11 Things You Never Knew About the Incredible, Edible Acorn

By Patriot Outdoor News

Deer and hunters alike often find themselves at the mercy of this modest nut. A poor acorn year can spell disaster for a herd headed into a hard winter, just as a bumper crop can ruin even the best hunt plan. Here’s everything you never knew about the hard mast that packs a real punch.

450-600
Number of oak species that exist worldwide (depending on how they’re classified)

60
Approximate number of oak species in the U.S.

5.5
Pounds of food a deer consumes per day, on average

55%
Portion of a whitetail’s fall diet that consists of mast like acorns

74%
Acorns a gray squirrel may hide but never recover

Protein should make up 16% of a buck’s diet for its antlers to reach maximum growth

>10,000
Number of acorns a single oak tree can drop in a good year

6 months
Time it takes acorns from the white oak family to mature

18 months
Time it takes acorns from the red oak family to mature

One Pennsylvania study measured how many acorns a stand of red oaks could produce. In a poor seed year researchers tallied just 7,000 acorns per acre. but during a bumper year, they recorded 273,000. That’s a lot of nuts.

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Source:: Patriot Outdoor News