When scouting are all apple trees equal? Do deer prefer one over another? Is there any other native browse you look for? I am in NWPA so there are all types of oaks and apple orchards depending on where you look
I have some older apple trees in my pasture that are of unknown heritage. I have apple trees in the yard that are different strains as well as pear trees. I never have to pick up the fruit off the ground that falls, seems deer love all apples equally. White acorns are preferred by deer but as long as the snow is not too deep that will dig for any acorn later in the season.
Yes there is a preference on apples. They actually did a study a numbers of years ago and found deer preferred green apples. I can say for sure they prefer them here. As far as scouting wild food. I wont go to the normal oak, persimmon, wild pear. You can't go wrong if you find poke weed, wild elderberry, locust pods, ironwood droops, wild grape, virginia creeper, bramb!e, dogwood brush, wild rose and poison ivy.
Not on our place, my wild apples start in August and continue to hang on trees well into mid Nov. depending on freezes. This is green and red . If I recall correctly it was Charles Alsheimer that did that study.
I've witnessed that I also killed a buck one year that was horrible to gut. It was a morning kill and he had found a crab apple tree the night before hand. He was so stuffed with whole crab apples I could barely get my knife slipped between his hide and gut. Ive neverc seen a gyt so for befre or since.
I’m sure they have their preference, but it’s all green apples around me. They have no other choice that I know of. I can say they seem to eat the red ones slower when I pour bought apples out. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Apples are good. I also look for white oaks as they're a favorite. Pin oaks and reds can also produce. I keep a journal on mast crops from year to year. I don't know if you have them where your at but paw paw trees are a good bet in late summer/early fall when the fruit gets ripe and mushy.
