Ani-Logics Outdoors

Acorns are raining down across much of the U.S. right now, so it is a great time to talk about pulse resource availability.  A pulse resource is one that is temporarily available at dramatically higher than normal levels.  Acorns, for example, are not available to deer until they fall off the tree.  When the acorns start to drop, the woods become a feeding frenzy not only for deer, but for squirrels, mice, turkeys, rabbits, raccoons, wood ducks, and blue jays just to name a few.  The amount of activity around each tree is directly related to the acorn yield for that area.  Some years, only a few oaks will produce, whereas other years it seems every tree in the woods has an abundance of acorns.

This shift in diet can be frustrating if you have patterned a buck hitting a food source in a field and all of a sudden his movement changes.  If you are in a state that allows feeding, now is a great time to put out Braggin’ Rights® Acorn Attractant because deer are actively searching for acorns.  If you can’t beat them, join them!  If you are in a state that does not allow feeding, then you need to scout for the best producing oak trees.  You should also know that not every acorn is created equal.  The oak species are broadly grouped into white oak and red oak types and deer prefer white oaks.  For help in identifying acorns, check out this free field guide.

If you need help finding the best acorn producing trees, take a walk in your woods and stop every couple minutes to listen for the “thud” of acorns falling.  They will sometimes hit branches on their way down so it sounds a bit like the Plinko game from the Price is Right.  Once you find a good location, set up your stand on the downwind side of where the deer are congregating.  The tough part about hunting over acorns is that deer are typically bedding nearby.  It is important to plan your entry and exit so you alert as few deer as possible.  One tip I learned from a friend in Wisconsin is to use a leaf blower or rake to clear a trail to your stand.  It may bump deer from that spot for a few days but if acorns are falling, they will come back.  When they do, you can quietly approach your stand without alerting any deer in the area.

Another aspect of pulse resource availability is when resources are taken away.  Here in Minnesota, farmers are gearing up for harvest and when that occurs, a huge amount of food and cover is removed from the ecosystem.  With modern machinery becoming more efficient at harvesting crops, deer are left with fewer calories than in years past.  A great way to bridge the gap between when the crops come out and spring green up is to supplement their diet using Supplement Gold.  It is formulated with a balance of energy and protein so that deer can stay healthy when food options become scarce.  If you have managed your property correctly, deer won’t have to rely solely on the feed you are giving them, but will use it alongside their natural browse intake.  I like to tell people to use supplemental feeding as a knee brace, rather than a crutch.  If you wait until your deer are in poor condition, it may be too late to do much good.