Alachua, FL (August 1, 2025) – If the goal is attracting more deer with natural food, nothing beats Dunstan Chestnuts.
Chestnuts once reigned supreme over the eastern hardwood forests, not just because they were the biggest and most abundant mast-producing trees. They were also the most prolific producers of nutritionally superior nuts. A blight in the early 1900s nearly wiped them out, but thanks to folks like Dr. Robert Dunstan, chestnuts are returning, bigger and better than ever.
Consistency
Chestnut trees have several growth characteristics that make them better for planting mast orchards. Because they flower later in spring than oaks, they are less susceptible to late frost damage that can cause widespread acorn failures. They also lack the cyclical nature of oaks, which may only produce a bumper crop every 3-5 years. Even under the poorest conditions, chestnuts typically produce some nuts and rebound quicker to produce a bumper crop by the following year. Under favorable conditions, they will make a good crop every year, which leads to another advantage.
Production
Chestnut trees grow faster and bigger than oaks, producing more mast in a shorter period. Some oaks might not begin bearing acorns for 20 years. Under optimum conditions, chestnuts can bear nuts within 2-5 years. Eventually, Dunstan Chestnut trees can grow 60-80 feet tall and, at maturity, produce up to 2,000 pounds of nuts per acre. Part of that superior production results from bigger Dunstan Chestnuts, averaging 15-35 per pound compared to Asian (35-100) and American (75-150) trees.
Nutrition
Those nuts are nutritionally superior. 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 and gain more from consuming chestnuts.
Deer also need adequate protein levels, vitamins, and trace minerals to maintain proper body function. Chestnuts contain 10 percent protein compared to only 4 percent for white oak acorns. They also contain more vitamins C, E, and K and are higher in iron, potassium, and selenium than acorns.
Preference
Lastly, the proof is in the preference. Deer are selective feeders seeking the most nutritious food, and their strong preference for chestnuts is hard-wired into their DNA. In studies of captive deer, Dr. James Kroll found deer preferred chestnuts to acorns at a rate of 100:1. Besides being nutritionally superior, chestnuts are also more palatable because they lack tannins that give acorns their bitter taste. Add it all up, and the evidence is clear: Dunstan Chestnuts are the ultimate deer attractant.
About Chestnut Hill Outdoors
Chestnut Hill Outdoors is the best place to purchase food plot and deer attractant plants because they offer a large selection, their plants are specifically bred to attract deer, and they offer customers different-sized plants at different levels of growth. To ensure you receive the maximum benefit from their products, they also provide sound advice and instruction on proper planting and care. For more on Chestnut Hill Outdoors products and how to care for them, visit ChestnutHillOutdoors.com, or call (855) 386-7826.
