I fixed my post above, that will teach me to reply to forums before my eyes are opened all the way.
As sprkplug mentions, there are a few varieties of hickory, all nuts are not created equal. Pignut for example is very bitter and downright nasty. The squirrels will eat them though, so not the greatest indicator. Hickory are tough as hell to get into, but the sweet centers are worth the effort. A squirrel will work at them for quite some time since they are so tasty.
You have to be ever vigilant under a shagbark to get the nuts before the squirrels do, along with American Chestnuts (if you can find them).
