Mast Production Looking Good in 2 010.

Wild Pigs, deer and squirrels ready to increase production as well.


Hard mast, that is acorns, and mast from other trees plays a decisive role in the health, well-being and the reproductive rates of our wildlife. We also need germinating mast to replace fallen old oaks and to keep our oak lands healthy.
Most notable for mast consumption are boar and wild pigs, deer and squirrels. They are the most visible because they live in great proximity to human populations. Squirrels and their mast gathering activities are therefore used by many to 'predict' the nature of the coming winter.

(Source: http://duckcreekcaupdates.blogspot.com/2009/09/mast-surveys-are-done-every-year-at.html)

The mast harvest in 2010 is much better. In fact, many regions report heavy to extraordinary mast fall. Red oak are outproducing all other oak species. White oak trees delivered a good mast harvest last year. This year however red oak beat them hands down.
 

(Source: http://duckcreekcaupdates.blogspot.com/2010/08/2010-mast-survey-feeling-little-nuttier.html)

The past few years produced only poor to mediocre mast harvests. 2008 brought little mast production. The following year was better. The chart below reflects the mast harvest at the Duck Creek Conservation area in 2009.


While the overall mast production is up for most species of mast trees, the quantity of mast produced by individual trees varies greatly. It can even vary on a single tree with very little acorns on the lower branches and plenty of mast higher up in the tree.


This trend applies not only to California but can be observed in other parts of the country as well. Commentators from Florida, Connecticut, Virginia, Texas, Ohio, upstate New York, Illinois, New Jersey, Massachusetts to name a few are all reporting excellent to outstanding mast production. And it seems that squirrels all over the country also know that something special is going on – if one can believe the post by Peter Geiger in the Farmers' Almanac Blog titled 'Do the Squirrels Know Something We Don’t?'


As I pointed out in an earlier post, wet winters and plenty of rain in spring and early summer do not necessarily translate into excellent mast production. In 2008 David H. Peter and Constance A. Harrington published an article for the Northwest Scienctific Association on the synchronicity and geographical variations in white oak acorn (Synchronicity and Geographic Variation in Oregon White Oak Acorn Production in the Pacific Northwest, Northwest Science 83(2):117-130. 2009 doi: 10.3955/046.083.0203) that explains the influence of tree species, weather, precipitation and time of precipitation on the resulting mast crop.


If you are scientifically oriented and want to go to the bottom of the mysteries of annual variations of acorn harvests before you harvest your wild pig, this study will answer many of your questions. But it will not tell you where to find your next wild pig to shoot.


The answer to that question can only be found by diligently scouting prospective hunting areas and by locating producing oak trees or stands of oak trees. Or by hiring a guide who knows where to find producing oak trees – and the wild pigs under it.
In any case, now you have a good chance to find some boar 'harvesting' their share of mast under these trees.


Be aware however that not all oak trees will be equally prolific mast producers this year. As I mentioned before white oak produced a good harvest last year. They will not do as well as other oak species this time around.

“Since trees are long lived species their variance in acorn production may cycle over several years. For example, red oak species typically produce a good crop every 2-5 years. On the other hand, white oak species typically have a good crop every 4-10 years. (http://duckcreekcaupdates.blogspot.com/ ).

The availability of mast is most significant for the reproductive rate of wild pigs. Well fed sows are healthy sows in the mood for making many more boar. They produce larger litters and do so more often.
To boar hunters this translates into good hunting, but for ranchers and farmers it may mean more damage to crops and to the environment. On the other hand, it also means more income from access fees and from guided wild pig hunts on their property.
The solution? Allow more hunting on private land for lower access and guide fees.


Early fall is a great time for pre-season scouting. The more time a hunter can afford to spend in the woods now, the better his chances will become to find and harvest a good boar later in the year. Moreover, it might also present you with a great opportunity to get the early – no, not worm, but wild pig. Because if the squirrels are right, we may experience a harsh winter all over the country. Hunting boar in a deep freeze is not fun.
PJJ