Black oaks, dead?

[Ironmower]

Yesterday, I was takin a walk and noticed about half a dozen mature black oaks that just died. To my untrained eye, the trees looked healthy. Well, they was healthy back in June. Now, all the leaves are brown and dried up. These trees are not clustered together and they are all about 16" to 20" in diameter. There hasn't been any excavating or any other un-natural activities going on.

So, what would cause them to just up and die?
Is there something that I can look for?
Could it be just old age?

Any help would greatly be apperciated.  Thanks

[Banjo picker]

I had several nice hardwoods that died on me a few years back.  It took a while to sink in that they were all on a property line that had been clear cut.  The owner at the time had a plane to spray the young hardwoods to kill them and I had gotten a little overspray in one area.  By the time i figured out what had happened the property had changed hands.  I doubt that would be your situation.  Tim

[OneWithWood]

Are the trees in the woods or open ground?

On a ridgetop?

First guess: Oak wilt

Second guess: finally succumbed to drought

Is there gypsy moth activity in your area?

[Ironmower]

In the woods.

most are, but there's acouple in the hollow.

No, there isn't much gypsy moth activity.

Drought, could be a possibility. The weathers been odd around the last couple years. Rains like the dikkens in the spring, then it's like someone turned the spicket off in june.

[Phorester]

I'm not too far from you, in Winchester VA.  I've noticed a lot of black oaks dying here in the last few years.  We're at a disadvantage not being able to see your trees, but us Shenandoah Valley foresters and our insect & disease guru in our State HQ thinks it's oak decline and/or oak wilt. 

Also, black oaks only live 80 or so years here.  At the size of yours, you could also be looking at decline from old age, which of course would kick in the oak decline, oak wilt, and anything else floating around that attacks stressed trees.  We recommend that landowners remove the salable ones from their woods when doing a timber harvest.  They just don't live long enough to consider them a "keeper' for long term management in a forest.