How do you like them Apples?

[Trial153]

Let’s talk apple trees for deer habitat. 

What’s your preference?  What’s has everyone planted?   
 

I am starting a water hole Project on my home ground in NY and i would like to incorporate some apple trees into the area. 

I been thinking Dolgo Crab apples or  maybe Nova Scotia. But I am open to ideas…. I also want to start with  the largest  Trees i can find,  will have machinery there to dig the water tank it’s no issue to dig holes for bigger trees. 

What’s everyone ideas ?  

 

[corydd7]

https://bluehillwildlifenursery.com/

 

I bought trees from this guy. He was a member on the old forum. 

All my trees have been bought very small so i don't want to give any misleading information. 

[E J]

I would plant either goldrush, enterprise or freedom or a mix of them. They are all used for organic apple orchards because they are disease resistant. 

[dmandoes]

I would plant ones for when u wanted to shoot the deer there, time them falling. If you wanted to plant a bunch, u could have apples start falling in june/july and go through nov/dec. Deer will eat use the trees year round,  buds during winter, new growth during growing season, apples as soon as they get about a quarter in size.

[ZAG]

55 minutes ago, Trial153 said:

Let’s talk apple trees for deer habitat. 

What’s your preference?  What’s has everyone planted?   
 

I am starting a water hole Project on my home ground in NY and i would like to incorporate some apple trees into the area. 

I been thinking Dolgo Crab apples or  maybe Nova Scotia. But I am open to ideas…. I also want to start with  the largest  Trees i can find,  will have machinery there to dig the water tank it’s no issue to dig holes for bigger trees. 

What’s everyone ideas ?  

 

If it were me, I’d get varieties that mature each month, Oct, Nov, Dec. I believe some varieties will hold into Jan.

And yes, bigger the tree the fast they produce!!

A apple tree farm in Williamson has a wildlife package of apple trees. Wafflers I believe it is or something close to it. 

[cervidchasers]

1 hour ago, ZAG said:

If it were me, I’d get varieties that mature each month, Oct, Nov, Dec. I believe some varieties will hold into Jan.

And yes, bigger the tree the fast they produce!!

A apple tree farm in Williamson has a wildlife package of apple trees. Wafflers I believe it is or something close to it. 

Yup wafflers..supplies to the whole USA

[phade]

I’d look into pears too if you can. Pears seem to outdraw apples when next to each other.

Dolgo is the crabapple of choice. But I’d do research on the varieties fruit drop range and then obviously the pollinators required to match up with them.

[Fab]

I wana second pears 

 

I have both.   Actually 3 peach 3 pear and 8 apple.   The deer eat all 3.  Pears are by far the biggest draw 

 

 

[Robhuntandfish]

@Belo has done a lot with fruit trees.  

[LET EM GROW]

Get your trees from Blue Hill Wildlife Nursery, He used to be a member on the Old page. I've had the pleasure of meeting him and helping a time or two. Best quality trees you can buy. Youll want early to late dropping, and i really dont think you can pick a wrong apple, since deer eat twigs and woody browse. The idea of apples the drop form September through December or later is great. Can do the same with Pears too. Then incorporate a perennial blend of clovers etc. so the pollinating bees will always be present for your trees

Edited September 17 by LET EM GROW

[lucky118]

Just don't plant them right nxt to the road. I want to stangle those people.

[Belo]

10 hours ago, phade said:

I’d look into pears too if you can. Pears seem to outdraw apples when next to each other.

Dolgo is the crabapple of choice. But I’d do research on the varieties fruit drop range and then obviously the pollinators required to match up with them.

I would second pears over apples. I have both, plus peaches and plums and pears are always their first choice. Only downside to pears really is that they take longer to establish and bare fruit. 

3 hours ago, Robhuntandfish said:

@Belo has done a lot with fruit trees.  

Mine are for people that the deer just happen to enjoy. But if I was planting specifically for deer I'd research drop time and disease resistance. I'll add this too, plant even 6 or 7 apple trees and if you take care of them with a atv sprayer and prune them you'll likely not only have enough for the deer, but for your family and apples are delicious as is or used in millions of dishes. 

Also cage them. Deer love to f'n rub my apple trees. 

[Trial153]

Thanks for all the info! much appreciated! 

[dbHunterNY]

i've pruned and maintained dozens of apple trees over the years on and off. there used to be a couple old orchards on the farm. they seem to be different varieties of crab apples or some kind of wild grown apples. idk how they initially got there. they vary on when the drop but most are gone or sparse by bow season.

most important thing when planting is keeping them protected and location. often people put them in low flat areas the cleared and made into a food plot. not the best for apple trees as the cold air pockets up and hard frosts can kill productivity if the trees make past the younger stages to begin with. slopes or higher topo for the area help shed colder air, get more sun, and are easier to hunt over with changing thermals. IMO anyway.

[dbHunterNY]

2 hours ago, lucky118 said:

Just don't plant them right nxt to the road. I want to stangle those people.

my neighbor at my previous house would enjoy watching deer feed under an old apple tree at the edge of her yard. I'd keep underneath it cleared out with the brush hog for that reason. people would always rub neck, some being road hunters i'm sure. on multiple occasions it'd draw deer off the adjacent hillside too that would get hit by cars. she was old and it was there long before her I'm thinking.