Right. All acorns have some % of Tannin in them and tannin is bitter. (Nasty) A white oak would generally be considered inedible (not poison, but not palatable for sure) to humans. But deer are another thing. Now have you ever seen what dogs like?

sam

Right. All acorns have some % of Tannin in them and tannin is bitter. (Nasty) A white oak would generally be considered inedible (not poison, but not palatable for sure) to humans. But deer are another thing. Now have you ever seen what dogs like?

sam

If I remember correctly - a former biologist and writer who posts over on another site concluded their research on the subject revealed - preferred acorn species varied from region to region, deer to deer, and oak species to oak species, with no one certain acorn species preferred over another and believe it may have been more to do about ground minerals and nut toxicity over others.

If it's an acorn, they'll eat it but prefer certain trees over others regardless of species which I tend to agree. Squirrel hunted enough to know squirrels prefer certain trees over others and will cut them out first before moving on the next preferred tree even of the same species.

The only acorn I have tried that was not bitter was a black oak in AZ outside the bowling alley on FT huachuca. It was almost like eating a raw chest nut. I would see coues there late a night after most of post shut down.

If the lopes of oak leaves are rounded, they are of the white oak clan. If pointed lobes, then of the black oak clan.

KellyG - Yeah agree, any and all I've ever tasted were nasty, including the so-called sweet white oak species. Tastes nothing like the hickories or walnuts, and can't imagine native Americans eating those things.

Funny, my X was born at Ft Huachuca and have visited there and observed the Coues, but never tried the acorns...8^)