Gobbler Sawtooth Oaks

[Big H]

This is the first year that my Gobbler Sawtooth Oaks are producing nuts. When we planted them about 6 years ago, I was skeptical about the claims that they would produce nuts in 5-8 years. Well, some of them are approaching 15 foot tall, and now have nuts on them. We used the tree protectors when we planted them, and have not taken them off. We fertilized them once a year and the last two years we have pruned them a little. On a side note, we also planted 200 + white pines at the same time, and the deer ate every one of them.

[Full Rut]

Did you plant the oaks in full sun? I read that they wont produce mast on field edges. Just curious, Id like to plant these on my future property.:D

[Big H]

Yes, we planted them in full sun. Actually we planted one row, across our main food plot on the property line, that was partially shaded, and the majority (15) were planted at the other end of our field that receives full sun and the latter "tree line" has done much better. What we were trying to do was create a tree line across the field, so that the deer would utilize the cover the trees will provide to go across the field. I also planted some in the woods, and they all died. I posted a photo in the gallery of how they looked in 05.

[Full Rut]

Awesome. Let us know when they start dropping and how the deer take to them.

[CritterGitter]

Cool deal Big H. I think you can expect the deer to hit them hard, but that's just a guess on my part. I just noticed you are in Medina county. A lot of nice bucks come from there each year.

Kyle

[Buckmaster]

Funny Big H. My Jefferson deer took out my 200 white pines. I even planted 50 Austrian pines 4 foot tall. They ate those too. I don't plant pine trees down there anymore except oaks and apples. I fence every tree in with 5 foot tall chicken wire. What a pain.

[Plugugly]

Good Choice on the Gobbler Oak. Thus the name for 1, small enough for the turkey, and plentiful enough for the deer and squirrils. No better choice for winter carbs. Also if you want more Oaks, don't shoot the squirrils for at least for a year or so. Let them spread the wealth.

[10Gauge]

Big H, when you plant those white pines, do what MeadWestvaco used to do....they would staple a white piece of paper over the top of each tree! This would keep the deer away believe it or not....we have a stand on our lease that Mead planted in 2000 and some of the trees now are close to 20 feet tall. I happened to be on the property when the migrant workers were stapling paper to the tops and talked to the Mead forester about this practice. He said that since they started doing this they lost very few trees to the deer.

The only damage came a few years later when the trees got to be good sized (2" in dia) and became suitable "rub" trees for the bucks we have been growing!:D

[Big H]

Big H, when you plant those white pines, do what MeadWestvaco used to do....they would staple a white piece of paper over the top of each tree! This would keep the deer away believe it or not....we have a stand on our lease that Mead planted in 2000 and some of the trees now are close to 20 feet tall. I happened to be on the property when the migrant workers were stapling paper to the tops and talked to the Mead forester about this practice. He said that since they started doing this they lost very few trees to the deer.

The only damage came a few years later when the trees got to be good sized (2" in dia) and became suitable "rub" trees for the bucks we have been growing!:D


Wouldn't you have to keep replacing the paper after it gets wet, from rainstorms?

[Bawana]

That's what I was wondering about the paper, just how often you have to replace it. I planted 50 Norway Spruce this year, supposedly the deer don't like them, they are supposed to have a bitter taste and they are supposed to grow about as fast as white pines. I'll find out soon enough. Also Mead/Westvaco plants a "hybrid" Pitch Loblolly pine that grows extremely fast, but supposedly has a bitter taste.

[Milo]

The forester at ODNR told us to use a little latex paint in a 5 gallon bucket and before you plant the tree to dip the top in the mixture...that stays with the tree for about a year and makes the top stay bitter to them...

[Big H]

The forester at ODNR told us to use a little latex paint in a 5 gallon bucket and before you plant the tree to dip the top in the mixture...that stays with the tree for about a year and makes the top stay bitter to them...

Did you try it, and did it work? I would love to plant a few rows of pines at the end of our main food plot along the property line, but am unwilling to have the deer eat another 200 within a year of our planting them.

[Milo]

Did you try it, and did it work? I would love to plant a few rows of pines at the end of our main food plot along the property line, but am unwilling to have the deer eat another 200 within a year of our planting them.
We tried it on a few but it was a PITA carrying the bucket where we had to go. seemed to work. We planted food plots to keep them off the trees.we have like 5000 planted...gonna be fun in a few years..get them from the state for free..

[Monroe]

big h - how old were the trees when you planted them? what were you fertilizing them with?

I have planted about 100 in various locations - the ones along the fields are doing the best - they will be 6 next year - no signs of acorns yet. My biggest problem with them this year was the darn deer rubbed the heck outta some of them. Of course - the ones that I didn't have fence on.

[Buckmaster]

My local extension office is taking preorders on Sawtooth's, 5 for $7.