(Undated) – Oak trees are dropping an abundance of acorns this year and many people believe it’s due to the drought.
The DNR’s Mike Reinikainen says the oak is likely in a masting cycle, which leads to a bumper crop of acorns every few years. Reinikainen says, “You’ve got this mast setting up because conditions were very good in the springs for the tree to produce seed but then the tree was stressed by the drought and you see the seed drop off early. It gets green the seed might be smaller.”
Reinikainen says that’s not the case this year with mature acorns falling at the normal time of the season.
The oak masting is nature’s way of preserving the species against predators like deer, raccoons, and squirrels that feed on the acorns.
Reinikainen says the abundance of acorns overwhelms the predators and allows for many of the seeds to escape and take root.