Matt Tarr, biologist and forester for the University of New Hampshire, tells how to do an acorn survey in your hunting woods in mid-August.
Go to the oak trees, glass the upper limbs with binoculars, and estimate the average number of green acorns within 24 inches of each branch tip. Jot down the numbers, check other oak trees in area, and record the data.
Then do some basic math. Tarr says that a white oak with an average of 12 to 18 or more acorns per branch is a good to excellent producer this year; with a red oak tree, that number is to 16 to 24 nuts.
Hone in on the most productive oak trees and hang your stands for some super bowhunting when the 2018 season opens in September or October 1.
That is rock solid advice. Never really did a “formal” survey. Scanning from the tips backwards is something I never have really heard before. I have a monster Swamp White Oak in my back yard. I’m going to do a survey this weekend. Perhaps I’ll take some pictures and share my findings????