Crabapples
Crabapples are small, wild-growing apples that can be found virtually anywhere in the United States. They may not taste much like an apple we are all used to, but deer are crazy for them. When you can give the branches a light tug and the apples fall, they’re ripe. The day before you hunt give the tree a good shake so plenty of the crabapples fall to the ground. Set up nearby in good cover and wait on the deer to visit.
Red Oaks
If you’re planning on hunting late season, red oaks are your trees. Red oaks produce acorns that have a more acidic flavor compared to the white oak. Because of this, deer will usually avoid them until food starts to become scarce. Plant a variety to ensure a longer and more consistent acorn drop each fall. Be patient when watching your trail cam. The acorns may lay on the ground for a while, but the deer will eventually come.
White Oaks
Unlike red oaks, deer prefer the acorns from white oaks due to their less acidic nature and sweet flavor. The trees mature in about six months and will produce every year. Popular species of trees to plant on your property include, white, swamp white, overcup and chestnut. As with the red oaks, be sure plant a variety to ensure a consistent acorn drop each fall. The acorns will start to fall around the beginning of deer season. Set up a trail camera in late August and begin checking it frequently to see if deer are stopping by. When the season finally arrives, set up a deer stand near the tree.
Persimmon trees
Deer absolutely love persimmon trees for their fruit, which is a highly attractive and nutritious food source, especially during hunting season.
The ripe persimmon fruit is irresistible to deer – they will often come running from long distances at the sound of the fruit dropping to the ground. Unlike chestnuts which ripen early and are ruined by freezing temperatures, persimmons continue dropping their fruit from late fall through early spring, providing a consistent food supply for deer all winter long when other foods are scarce.
Deer will even bed down near persimmon trees, listening for the telltale thud of the fruit falling so they can eat it immediately. The sweet, nutrient-rich persimmon fruits are such an attractant that hunters frequently use persimmon trees as strategic locations for tree stands and ground blinds.
