This hunter might be new, but he’s asking the right kind of questions.
QUESTION: I am new to hunting (my second year) although I'm 52 years old and a disabled veteran. I’m limited to hunting public land in Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts. While scouting, I have found wild grape vines on some of the public lands and was wondering if this could be a possible food source for deer. Also, I have heard from friends that deer prefer white oak acorns over red oak acorns. Is that true? If so, how do I tell the difference? — Armand T.
ANSWER: It sounds like you’re on the right track already. Deer do indeed eat grapes, as well as grape leaves and even young grape vines. In fact, they can be quite a nuisance to vineyards, so the wild grapes you found might be a good place to stake out.
As for acorns, whitetails seem to prefer those of white oaks, at least in your part of the country (where you really only have one or two varieties). White oak acorns have less tannin, a bitter compound easily experienced if you bite into an acorn. White oaks produce acorns in a one-year cycle, but mast crop abundance can vary considerably with annual growing conditions. In New England, the white oak acorns typically fall earlier, probably during early bow season, and over a relatively short time.
However, deer also relish red oak acorns, which tend to drop later and over a more extended period. Red oaks produce acorns in a two-year cycle, so some trees produce acorns even in a lean year, and bumper crops in good years.
It’s fairly easy to tell the difference between the two types by looking at the leaves. White oak leaves have rounded lobes, while those of red oaks are pointed. The bark of white oaks also tends to be a tad more scaley. Once you recognize the difference it will be easy to pick them out.