MGH_PA

What are your thoughts on crab apples? I've found a few good producing crab apple trees at the bottom of a draw with a hemlock/pine thicket to the east. These trees are right next to our driveway (it's a dirt road up a mountain, though), and the only time I hunted there this year, deer came out of the east to feed on the crab apples.

My dad came home last night (I didn't go out due to the high winds), and he saw a nice bodied deer (didn't see the head) feeding on the apples. Even in the high winds, but I think the pines offer some security. Now, I want to hunt this, but I need to wait for the right wind. How long do crab apples drop? I've heard they can last much longer than apples, and can even hang on well into early winter. Thoughts? Has anyone had any success with crab apples?

OKbowhunter20

I have never seen a crab apple tree in the wild, but I have one inmy front yard

I had no idea that deer ate them. They can hang onto the tree forever it seems like, and they don't all fall at once. It's pretty spotted. But once they get rotten it can be a mess to walk through[:'(]

HuntingEd

My parents have a crabapple tree on their farm, its actually in their front yard. In aug/sept I watch deer eating the apples every evening. You can see the line of how high they can reach to get them off the tree, then they eat the ones that drop.

I planted 15 crabapple trees on the family farm last year in hopes of having a nice orchard in a few years. I'm going to keep them well fertilized

MGH_PA

Oh, they're hitting them for sure. We're supposed to have a N wind tonight, so I may give them a try. I would need anything but a W, NW, SW wind.

BobCo19-65

I'm kind of surprized they are dropping. Most crabs drop a little later. As far as feeding, it all depends on the type of apple. I have crabs (Robertson) mainly to help polinate other apples in the area, but the deer will also eat them if they can get there before the turkeys and other birds. I plan on planting some winter and chestnut crabs though which will have 2" apples on them.

MGH_PA

I don't know if they're dropping or the high winds we're having are knocking them off. The branches may be low hanging enough as well, that they're after them in that manner in addition to the ones on the ground. I haven't gotten close enough to check them out to carefully, but I know they're feeding on them.

BobCo19-65

I wouldn't suggest fertizing them much in the early years until they have fully adapted to your soil. Also in the early years, let them blossom and then prune off all of the apples. Nourishment will then go to the tree and not the apples which will make the tree healthier.

bowdoc1

I hunted on what used to a old river bottom farm lot but, the house and building were gone and it had crowed up in small oak trees. I made a mockscarp under a crab apple tree with most of been a hybrid because the apples were bigger than most around Iowa. I took 6 buckshunting it over the years. A couple of 145 to 150 inch P&Y's. I see does, small buckand coons eating them when I was on stand.