimmons and not a fruit at all. I checked a dozen or so water oaks and found 1 that was loaded, rest had none. I didnt look at any nuttalls or overcups yet, will do that in the coming weeks while I'm scouting and moving cams around. Looking pretty dismal tho....

In the hill ground and mountains I hunt, theres a bunch of persimmons, locust pods and good crops of red and white oaks. Should be a solid year, I need to get a few cams hung up there as well. So many places, and so little time.

 

[BTaylor]

I've spent the last 2 weekends in river bottoms and looked at approximately 50 honey locusts, one had 3 pods on it.... I've checked 25-30 persimmons and not a fruit at all. I checked a dozen or so water oaks and found 1 that was loaded, rest had none. I didnt look at any nuttalls or overcups yet, will do that in the coming weeks while I'm scouting and moving cams around. Looking pretty dismal tho....

In the hill ground and mountains I hunt, theres a bunch of persimmons, locust pods and good crops of red and white oaks. Should be a solid year, I need to get a few cams hung up there as well. So many places, and so little time.

Well that is just spectacular news. Hope you are hunting different bottoms than I am. Would just as soon not see two mast failures back to back after last year. It wasnt a total failure but close.

 

[Will Harris]

we have limbs breaking off our oaks here in IN they are so loaded down

 

[Arkie]

Well that is just spectacular news. Hope you are hunting different bottoms than I am. Would just as soon not see two mast failures back to back after last year. It wasnt a total failure but close.

I’ve put in about 20 miles over the last 3 or 4 weekends checking trees. Very few of the locust I’m checking have anything. The ones that do are loaded with pods. On the ridges I’m seeing plenty of acorns, but down in the bottoms where I’m usually hunting isolated oak trees, not many have had much. Seeing a lot of plums on the edges of the grown up fields, but essentially no persimmons.


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[DedicatedShooter]

In Northern VA, I have seen lots of Red Oaks and Chestnut Oaks loaded up. I have not yet seen a White Oak with acorns. I have been meaning to do a dedicated survey on a 40 acre permission piece but have not gotten to that yet. From my unaided ground observation though, I haven't found anything among the Whites yet. Last year seemed to be decent for White Oaks, I hunted over a few and they were dropping really well.

FWIW, it's helpful to add in your location when commenting. That way we know what part of the country you're reporting from. Thanks!

 

[BTaylor]

I’ve put in about 20 miles over the last 3 or 4 weekends checking trees. Very few of the locust I’m checking have anything. The ones that do are loaded with pods. On the ridges I’m seeing plenty of acorns, but down in the bottoms where I’m usually hunting isolated oak trees, not many have had much. Seeing a lot of plums on the edges of the grown up fields, but essentially no persimmons.


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On the private I hunt up north, there looks to be a decent white oak crop and next years crop of reds looks good if they make. Of the stuff we planted, crabapples are loaded and about half the sawtooths are pretty heavy with with acorns. One apple is ok, prolly has three dozen or so on it and one pear looks decent. Heading south this weekend to look at a bunch pf spots and should have a better idea on the nutall, persimmon, honey locust, water oaks and overcups.

 

[austin1990]

Well that is just spectacular news. Hope you are hunting different bottoms than I am. Would just as soon not see two mast failures back to back after last year. It wasnt a total failure but close.

Last year in these bottoms we had a bunch of honey locust pods. But very little persimmons and a good crop of overcups, but nuttalls and water oaks were nonexistent. You can pm if you want and see if it's the same bottoms lol

 

[austin1990]

I’ve put in about 20 miles over the last 3 or 4 weekends checking trees. Very few of the locust I’m checking have anything. The ones that do are loaded with pods. On the ridges I’m seeing plenty of acorns, but down in the bottoms where I’m usually hunting isolated oak trees, not many have had much. Seeing a lot of plums on the edges of the grown up fields, but essentially no persimmons.


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I'm just over 20 miles in, wish I had locust pods, that's the ticket in that area... but water oaks will suffice

 

[mschultz373]

I haven't had too much boot time yet, but I walked about three miles through a new-to-me parcel - I've never seen so many cow oaks (swamp chestnut oak, by proper name) in my life, many in 2-4 tree stands, even with white oaks next to them. I seriously just picked my way between them along a slough, marking one and then lifting my binos to find the next stand 20-40yards away.. and yet none had any acorns on them. I checked a few white oaks, a post oak, and probably 30-40 cow oaks - and I didn't see any acorns. it's been a brutally hot and spectacularly dry summer, so maybe the oaks are just meager because of that. I understand that the cow oaks don't produce every year, but I would've guessed the white and post oaks did.

water oaks didn't have any either.

 

[Jmarzey]

Northeast Georgia is looking like a much slower year than the last two, which is a good thing. The whites and reds the past two seasons have been ridiculous, making it hard to find “the tree”. From what I’ve seen this year the crop should be much more scarce


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[BTaylor]

Northeast Georgia is looking like a much slower year than the last two, which is a good thing. The whites and reds the past two seasons have been ridiculous, making it hard to find “the tree”. From what I’ve seen this year the crop should be much more scarce


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Yep bumper crop years are almost as bad as mast fail years.

 

[Will Harris]

Yep bumper crop years are almost as bad as mast fail years.

i hear you, but there are exceptions.

i hunt mostly public and the dorks around here are scared to get out of sight of the mowed path leading to their ladder stand. if you can work up the courage to get 100 yds deep, you can find oak flats that the deer are working and acting like deer in daylight. esp during the dreaded "october lull" when they switch food sources. actually, you will have many many spots to hunt and the hard spot is deciding which one to hunt.