[firehog]

Just curious what you game plan is, with acorns on the ground everywhere. Past experince tells me, it will be a low deer sighting season. I walked about 3 miles doing a quick scouting trip and basically acorns where on the ground everywhere. Its good for the deer no doubt, but these type seasons are tough hunting for me in the ozarks. Unless you just happen to be close to the tree they decide to feed on.

I think trying to find there bedding is key, but in my area, you will see they bed just about everywhere. No defined bedding.

One thing I believe that give a better odds with a bow, is hunting small ridges with good acorns.

 

[austincrutchfield]

Ill be huntin some funnels this year that has oaks on one end and bedding on the other. Also another spot ill be hunting is about 10 big oak trees within 50 yards and up under them there is bout 20-25 persimmon trees and they are starting to ripen also so it should be a good spot:thumb:

 

[44]

All my stands are hung around the highest concentration of white oaks in my area. I'll just sit and wait if nothing comes I'll change my plans then.

 

[Hill Farm Hunter]

I've never been able to pattern deer in the hills. We just don't have that classic bedding/feeding area pattern. They are liable to feed and bed about anywere. I like to hunt a white oak ridge, a travel route, or funnel. A saddle on a white oak ridge with some thick stuff nearby is a pretty good recipe for success. Don't overlook those big old white oaks in the fields up there. We have a few small clusters of these that the deer just seem to love. They will leave the woods, cross into the field, and feed under these trees. I don't know why, but they do. These trees seem to throw off bigger acorns than most in the woods, maybe they taste better too. It is not fertalizer, because we don't usually fertalize that field.

 

[ozarkthunder]

Thanks Hill for being one of the few that realize that hunting in the hills is tough!

 

[Hoytjunkie]

I have hunted lots of places in the ozarks and my best plan when the acorns were as thick as they are this year is to be mobile. It seems they will use an area for bout 2 days and then move to another setof trees. I willhunt a spot for a full day and then if im not seeing enough movement im down and scouting for another spot that has the most sign. i never pay attention to how much buck sign i see. Im just looking for sign in general> it has payed of for me several times. A good light climber is the best way to go for me.:up:

 

[readytoshootsumtin]

I've seen lots of good deer feeding under isolated oak trees in feilds, I always thought the acorns were easier to get to because they are in grass. I will be hunting funnels and thicket edges, I have a couple of public land permits, and I'll be gettingin early and hope somebody pushes a big one to me

 

[Hobbshunter]

Definitely not as much movement overall. I mostly just hunt funnels and topography. Bucks will cruise through them once they start moving later in Oct, and you never know when you'll get lucky in the early season.
Seems like some deer just bed anywhere, but many bedding areas will remain constant.

 

[hogman]

I hear you. Hung a stand yesterday and I needed a helmet with all the acorns falling and hitting me on the head.

With everything falling so early, by the end of October things may change.

 

[Lonnie]

It seems there are a lot of acorns just about everywhere. I don't think they will last forever though!!!

I have noticed that the squirrels are already fighting with the deer over their claimed territory.

We just might have to push our deer sight seeing tours back a few weeks til they munch up the easy pickens!!

 

[Brody M]

3 weeks ago had deer all over my food plot and hitting milo hard. Now nothing, hunting in the hills its hard to find a bedding area. Hopefully i will have alot of luck!!!

 

[Triple Threat]

It's comforting to hear you guys talk about hunting in the ozarks. I've hunted in SW AR, W. TN, NE TX and S. TX and the ozarks seem to be the toughest. Wind currents and acorn crops really cut into my success rate! I too, believe that a bumper crop of acorns means fewer deer sightings.

 

[green_head_getter]

Look for white oaks....They are bigger and more palitable....which means they are tasty! deer go crazy for them....i have put 50 pounds of corn with acorns all around and had a deer walk right past the corn and went right straight to the only white oak in the area...fed for about 30 minutes..and then walked back into the thick stuff! Deer will eat most any acorns but the white oaks is where its at! i doubt anyone will oppose!

 

[Triple Threat]

White oaks are preferred! It's just that when you're hunting on a couple of hundred acres that are covered in white oaks, it's hard to pick the right tree!:frown:

 

[D]

Look for white oaks....They are bigger and more palitable....which means they are tasty! deer go crazy for them....i have put 50 pounds of corn with acorns all around and had a deer walk right past the corn and went right straight to the only white oak in the area...fed for about 30 minutes..and then walked back into the thick stuff! Deer will eat most any acorns but the white oaks is where its at! i doubt anyone will oppose!

I agree. We have a mixture of oaks but the white oaks are the preferred. We have lots of white oaks spread our over 1200 acres but there are some white oaks that the deer preffer even over other white oaks. I assume the acorns have a different taste. So I have made notes of where those preffered areas are and try to hit those areas early season as the white oaks start to drop. :up:

I don't even bother hunting a food plot till late December when the acorn crop is this good!:thumb:

 

[D33RHUNT3R]

I'm going to find a good trail and setup on it ... then adjust from there..

 

[ARstillhunter]

I'm going to find a good trail and setup on it ... then adjust from there..

Pretty much my plan, too. I'll try to find a good rub line up high on the north side of a ridge, or walk ridges above trails.

 

[readytoshootsumtin]

Opening day I'll be set up a trail leading to a white Oak, my experience is deer always hit the white oaks first. If you have an area that has very few white oak trees your in good shape, pick the one with the most sign. My best bucks have all been taken on the nastiest days of the year. I catch them bedded in thick stuff on the edge of fields.

 

[CDay]

Remember deer do not just eat a diet of acorns. Deer are browsers and eat a variety of different things in their daily diet. Look for some soft mast foods in your area.

Another thing is to set up on water during years like this.

 

[rntquackaholic]

Some white oaks on a fence row or near a thicket with honeysuckle and greenbriar would be good. I will be in some oak timber next to a soybean field, they have stripped the beans of leaves, so I plan on slowing them down. There are also lots of persimmons, I would find a place where there appears to be a lot of feeding activity, look for lots of crap.