I was telling Backwoods Savage when we talked last that our neighbor across the Brook has a Beech tree loaded with Beech nuts, does this mean a hard winter?
With the dry spring we had, I'll take all the snow mother nature gives us, will my mind change when I get older, most likely.
Is that why we have lots of them here? Lots of beech in our woods even though the pic wasnt. Turkeys occasionally roost near our house. Ill hear them at dusk. Ive seen deer eat acorns.
Every week I drive by a beech grove that covers several acres along a backroad. I’ve noticed quite a few trees that are loaded with burs this year while others nearby have none. I’m hoping we have another “real” winter like this past January-February delivered. At least that way, all my hoarding is justified
Based on your observation of beech trees, one might logically speculate Winter shall be inconsistent.
There are several larger beech trees on out VT property that have bear claw marks up and down them. I find it interesting that some years one kind of tree yields a bumper crop while others might have nothing.
Black bear love them as well. I do a lot of bear hunting in areas full of beech trees. Whoops, just saw that Backwoods Savage beat me to this.
I don't think the beech harvest is a good indication. The last two years, we had a heavy beech and acorn crop and the winters were mild (some average cold temps but less than average snowfall). This year there are no acorns to be found (probably thanks to the gypsy moth defoliation of the oaks) and the beech crop doesn't look good either. We need a good cold winter with better than average snowfall to reset everything (and get us out of the drought).
We had the gypsy moth problem in 2006 but by the time they decided about spraying, it was too late. They sprayed in 2007 and we haven't had a problem with them again but since other places in the state are, it's just a matter of time.
Never saw black bear at mine granted, 5 acres of raspberries and everything else farmers have that would be low on priority list.. dogs would have tangled with bear and I would have a bear skin rug
