Like I said, there is no agriculture where I hunt. Two of the 4 stand locations are located in a patch of white oaks with dropping acorns. No hunting pressure either.
But this happens to me every single year. Three years ago I didn't see a single deer until Nov 10th. A nice 8 pt that is now hanging on my wall. Last couple years I don't see deer moving until about the 3rd week of October. Hopefully things will change here in the next few days.

Yeah hunting acorns can be a pain. We have a farm covered with acorns. We hunt them but its hard to get on the right tree(s)

When we do it can get really good. The bottom line is food+cover in the same spot makes them hard to hunt. Specially if you don't want to risk running them out trying to find them.

White oaks produce a bumper crop about every 3rd year. Somewhere there is probably white oaks more productive and/or in heavier cover than the ones your hunting.

We have some that haven't been touched yet,some that have been eaten up and some that haven't dropped yet.

If a guy could figure it out it would be a lot of fun because its pretty exiting when you find the right tree at the right time.

Ive got some guys that are frustrated with it this year but it is what it is. You can either scout in season or wait. or both if you have a lot of land.

Of course this is all based on my experience in my area not PA but I can't imagine that white oaks are dropping and thats not what they are eating.

Are you seeing a lot of squirrels and turkey? The white oaks you are hunting don't happen to be the chestnut oak variety do they? Are your white oaks just starting to drop?

Rock - having a degree in forestry I am pretty familiar with oaks. Where I hunt there are white, red, black and chestnut oaks. I know the deer are there. I can see their sign. Plus i have pic of them earlier in the year. I am seen squirrels and tons of turkey. A very large portion of the areas I hunt were selectively clear cut about 25 years ago with the occasional oak left standing and there is a lot of small birch and sassafras, and red maple along with sweet gum and other "trash" trees. Most places you can't see more than 50 yards. I've found a couple spots where several large oaks are located where I can put stands. I know its going to happen. I'm retired so I have lots of time to hunt. I got a buck with my bow every year except last year for the past 7 years. And the only reason I didn't get one last year is because I passed on several legal buck holding out for a 170-180 class 10 point with a couple sticker points.

Chesnut oaks are white oaks right? That is why I ask. They seem to be an exception (white oak the deer don't care for)

No chestnut oak acorns are much larger than any of the other oaks. Also the leaves of the chestnut oak although do have rounded lobes like the white oak have a profile more resembling a horse chestnut or buckeye tree. (narrower at the base and broadening toward the outer end)
The bark on a chestnut oak is easy to identify too. It is very thick with deep grooves and high broken ridges. Do a search and you can see the difference.
The acorns of the chestnut oak are edible by the deer but they don't particularly care for them if there are other acorns about because they are the most bitter.
Now there are some different oaks in the southern US that I'm not familiar with. There is a swamp oak, live oak, pin oak, etc.
I have two oak trees in my yard at my FL house that produce a ton of small acorns about 3/8"-1/2" in diameter and just about as long. I think they are live oaks.

I'm pretty positive Chestnut oak trees are in the white oak group.

Anyway that is unimportant...White oaks or not you obviously already know they are not a preferred acorn and that is not what you are hunting.

On the other end while deer generally don't prefer the red oaks they do really like pin oaks which are red oaks.

Pin oaks fall earlier than the white oaks so if your white oaks are just starting the deer may still be on the pin oaks.

Its an interesting and extremely under rated conversation. You would think acorns would be an extremely hot topic. There is certainly plenty to learn.

Probably a topic better suited for a wildlife expert to discuss. In any event, I am headed up to our cabin in NCPA for the early muzzleloader season. Then hopefully by the time I come back, the deer around here will start getting into their prerut routine.

Must agree, a bad day hunting beats a good day at work!

I must agree, the white oak is a great location to set up on, not as bitter as the red oak and slightly higher in protein.

Any of you guys know what oak family the Sawtooth oak is in? I've got a few of them where I hunt. The acorns are significantly bigger than most I've seen. Any idea what all animals like the sawtooth acorn?