When do deer start eating acorns in VA

[Stonewall308]

Specifically quantico area?

I've never paid much attention to this, but this year I am thinking about setting up a stand near a small patch of hardwoods among hundreds of acres of pines specifically because of the acorns.

[Deepsouthdeerjunky]

Im not from Virginia but if you dont put a stand there i would question your sanity.... if they have acorns im willing to bet you will kill deer there. We have a lot of the same type setups were i hunt and they are sweet! Like i said im not from there but i would say sometime around mid to late sept is when acorns typically fall most places in my opinion

[Stonewall308]

Thanks for the input.

I am getting so amped up for hunting season!

[scottycoyote]

if its white oaks, i think deer start eating them as soon as they hit the ground, the fresher the better. After that i believe they will eat the more bitter acorns like reds and burr, but they have to supplement with other food. I think deer can almost exist entirely on white oak acorns and prefer them to just about anything

[bushanic]

I have seen deer already hitting acorns. If you are archery hunting Quantico, The Deer are probably hitting the acorns right now and are a pattern from tree to tree.Come Opening day it could be a good place to be if you know the Deers pattern. Are you hunting Quantico?

[VAhuntr]

Not trying to give you a smart response but they will start eating acorns as soon as they start falling. I hunt a lot of pine and hardwood mixed land and love to find a small patch of oaks in a pine thicket. If the trees have acorns there are probably some on the ground now....especially since the hurricane blew through. I bet you could go in there now and find fresh deer sign.

[Ridge Runner]

you'll know, long about anytine now one day you'll go down the road in the early am and the deer will just be gone, then ya know, the acorns are falling.
RR

[Stonewall308]

Originally Posted by bushanic

I have seen deer already hitting acorns. If you are archery hunting Quantico, The Deer are probably hitting the acorns right now and are a pattern from tree to tree.Come Opening day it could be a good place to be if you know the Deers pattern. Are you hunting Quantico?

Not this season. It is private property about 10 or 20 miles from the boarder of Quantico.

I may look into it for next season. Any special qualifying or permits required?

[bushanic]

Stonewall, I am not sure how much has changed. I do know you have to watch a video and fill out a form I think the permit to hunt Quantico has gone up in price from 20.
I Plan on hunting Quantico this year One reason is gas prices its a little closer to home then the private land I hunt. plus I can spread out my hunting and not burn up all my Stands.

[nchawkeye]

Chestnut oaks started dropping the middle of August around here...A lot of acorns went on the ground Saturday as Irene came through...Deer prefer white oaks, then pin oaks, then chestnut oaks and finally red oaks...They'll eat them all but prefer white oaks...

Find a good white oak dropping by a cutover and you'll see deer...

btw...Look at the caps, if a half moon is cut out, a deer ate it...