I read an article several years ago about fertilizing around the drip line around white oaks to make that tree's acorns more appealing to deer. Its supposed to be a big advantage for bow hunters. I was wondering if anyone knew when to do that, what fertilizer to use, and what was the exact process you used to do that. (Ie. Did u rake the leaves back, till the ground, etc) thanks in advance!!

I have heard Dr. Craig Harper (Professor of wildlife biology and forestry at UT) speak on this very subject. His department did a study with oaks. They of course had control trees and those fertilized differently. The conclusion was fertilization does not increase acorn production in a given year and does not make the acorns "sweeter". To make them "sweeter" the tanic acid would have to lower, as I remember there was no change . They did however come to the conclusion that the fertilized trees grew faster. His conclusion if you wanta make your trees grow faster fine, but you are wasting your $ if you want more acorns or sweeter acorns in a single year.


BTW, here's a thumb nail of how, Dr. Harper and Co. conducted the study. They chose same sized trees in the same area. In the fall, they put skirts on the ground to catch the acorns.

Been there, done that. No difference at all. In fact, we laugh that the trees we fertilized didn't even have acorns the next year! LOL

I have read that increasing the crown size of the tree is much better for increasing acorn production than fertilizaton. You can do this by cutting down less desirable trees that may be competing with your oaks. Larger crowns should equal more acorns.

Thanks for the info yall!! Guess Ill not be trying that for next year then lol. Yall have a good one!

You got it, that was part two of Dr. Harper's seminar, hardwood TSI for deer hunting. Releasing those midsize oaks will put on growth and fast. Goes without saying those thick areas with some good oaks in them ,dropping acorns, are a fine place to hunt.

Targeting and thinning around persimmons is one of my goals for this spring-summer.

That sounds like an idea - ive got a couple on the property I hunt

I disagree with the good professor. I hunt both in Alabama(SE) and Central Florida. I have for many many years fertilize the same oaks and the deer will walk past a non fertilized tree to get the the fertilized tree(camera Proof). When you examine the base of a fertilized tree you will fine almost no acorns shells with meat intact. A non fertilized tree will reflect more offen shells with meat still intact. In Alabama, the fertilized sawtooth (which I am applying triple 10 "now"with iron and sulfur premixed) very important, all you see on the ground are large one inch diameter crowns and nothing else. Another example, the results of fertizing honeysuckle is the deer eat the entire plant to the ground and you reduce your food source, the non fertilized honeysuckle keeps on reproducing after being a food source because the deer only eats the new soft growth. Taste does matter!

I read the same study 2dogs is referring to. When in doubt,i defer to the men with degree's who have done scientific studies, not just observations.

Common sense says if the tree isn't competing with other brush for water/fertilizer it's gonna grow/mature quicker it will then produce at least more acorns but if the soil sucks then it may not matter to begin with.I planted some sawtoothes 12 years ago,they are fertilized often,these trees were 5 ft when planted.They're now 35-40 tall and produce the hell out of acorns.I know a white grows slower but still I do thing fertilizer helps.