I know why the Red Oaks were dropping early

[Rusty]

Because they are so overloaded with acorns that they couldn’t hold them all.    Red oaks here are weighed down with acorns.       

[blackbeltbill]

I can't  believe  all the heavy mast this Year.  

[BowmanMike]

Same here, and our apples too. We are at some elevation so we dodged the late frost,the apples weren't that far along with the flowering. 

It is a cool protective mechanism of the tree to just drop what it can't handle...

It amazes me too how the trees have enough energy stored to grow a second set of leaves in the spring if the first one freezes off. 

[Wolc123]

1 hour ago, Rusty said:

Because they are so overloaded with acorns that they couldn’t hold them all.    Red oaks here are weighed down with acorns.       

Some would say that means we are in for a long, cold, snowy winter.  I’ll believe that only when I see it.  Last winter was so lame here in WNY, that the ground never froze and none of the pipes broke in my “new to me” truck camper, after I forgot to winterize it.

 

[broomeguy]

Whereabouts? 

[Rusty]

7 minutes ago, broomeguy said:

Whereabouts? 

Orange county, NY / NJ border.  

[BowmanMike]

I am in central NY otsego county. Last year there were no acorns,this year is 100% the opposite. It will be an interesting hunting season. It kind of always is,but I like it when there are lots of acorns. 

It is great when I can find the hot oak flat the deer definetely like to go for different oak patches at different times of the year.

[grampy]

Deer are chowing down! My favorite oak ridge is loaded this year. 

[broomeguy]

My place in Broome county produced probably 4 acorns last year. Was awful. Hoping for a good crop this year!

[lucky118]

7 minutes ago, broomeguy said:

My place in Broome county produced probably 4 acorns last year. Was awful. Hoping for a good crop this year!

Nothing I can see. Last yr it was raining them at my spot.

[Larry]

Where I live the fruit farm down the road lost 95% of their apples from frost in the spring. But down where I deer hunt trees are full and lots of hard mast to.

[G-man]

No hard mast to speak of in my area, soft mast is very spotty,  2 late freezes did them in.

[Rusty]

4 hours ago, G-man said:

No hard mast to speak of in my area, soft mast is very spotty,  2 late freezes did them in.

Red oak acorns take 2 years to grow, so this year’s crop would not have been impacted by the late frost we had this spring.   But next year’s might.    

[crappyice]

Plenty in 3S from today walk about 

 

[mowin]

Going to be tuff to pattern deer in my area. Tons of red oaks and hickory.. 

The bucks will be following the does hoping to find one willing to breed early and hopefully the does will be hitting the rye and barley.