What is this fruit? And do deer eat it?

DuckHunt · Post by **DuckHunt** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 5:20 pm

I skipped hunting today and decided to take my hang-on stand out to the thicket where I took Thursdays doe. With the humidity we have today it was a very sweaty experience.

I decided to scout a little as well and look for sign. I came across a few small trees in my hunting area that I have seen before but have never noticed that they bore fruit. The leaves on the tree are big. Much the same size and shape of a hickory. The fruit is oval-shaped with the largest being about 4" long by less than 2" thick. Here is what it looked like once I cut it open. It has big seeds that resemble kidney beans.

What is this? And more importantly, do deer eat them? There are about a dozen trees right together in this one thick area. The few that were on the ground had turned a dark purple color. The fact that I saw them on the ground makes me think that deer don't care for them.

Ideas?

DuckHunt

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 8:50 pm

Deer love it!
Pawpaws!!!!!!!!!
When ripe they are more yellow colored and taste something like bananas. Very good people food, too.

http://oplin.lib.oh.us/tree/fact%20page ... awpaw.html

DuckHunt · Post by **DuckHunt** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 9:02 pm

Excellent. I must have seen a five gallon bucket full still in the trees I found. No wonder the deer always hang out in that area.

DuckHunt

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Sat Sep 13, 2008 9:08 pm

I have 3 pawpaw trees in my yard. A very good substitute for bananas in banana bread!
Also when my son was still very young (4 mos) he was terribly constipated. My aunt told me to get a few pawpaws, mash them up, and feed them to him. I did, and he was un-constipated within hours! After that I planted a few trees.

Moral of the story - natural foods are good, but eat them in moderation!