Another bad year for fruit trees and mast crops?

[JHbowhunter]

I never liked these extra warm late Februaries and early Marches.    Same thing happened last year, and it was worst apple crop I have ever seen.  Acorns were impacted in 2016 as well. 

Will 2017 be as bad or worse?     We can't have things going to bud this early - I feel bad for the fruit farmers.       Windy Brow Orchard (near me) was devastated last year, and ran out of apples way too early.  My own apple trees were either bare or just produced a handful.

 

This year is certainly not looking good.

[dlist777]

Does that mean good hunting though???   Less acorns mean deer move more in season?  Honest question...

[JHbowhunter]

Does that mean good hunting though???   Less acorns mean deer move more in season?  Honest question...

 

It would naturally increase deer sightings for masterbaiters.   My favorite hunting has always been hunting natural food sources, especially acorns.  2015 was the exception to that, as there were just "too many" acorns.  Of course I don't limit myself to just that - I have a spot that can ONLY work if I bait.

 

If it is a down year for acorns, and you have a few trees that are out-producing all else in your area (especially white oaks), then you have yourself a real honey hole.

Edited February 28, 2017 by JHbowhunter

[dlist777]

It would naturally increase deer sightings for masterbaiters.   My favorite hunting has always been hunting natural food sources, especially acorns.  2015 was the exception to that, as there were just "too many" acorns.  Of course I don't limit myself to just that - I have a spot that can ONLY work if I bait.

 

If it is a down year for acorns, and you have a few trees that are out-producing all else in your area (especially white oaks), then you have yourself a real honey hole.

Yea, I just meant they'll come to the fields more.   I just remember one year they were blaming the reduced harvest on a good mast crop and figured the opposite would be true......  I guess the warm winter is good for overall survival too....

[Tarhunt]

Last year was pretty bad for my parent's apple and blueberry crops. The worst since 1998. Hopefully, this year will be much better. It definitely affected the deer hunting for sure.

[johnnyo8148]

I never liked these extra warm late Februaries and early Marches.    Same thing happened last year, and it was worst apple crop I have ever seen.  Acorns were impacted in 2016 as well. 

Will 2017 be as bad or worse?     We can't have things going to bud this early - I feel bad for the fruit farmers.       Windy Brow Orchard (near me) was devastated last year, and ran out of apples way too early.  My own apple trees were either bare or just produced a handful.

 

This year is certainly not looking good.

I hope it's a good year for the farmers. Most of the orchards around me (Swedesboro area) were out of apples by early September. I had to go down to the Delaware/Maryland border for my apples last year and while the drive wasn't that bad, I prefer to spend my money on the local orchards. Hopefully, the weather will even itself out and the crop will be better this year.

[1957Buck]

Monmouth County farms were not Effected Such as Battle Ground. Delicious. Remrock Orchards. From Apples - Peaches - Pears Matter of fact they even had to knock off the early fruit to get full-size fruit. I hunted Creastfruit Farm in Freehold many years and they to had no problem with Blossom Drop. Other than some minor Frost Damage in Late March, But I guess this is not the norm for other areas.

The worst Part is The $12-$15 they charge for an Apple Pie That SUCKS. 

 

Oops left out Acorns Have Buddy in Jackson on Leesville Silom Road that has GIANT Oak trees that produce massive crops of Acorns like 1/2 size that carpet their yards every year Hunters would rake his yard Free to gather Bushels. These are Standalone trees not deep wooded.  

 

local farms around me are having problems with Pumpkins maturing too fast or not at all and have to have them Trucked in from PA MD for their Pumpkin picking events and sales. 

 

And My pussy willow bush has bloomed out and dropped the crowns as I write this. Spring Bulbs are popping up also.

Edited March 1, 2017 by 1957Buck

[not on the rug]

I was thinking that a warm winter would be good for overall deer numbers, which, down the road means better hunting.  Right?

[JHbowhunter]

I was thinking that a warm winter would be good for overall deer numbers, which, down the road means better hunting.  Right?

well sure - why not?  Two mild winters in a row is great for the herd.   It's just not good for fruit and mast when they bud too early, and then get heavy frosts later on.

[not on the rug]

well sure - why not?  Two mild winters in a row is great for the herd.   It's just not good for fruit and mast when they bud too early, and then get heavy frosts later on.

Yup.  Feast or famine I guess.  I'm happy to know that the herd will be growing though.  I've been seeing tons of young deer running around near my house and near one of the properties I hunt.  That's a great sign.

[Bucksnbows]

I'm not sure we're seeing our native mast trees budding early as that doesn't happen until leaves are out to a large extent.  But our non-native fruit trees get hammered if they bud too early and we get a hard frost.  What will cause a poor mast crop year is our continuing drought, especially up north.  When trees like oaks don't have enough water, they have a mechanism to shut down mast production to focus on just growing leaves instead.  Those species of native trees do not need a good mast crop year every year for the survival of the species.  They can go a few years without dropping acorns if need be, and we have recently seen this over the last maybe 6 autumns where we really only had one good year and that was 2 years ago now.

[1957Buck]

My take on it is The areas closer to the ocean have more protection like in Monmouth County that has less damage that the interior areas.  

[Rusty]

After March 12 you won't have any trees left so it doesn't really matter. 

[JHbowhunter]

My take on it is The areas closer to the ocean have more protection like in Monmouth County that has less damage that the interior areas.  

 

Spot on!

[Haskell_Hunter]

My hazelnuts have been doing well the past few years. I have a bunch of fat squirrels to prove that. However, my Concord grapes have sucked every year for the past 5. I am going to rip them out this year and replace them with blackberries and raspberries instead.

 

 

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