In late summer when the fruit is ripe, it’s pretty doggone hard to beat the wonderful flavor of sweet persimmons or a crisp pear straight off the tree.
One of the houses on my jogging route has four or five persimmon trees near the road. I know the owner and usually take a break there for a quick snack. The delicious persimmons usually are soft, plump and tasty. I’ve even kept the seeds from some of the fruits and planted them in backyard containers. They grow in the morning shade and afternoon sun under our pear tree, which produces an abundance of pears each summer. They’re also a great snack after a jog or mowing the yard.
Persimmons and pears are super to plant for deer hunting, too. That shouldn’t be a surprise. Veteran hunters know finding a persimmon tree or two in the woods often can be a great place for a stand. Find a nearby tree within bow or gun range, set up and be ready. If you’re doing your pre-season scouting and run across persimmon trees, don’t forget about them.
Pear trees typically are found around old home sites or barn sites. My great-grandmother had a gigantic pear tree along the fence row of her old home. This was 40 years ago, mind you, when I was a lot younger, but that sucker produced great pears and she made the best preserves with them. At an early age, I learned about those succulent fruits.
Deer don’t ignore pears, either, if they find a tree or old grove. If you’re able to hunt near one of these trees, perhaps from a ground blind, you may have success. Chances are good you’ll get to enjoy seeing some coyotes, foxes or other wildlife enjoying the pears, too.
No Trees? No Problem!
What if you don’t have any persimmon or pear trees around your hunting property? That’s not a problem, either, if you own the land or have permission to enhance it by planting fruit trees. Be sure to check with the landowner first, of course, if you’re leasing the property.
If you’re able to plant, congratulations! Adding fruit trees is a great way to create long-lasting food sources for deer and wildlife. This is something you can do with your son or daughter, too, and teach
them about habitat management, quality deer management and food plots. Then they can see the results of “their trees” and also enjoy the persimmons or pears.
As with any trees you might be planting, you have to think about a lot of things: the amount of sunlight, soil drainage and makeup, distance between other trees for optimal growing, the potential height of the pear or persimmon trees you’re planting, and whether your location in the United States is optimal for growing them.
Persimmons and pears grow well in the Southeast, and especially when planted in optimal conditions. If you live in the Midwest or Northeast, the pears might grow much better than persimmons. As with any tree or food plot possibility, check with your local state agriculture extension service or the tree provider to get recommendations for planting and dates.
Find out more about pears, persimmons, chestnuts and other tips here to enhance your deer food plots and hunting opportunities.
Check out these great tips from our DDH online show, Deer Talk Now:
