Alachua, FL (November 6, 2025) – Landowners planning to plant mast orchards for deer have numerous choices for what to plant. However, if the goal is to maximize production and attractiveness, one tree rises above all others in the forest.
Growth Characteristics
Red oak acorns take 2 years to mature. That means one poor growth year could translate to at least 3 years of poor production. White oaks can produce acorns yearly, but only if environmental conditions are favorable. A late frost or lack of moisture during the growing season could impede growth, and research shows that white oaks often alternate between years of good, bad, and sometimes no production, producing bumper crops only every 4 years, on average.
Conversely, chestnuts lack the cyclical nature of oaks. Under favorable conditions, they will produce a good crop every year. They flower later in spring than oaks, reducing the possibility of damage from late frosts that could cause widespread acorn failures. Even under the poorest conditions, chestnuts typically produce some nuts and can quickly rebound to produce a bumper crop by the following year.
While a select few species of oaks can begin bearing nuts in just a few years under optimal growth conditions, many may not produce mast for 20 years. Chestnut trees grow faster and may start producing nuts within 2-5 years under optimum conditions. Over the long term, they’ll grow larger – 60-80 feet tall at maturity. They produce more mast – up to 2,000 pounds of nuts per acre; those nuts are nutritionally superior.
Nutrition
In the fall, deer and other wildlife need calories to fend off the cold and fatten before winter. Chestnuts contain approximately 40 percent carbohydrates, compared to only about 10 percent for white oak acorns. Because they produce more nuts, mature chestnut trees produce more carbohydrates per acre than oaks and even cornfields. Chestnuts also contain more than double the protein of white oak acorns, more vitamin C, E, and K, and are higher in iron, potassium, and selenium than acorns. These vitamins and trace minerals are essential for immune function, reproduction, and overall health.
Preference
White-tailed deer are selective feeders seeking the most palatable and nutritious food. In other words, they know a good thing when they find it. Chestnuts are more palatable because they lack tannins that give acorns their bitter taste. If there is doubt about the chestnut’s superiority, one only needs to look to the deer for confirmation. In studies of captive deer, Dr. James Kroll found deer preferred chestnuts to acorns at a rate of 100:1.
In the final analysis, chestnuts are more reliable, productive, nutritious, and sought after. The choice is clear for those planting mast orchards to attract and feed deer.
About Chestnut Hill Outdoors
Chestnut Hill is the best place for you to purchase your food plot and deer attractant plants because they offer a large selection, their plants are specifically bred to attract deer, and they offer customers different-sized plants at different levels of growth. To ensure you receive the maximum benefit from their products, they also provide sound advice and instruction on proper planting and care. For more on Chestnut Hill Outdoors products and how to care for them, visit ChestnutHillOutdoors.com, or call (855) 386-7826.
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