The purpose of planting mast orchards is to provide a reliable source of nutrition that will attract and hold more wildlife, like white-tailed deer, in a particular area. Plenty of options are available, but nothing beats Dunstan Chestnuts when considering all the factors involved in accomplishing that objective. 

Nutrition

Chestnuts are nutritionally superior to other varieties of hard mast. Fall is an important time for deer. They are laying on fat reserves they will need to survive the winter and an energy boost during the rut. They get both from carbohydrates, and chestnuts contain approximately 40 percent carbohydrates, compared to only about 10 percent for white oak acorns. That means deer gain more calories per nut when they need them most. Mature chestnut trees produce more carbohydrates per acre than oaks and cornfields, so deer expend less energy to find food. 

Deer need certain levels of protein for growth and body function. Chestnuts contain 10 percent protein compared to only 4 percent for white oak acorns. They also need vitamins and trace minerals to maintain proper body function and ensure fitness. Chestnuts are nature’s mega-multivitamin, containing more vitamins, like C, E, and K, and iron, potassium, and selenium than acorns. 

Any chestnuts are good, but Dunstan Chestnuts are superior because they are larger. They average 15-35 nuts per pound, compared to Chinese Chestnuts (35-100/lb) and American Chestnuts (75-150/lb). That means deer gain still more energy while expending less, but the advantages do not stop there. 

Consistency

Chestnut trees have several growth characteristics that make them better for planting mast orchards. Oaks flower earlier in spring than chestnuts, making them more susceptible to frost damage. More importantly, chestnuts lack the cyclical nature of oaks. White oak acorns take only one year to mature, but environmental conditions like frosts or lack of moisture can reduce production. 

A U.S. Forest Service study on the 12-year acorn yield of southern Appalachian oaks found white oaks produced bumper crops only every four years. It takes red oak acorns two years to mature and drop. That means one poor growth year could translate to at least three years of poor production, and the same study showed that red oaks produce a bumper crop every five years, on average. Even under the poorest conditions, chestnuts typically produce a few nuts and can quickly rebound to produce a bumper crop the following year. Under favorable conditions, they will produce a good crop every year. 

Production

Chestnut trees grow faster and taller than oaks, producing more mast in a shorter period. Under optimum conditions, Dunstan Chestnut trees may begin bearing nuts

within 2-5 years, compared to white oaks that might not bear for 20 years. Dunstan Chestnut trees can grow 60-80 feet tall and, at maturity, produce up to 2,000 pounds of nutritious nuts per acre. Furthermore, chestnuts are generally available for 4 to 6 weeks, depending on region and climate.

Preference

White-tailed deer are classified as selective feeders and seek out the most nutritious food. For millennia, chestnuts were the most dominant hard mast producers in the eastern hardwood forest, and their strong preference for chestnuts is hard-wired into the deer’s DNA. In studies of captive deer, Dr. James Kroll found deer preferred chestnuts to acorns at a rate of 100:1. Part of that might also be because chestnuts lack tannins that give acorns their bitter taste and, therefore, are more palatable. Add it all up, and nothing beats the nutritional value of Dunstan Chestnuts.