Swamphunter Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 How much do whitetails value beech nuts in their diet?? I have an area on my hunting land that is kind of a dark dismal area that is covered with beech trees. Haven't hunted that area too much yet, usually spend time near the creek or back in the hardwoods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAstringking Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: Beech trees?? the deer in my area love them. i dont really see any of the big bucks there eating but the when the does are there eating during the rut...watch out. i have a ladder stand set up near the beach trees. always a great spot to fill a doe tag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swamphunter Posted December 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: Beech trees?? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brianxt Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: Beech trees?? We have alot of oaks here in ky and when there is a good mass crop they don't usely eat beach mass intill all other is gone.We have white oaks,Red oaks,Pin oaks and chestnut oaks deer will eat these before starting on beach trees.But we have alot of different oaks for them to eat on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: Beech trees?? Ken, have heard that deer love the nuts. I have never seen them eat them here, but we have beech trees scattered all over our property along with several types of both white and red oaks. I never see any beech nuts on the ground either though, so I guess they may eat them as they drop. Got a ladder stand I moved to a beech tree back early on in November, probably where the wife will hunt from this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zemmer18 Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: Beech trees?? Fellow NYer here. I'm down in the Southern Zone and we too have quite a few beech at our deer camp. The deer always seem to travel through the smaller beech saplings as it is good cover and of course in rifle country is not a bullets best friend to shoot through. We have several large beech as well that produce nuts but I have never seen the seer feed on them. I'm sure they do but they prefer the acorns over all other food sources here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HaDeRonDa Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Re: Beech trees?? Some hunters only hunt beech ridges looking for feeding does in hopes that a buck is following. They are a high source of fat. Eat one and decide for yourself. If you like it a deer will like it. Minus meat products, of course!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAstringking Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Re: Beech trees?? [ QUOTE ] If you like it a deer will like it. Minus meat products, of course!! [/ QUOTE ] i like your theory Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest luckyman4 Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Re: Beech trees?? I found a mast preference chart from Oklahoma. Beech nuts were in the medium preference category, with the red and black oak acorns. White oak acorns were considered "choice" (high preference) and hickory nuts were considered low preference. From personal experience, I know NY deer LOVE hickory nuts, so if beech nuts are favored over hickory nuts, then they are worth hunting over. Beech nuts are also a GREAT bear attractor, if you are in an area with a bear season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest whitetail95 Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Re: Beech trees?? Here in Quebec the deer love them. The deer have trashed the ground looking for them. The only thing is the trees only produce nuts every 2 years. This year is the year to hunt around beech trees, next year i will have to find another food source. I hunt just mountains around here, there are no fields of any kind that i can hunt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Re: Beech trees?? Never have noticed many deer in my area eat any type of mast. Probably because they have thousands of acres of beans, alfalfa, corn, etc. available all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Re: Beech trees?? [ QUOTE ] I know NY deer LOVE hickory nuts, [/ QUOTE ] What types of hickories luckyman. I have never seen a deer here eat any hickory nuts here, but they will most certainly hammer the white oak acorns. Always heard and thought that they had too much trouble with opening the shells on the hickory nuts. We have an abundance of several types of hickories here, I do see squirrels eating the hickory nuts, but have never noticed a deer eating them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HaDeRonDa Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Re: Beech trees?? Wtn, Where I live we have bitternut, the pignut and the shagbark. We have both the butternut as well as the black walnut too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest luckyman4 Posted December 7, 2006 Report Share Posted December 7, 2006 Re: Beech trees?? [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] I know NY deer LOVE hickory nuts, [/ QUOTE ] What types of hickories luckyman. I have never seen a deer here eat any hickory nuts here, but they will most certainly hammer the white oak acorns. Always heard and thought that they had too much trouble with opening the shells on the hickory nuts. We have an abundance of several types of hickories here, I do see squirrels eating the hickory nuts, but have never noticed a deer eating them. [/ QUOTE ] The ones I have seen them eat are bitternut hickory nuts that are still green, without the husk. I found a pic of them that says they are immature, but that's the way they look the first week of October. When the deer eat them its LOUD, especially from 5 yards away. The woods I hunt don't have alot of Oaks or even beeches for that matter, but I've seen deer leave the safety of ripe corn to cross an open field to eat the Hickory nuts. . . a couple of them earned a trip to my freezer . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sheald Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Re: Beech trees?? Im in Maine, and the deer eat the beech nuts up here just like the acorns. In northern maine, not much for oak trees, but the beech tree being so hearty, they thrive in that type of climate..I will take a good beech ridge anytime!!!..deer love em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OUTSIDER Posted December 8, 2006 Report Share Posted December 8, 2006 Re: Beech trees?? I have seen bear munchin on them here in WV. Not too many deer. They like the oaks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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