I planted 6 pear trees yesterday, in groups of three. The groups are about 250 yard apart. The trees planted in the lower plot were: Galway, Mrs. Laneene and Hunters choice(nominal fruit drop respectively is Oct-Nov, To late December, and Oct-Nov)
The other upper food plot was Gate, Gilmer and Hunters choice. (Drop times of Until December for both the Gate and Gilmer, and Oct-November for Hunters choice) These were ordered as one of the bare root packages offered by the wildlife group, who come highly recommended by CNC and others. I staked the trees and used the tree tubes available from the wildlife group. I suppose we'll find out in a few years how the deer like pears.

I hadn't considered until after planting that I potentially put all my eggs in one basket, so to speak regarding food plots + soft mast, but at the end of the day, I can find other places to plant trees in relatively small openings, the food plots just seemed ripe (forgive me) for the picking. At the very least, my plots will become more appealing in 4-5 years.

The one thing I don't like about fruit trees is how much coyotes like them. Not to be a Debbie Downer, we've planted our fair share too. Pears would be top of my list.

Yep I had my several bow hunts ruined this year because of Coyote's and fruit trees. I killed more of them this year then my entire hunting career including 3 one beautiful October evening. It's getting ridiculous and we are killing and trapping the hell out of them cause that crap ain't happening next year. I just planted 10 pear trees myself a few weeks ago they are my fruit of choice for planting but nothing beats an old common persimmon that's fertilized and in a good spot. We got the 10 pack and planted them in 2 groups of 5 I didn't really pay much attention to when they drop or anything as far as how I planted them. We planted some new chestnuts also this year around some 10+ year old sawthooths just to change things up. I have planted all kinds of mast trees over the years and if I could go back I would have planted more especially pears.

Dax do you like the pears because of deer preference?

It has to do with how long they stay on the tree. The "hard pears", which at our place are Kieffer pears, aren't hardly fit to eat off the tree, but they'll hang until late fall. That's why I'd plant them.

Pears are so easy to grow compared to apples and other fruits. I also love the timing of the fruit drop with pears compared to others it's a wider time frame especially when you put different kinds together. I really don't know how they stand up compared to a deers preference over another fruit. I'll tell you that I like to put them around places that already have fall attraction. Like a field edge with mature hardwoods close by and or close to sawtooths. You want to create a buffet so that it's not just one thing that holds them and when one stops the others pick up. I will take some pictures and show some of my designs I've made that have worked well for me but like I said I just wish I could go back and plant more. Well everything but a sawtooth we got plenty of them. One more thing have a plan don't just plant trees in a field because ain't nothing there. Think about how and where they want to come from and the wind direction that gives you better odds and will he be comfortable feeding during daylight here and so on. My goal is to make sure that the food never stops so they don't need a reason to go to the neighbors and it's a year round plan. One more thing my deer prefer pears over jap persimmons and to tell you the truth I think they like a common persimmon better then a Jap. I not a big fan of Jap I wish I would have planted pears instead. Oh and one more thing I have a pear tree that's next to my pond in the backyard that really makes and some how the pears off it end up under some that are in a well placed honey hole it's puzzling.

Deer will walk by apples to eat pears. Keiffers make good pear preserves also. Pear trees are very hardy and fewer problems than other fruit trees. crabapples are good also.

Dax, any advice you can offer me would be greatly appreciated! Anything you know now, you wish you knew when you first started?

Be careful fertilizing persimmons, too much N causes fruit drop. Learned that the hard way.

Ok first don't go overboard planting sawtooths mix other nut makers in and you've got a ton of options so it's up to you size type and so on. Mix in fruit trees I am doing about 50/50 nuts to fruit now and wish I would have been doing that. A pear is the fruit king to me for several reasons I also like crabapples and common persimmons but I won't plant persimmons over the other 2. I think mainly about bow season Oct/Nov time frame and have created spots for this time frame. I have several big fields that I always plant in beans and they will have all the bucks that time of year so I have planted trees mainly pears recently on the edge and corners where the deer want to be. I have done a similar set up in several small sub acre clover fields. My best place of all is 3 big mature common persimmons on the edge of a bean field that are exactly 30 yards west of a lock-on thank you mother nature. Now as far as planting just to hold deer I look for spots that I can't do anything else in or bad dirt basically a area I can't plant. These areas would be a mix of mast nut trees and a few fruit trees. If you plant trees in an area for the purpose of attraction to kill a deer put some thought into it. Like how will I come in how will they (wind) and the distance from a good stand location. Don't depend on just the trees. Plant them around other food sources because you want to create a buffet. Plant several different varieties of the same tree in an area such as pears so you have a longer drop period. My wife's got a job for me or I'd keep going.

That's very strange. Have you tried to figure out how these pears are magically transported to your honey hole?

I'm going to put a trail cam under that dang tree this fall and get to the bottom of it.

bought two Dunstan Chestnuts today and a plum tree. Have a crabapple in greenhouse and headed to dig up two more. Also have two grafted female American Persimmons on the way. Got to get the shovel out as soon as I get the wire cages shaped.

You better hurry up the dang trees think it's April already.

I know Dax, the plum I got is all leafed out. Chestnuts ain't started yet. Crabapple I have has held leaves all winter in my greenhouse

My chestnuts have buds ,but no leaves yet. The pear trees have bloomed and are full of tiny pears.

Hope this cold spell doesn't kill the blooms like last year

Was going to say the same thing, be careful when planting them in food plots to not overdo the nitrogen. Aslo, you don't want any nitrogen after Aug/Sept especially on small trees because it can cause a late growth spurt and make them susceptible to cold damage.

Can't go wrong with pears. I have Gate, Keiffer, Galloway, John Ledbetter, Arther Ledbetter, & Clark pears planted for staggered fruit drop. I also have Fuyu persimmons, Sawtooths, and Dunstan Chestnuts.

Checked my trees this past weekend, they're all starting to leaf, but they are no more than halfway up the 5 foot tree tubes. I suspect that they will see the top of the tube next year.