Oak Tree & Acorn Identification for Deer Hunters

what's up y'all this video is all about oak trees and acorns or acorns depending on how you say it this video is geared towards deer hunters because acorns are a very good food source one of the most important food sources for deer in the fall so we're going to talk a lot about that but if you're just looking to identify different types of oak trees you'll probably still find this pretty helpful so looking behind me there's three different species of oak and i would approach each one of those differently during deer season because they will drop acorns at different times and the deer will prefer one over the other if you go to my website i have a link down below to my oak tree guide it's got over 20 different species with tons of pictures and information in this video we're only going to cover a good handful of them we're not going to go over all 20 something so if you want to learn more check the link below some areas are more diverse in some areas you may only have one or two different types of oak the deer are going to treat them differently depending on what's available they're going to prefer one type of acorn over the other but it really depends on what you've got and what drops first and which one drops the sweeter acorns that's going to be something that you as a deer hunter will have to figure out yourself so this is kind of a tool learning all the different oak trees is just kind of a tool to help you scout better and know what to look for it'll make it easier to find those food sources when season comes around so let's get into a little bit of the technical stuff this won't take very long then i'll get to showing you just what type of trees these all are here's a few fun facts before we get into the good stuff most but not all oak trees have lobed leaves a lobe is just the part of the leaf that protrudes outwards it gives it its funny shape in between the lobes are the sinuses the shape size and number of lobes and sinuses can help identify certain oak trees the margin is the outer edge of the entire leaf the apex is the tip of the leaf and the stem of the leaf is called the petiole the vein running up through the center of the leaf is the mid vein and the veins branching off the mid vein are called side veins reason i'm covering these terms is because it will help later on in the video in identifying different trees one thing about leaves that is often overlooked is that most trees including oaks have some leaves and shade leaves as the name suggests some leaves are exposed to full sun while shade leaves grow lower on the tree in the shade there can be a big difference in the shape and size of shade leaves and some leaves some leaves are usually darker green and shiny with narrower lobes and deeper sinuses shaved leaves are usually larger and more rounded shallow sinuses but it can vary in north america oaks are divided into two groups white and red as you may already know there are quite a few species of both white and red oak and their acorn production and deer preference can vary quite a bit red oak species have leaves with bristle tipped lobes some red oaks have leaves with no lobes but even these lobeless leaves will still have one bristle at the apex of the leaf white oaks do not have bristles on the leaves at all leaves in the white oak group will either have rounded lobes or a wavy or sawtooth margin most white oak species also have softer more flaky bark than most red oaks keep in mind i said most not all we'll get into that later so some of you may have heard that white oak acorns are less bitter than red oak acorns this is mostly true but then again it can vary by species or even by individual tree yes usually white oaks are a lot less bitter than red oaks acorns contain tannic acid also called tannin which acts as a preservative in the acorns white oaks are much lower in tannin because the acorns will sprout shortly after falling from the tree if they're not eaten first however red oak acorns usually sprout the following spring so they have much higher levels of tannin which helps preserve the acorn over the winter and into the spring fun fact red oak acorns usually take at least two years to grow on the tree but white oak acorns mature over one single growing season deer and other wildlife will generally prefer the acorns with the least tannin because tannin is very bitter humans can hardly tolerate any of it at all but deer and other wildlife can surprisingly eat a whole lot of this stuff and be perfectly fine even though deer will eat the most bitter acorns in the woods they will still prefer the least bitter ones if there are any available keep in mind that the least bitter acorns will either be eaten first or they will sprout or they'll rot so most white oak acorns are a very short-lived food source that doesn't last very long alright let's get into some of the more common oak species you'll find in the eastern united states if you want to learn more oaks in more detail check out the oak tree identification guide on my website the link is down below in the description let's start with the red oak group first up we have the northern red oak this is one of the most common oaks found across the eastern u.s it's an upland species often found in rolling terrain or steep hillsides but it is adaptable to a variety of habitats the mature bark is anywhere from gray to almost black with pale gray or silver ridges resembling ski tracks [Music] the young bark is smoother with less pronounced ridges the leaves have 5 to 11 lobes with shallow sinuses that extend only about halfway to the mid vein acorns are about an inch long usually round with a shallow flat cap acorns may start dropping before most white oaks making this a valuable early season food source for deer before the preferred white oak acorns are available as well as a valuable late season food source after white oak acorns are gone next up we have the southern red oak this is another very common species with a distinct appearance the bark is darker and usually rougher in appearance than northern red oak however the leaves are the real giveaway at a distance the foliage has a wispy or droopy appearance up close the dark green leaves are highly variable in shape and size some leaves have very narrow lobes with deep sinuses and sometimes resemble the shape of a turkey foot but they may have upwards of 9 to 11 lobes in some cases the underside of the leaves is fuzzy and pale green often with a rusty coloration the base of the leaf is bell-shaped acorns are a little smaller than northern red oak and the cap covers about a third of the nut usually next up we got the schumard oak this one is generally considered a bottomland species often growing near creek banks and river basins however it is often found on rocky slopes and and ridges as well bark is generally a solid gray color somewhat furrowed and occasionally has pale gray ridges kind of like northern red oak but not as pronounced some trees have smoother bark while others may be more deeply furrowed especially in older trees this is true for most oak trees most trees in general the bark gets more deeply furrowed as they get older leaves are about as wide as they are long with five to nine lobes and deep c-shaped sinuses the underside of the leaves will show a noticeable tuft of brown hairs between each side vein and the mid vein acorns are similar in appearance to those of northern red oak however the cap is a little deeper and ripe acorns may occasionally have dark brown stripes this is my personal favorite red oak species to hunt over mainly because it's so common where i live but also the acorns may start dropping as early as september and may drop as late as november or december but that's just where i live it may be different for your area next up is pin oak this is a well-known bottomland species of oak it favors river bottoms and swampy areas although it doesn't grow in the swamp it will grow near swampy areas it's very popular in landscaping the bark is similar to that of shumard oak but usually a little smoother sometimes it's almost indistinguishable it really depends on the tree leaves have five to seven narrow lobes with very deep u-shaped sinuses the underside of the leaf has the same tufts of brown hairs on the leaf vein axles just like the shumard oak the most noticeable feature of the pin oak is the very dense branching structure it's full of branches the lower branches droop down towards the ground the branches up in the middle of the tree go straight out to the side and the upper branches go upwards the acorns are round and small to medium in size with dark brown stripes when they ripen and they have a very shallow flat cap black oak is another very common red oak species that can be found anywhere from flatland to rocky ridges the bark is usually a solid dark gray or almost black color and it's fairly coarse the leaves are often fairly large with five to seven lobes and may have varying amounts of fuzz also called pubescence on the underside and sometimes even the top side of the leaf so they may be a little bit fuzzy acorns are small to medium in size with a fairly large cap that covers about half of the nut and they may drop early in the season as well blackjack oak is a unique species not growing as large as other oaks it favors poor soil and is very drought tolerant the bark is dark gray or almost black resembling charcoal if you know what a persimmon tree looks like blackjack oak has kind of similar bark the leaves are thick and leathery and shiny green on top and pale green on the bottom and they vary in shape and size acorns are small but they may be a valuable food source and poor habitat whether other oaks aren't as productive willow oak is a common species found in bottomlands it's also very commonly used in landscaping it is noticeable for its willow-shaped leaves the acorns are very small and bitter but again if they're the only acorn around it's worth checking it out because deer will probably eat them just like any other acorn water oak is similar to willow oak maybe not as many branches and the leaves are paddle shaped the acorns are also small but usually darker in color sometimes even solid black and in swampy land they can be a primary food source alright one more for the red oak group for now the nut all oak this is another bottomland species that thrives in river bottoms and swampy areas it has recently become more popular in landscaping as well and it can be a very heavy producer of long dark brown striped acorns the tree may be similar in appearance to both pin oak and shumard oak alright now let's get into the white oak group we'll start out with the namesake species the white oak this is a very common species of oak and you've probably heard how much the deer love the acorns it is generally an upland species of oak but is adaptable to different types of terrain the bark on the lower portion of mature trees is usually a lighter shade of gray or grayish brown and is blocky in texture however if you look up higher on the tree it is pale gray to almost white sometimes and is usually very shaggy kind of like shag bark hickory some leaves are deeply lobed and dark green with 5 to 11 rounded lobes unlike red oak shade leaves will have shallower sinuses but it still has the same rounded lobes acorns are medium to large in size and chocolate brown when ripe the caps are knobby rather than scaly like you see with red oak acorns white oak acorns are usually very low in tannin so they are much less bitter and are highly preferred by deer and other wildlife deer will usually walk past red oak acorns to feed on white oaks next up is the chestnut oak this is a tree of the steep ridges and mountains and is actually known as mountain oak in some areas this oak has a very distinct gray to brown bark with deep grooves and thick blocky ridges very chunky looking bark the leaves have a sawtooth margin unlike typical lobed leaves of most oaks however you can't identify this oak by only the leaves as there are a couple other species that have very similar leaves look at the bark in the hill country habitat to identify this oak acorns are very large usually elongated and chocolate brown when ripe surprisingly this acorn is pretty low on the list for deer preference in most areas from what i've heard and from what i've seen some people who hunt hill country observe deer walking right past these acorns to find other acorns but with that in mind the chestnut oak may drop early and it can still be a hot food source when it's the only acorn around now the swamp chestnut oak this oak has very similar leaves to that of the chestnut oak however the bark and habitat are entirely different swamp chestnut oak has a light gray to grayish brown scaly bark and it grows in bottomlands near swamps or river bottoms unlike the chestnut oak acorns are very large and chocolate brown when ripe these acorns are near the top of the list for deer and other wildlife and may be so low in tannin that even people can enjoy eating them raw however these trees can be very spotty producers of acorns individual trees may go two or three years without any acorns after a very productive year if you find one dropping during season there's probably going to be deer sign and you should probably hunt it right away the chincopen oak is an upland species that thrives in areas with a lot of limestone in the soil such as river bluffs cedar glades anywhere with a lot of limestone in the ground is typically where you will find this oak the light grayish brown scaly bark is very similar to that of swamp chestnut oak leaves also have the same sawtooth margin as swamp chestnut and chestnut oak but are generally a little narrower especially with sun leaves the acorns are small to medium in size and anywhere from dark brown to almost black they kind of look like a black olive they are also very low in tannin and near the top of the list for deer preference unfortunately this species can also be a spotty producer of acorns the most consistent producers are often grown out in open fields with no competition from other trees this is actually true for most oaks but keep in mind that each individual tree may vary quite a bit in acorn production next up is the bur oak this is a very common oak in the midwest and it can be found from the plains up to the ridge tops in hill country it is also found in the southeast but it favors river bottoms and creek banks in the southern part of its range the leaves are wider near the apex and narrower towards the base the lower half of the leaf is deeply lobed changing to a wavy margin near the apex the deepest sinus is typically the dead center of the leaf almost touching the mid vein the acorns are the most distinct feature of this oak acorns range from medium to very large and can be some of the biggest acorns you'll ever see depending on where you're at the cap covers most of the nut and has a fringe of shaggy hairs around the edge the nuts are also very low in tannin like most other white oaks alright just a couple more white oak species worth mentioning the post oak is another white oak that thrives in upland habitat it can tolerate poor soil the bark is similar to that of other white oaks but usually a little tougher and less scaly the leaves are thick and leathery with large blocky lobes often the two largest lobes are perpendicular to the mid vein forming sort of a plus sign shape to the leaf the acorns are fairly small the overcup oak is a bottomland species of white oak often found in areas of the deep south it has an irregularly shaped leaf with varying rounded lobes and a large acorn covered almost entirely by a scaly cat the acorn is the most distinct feature of the overcup oak because of the oversized cap the swamp white oak is another bottomland species that is not as common and does not range as far to the south as other white oaks leaves have numerous rounded lobes with variably shallow sinuses the underside of the leaf is very pale green to almost white bark is similar to that of white oak or swamp chestnut oak and acorns are medium to large okay just one more thing i want to mention the sawtooth oak this oak is native to asia it was brought over here as neither a red oak or a white oak however it has been widely planted as a wildlife food source and as a landscape tree the leaves closely resemble those of chinese chestnut tree being long and narrow with a sawtooth margin and bristle tips acorns are medium to large in size with a very large shaggy cap covering most of the nut the bark is gray to reddish brown and furrowed this is a very fast growing oak that produces acorns at a very young age and it's a consistent producer of acorns year after year acorns typically ripen or drop before other oaks making a potential hot food source during the early season the sawtooth oak is considered invasive in some areas however in many areas it doesn't compete well with native trees all right y'all that is going to wrap it up for this video like i said before if you want to learn more about each oak species and look at a lot more pictures and learn about even more oak species my oak tree identification guide hopefully this helps you zero in on your local food sources when you hit the woods chasing the old white tail this year just remember that deer preference for one acorn over another can vary quite a bit from one place to the next so it's up to you to get out there and scout and hunt figure out which species are the best ones to target if you have any questions feel free to drop them in the comments below i can't promise to answer all questions but i'll do my best thanks for watching and have a good season [Music] you

Channel: Catman Outdoors

Views: 533,383

Keywords: deer hunting, quercus, tree identification, akerns, white oak, red oak, northern red oak, southern red oak, pin oak, shumard oak, black oak, blackjack oak, willow oak, water oak, nuttall oak, chestnut oak, swamp chestnut oak, chinkapin oak, burr oak, post oak, swamp white oak, dendrology, southeast, northeast, midwest, tannin, tannic acid, whitetail, feed tree, october lull

Id: FIKGm4VSKDQ

Length: 18min 9sec (1089 seconds)

Published: Thu Sep 23 2021