Know-How: Red or White?

by
posted on July 25, 2016
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
know_how_red_or_white.jpg

In much of the eastern U.S., acorns are at the top of a deer’s menu come fall. But not all acorns—or oak trees—are equal, and knowing the difference can help you pick stands and plan when to hunt them.

The U.S. Forest Service lists 50 oak species native to the East, which fall into two groups: red oaks and white oaks. The reds include the archetypical Northern red oak (Quercus rubra), along with other species commonly called black oak, cherrybark oak, pin oak, Shumard oak, willow oak and more. White oaks include the white oak (Quercus alba), as well as species known as chestnut oak, post oak, scrub oak, overcup oak, live oak and others.

Examining oak leaves is the easiest way to tell the reds from the whites. Red oak leaves often have pointy lobes with bristles at their tips and at the top (apex) of the leaf. White oak leaves generally have rounded lobes or are oval-like in shape, and they lack bristles.

Weather and various other factors affect acorn production, so the only sure way to know how many acorns you can expect this fall is to gauge the crop in late summer. Scout for acorns by scanning oak crowns with a bino, and while you’re at it, determine whether the trees are red oaks or white oaks because the differences can affect deer movement.

White oaks drop their acorns early in the fall, typically from mid- to late September depending on latitude. The entire crop falls over a short period of time. White oak acorns contain less tannins than red oak acorns and are preferred by deer. They’re early-season whitetail magnets—but not for long.

“Almost as soon as a white oak acorn hits the ground, it begins shooting out a radicle, the beginning of a root,” says Pennsylvania Game Commission Forestry Division Chief David Gustafson. “The acorn has less value as a food source as the radicle develops, because it uses carbohydrates to grow. Deer may still eat white oak acorns with radicles, but they move on to red oak acorns as fall progresses.”

The red oak acorn drop begins in early October and is more protracted, lasting into November. These acorns are available to deer through the winter and don’t begin radicle growth until the following spring. If you’re looking for a mid- to late-season stand, find a loaded red oak.

Latest

2025 NRA World Shooting Championship
2025 NRA World Shooting Championship

KelTec Named Official Stage Sponsor for 2025 NRA World Shooting Championship

The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is proud to announce KelTec as an official sponsor of the 2025 NRA World Shooting Championship, returning to Camp Atterbury, Ind., from September 30 to October 4, 2025.

Thompson/Center Arms Celebrating 60th Anniversary

Thompson/Center Arms is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2025. Since 1965, T/C Arms has built a legacy rooted in the pioneering spirit of American hunters.

Federal Ammunition Awards 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships

Federal Ammunition recently awarded the 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships to two 4-H shooting sports teen ambassadors: Lucy Evans from Georgia and John Bruner from Pennsylvania.

Head to Head: 7x57mm Mauser vs. .30-06 Springfield

I’ve had more than a few requests for this Head to Head, so I figured it was high time to pit two of the early 20th century’s most popular military cartridges against one another. Let's dive into the 7x57mm Mauser vs. the .30-06 Springfield.

NRA Hunter Education FREE Online Course Now Available in Louisiana

The National Rifle Association of America’s award-winning free Hunter Education online course is now available in the State of Louisiana, the latest addition as NRA works to make the course available to hunters in all 50 states.

Moultrie Updates Line of Game Feeders

Moultrie has expanded the capacity of its line of feeders, and bettered the cameras' integration with the company's connected technology to streamline the feeding process.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.