in my state if you do that and hunt over it within 30 day you break the law..not even the shells can be left!...but if its legal or your not hunting the pile..we did it with squirrels in our yard...not an oak for 1/4mile...where i gathered them lol..i suppose if deer found them theyd eat them....i spread corn for some and theres no corn for about 1/2 mile or farther and they loved it....i dont think id want to pick up enough acorns for deer though...i spread 40lb of corn and it was gone within a week maybe less but i checked once a week...there wasnt a speck every week when i checked and respread more...so you need alot of acorns to feed your deer!