Deer movement & Moon phase myth ?

[Baron]

http://www.solunarforecast.com/
Click on Forecast and enter your ZIP! On the Money.

 

[IdahoSharpshooter]

worked for me in RVN too.

 

[Hydenseek]

Whitetails and their patterns are just plain aggravating. They are where you find them.

 

[Immike]

I’m heading to the lake tomorrow to specifically fish the new moon. I will set out the jugs and sit back and watch with a pole in hand. Expect fish to bite from 10 till 2 , minus the daylight savings adjustment.

Edit: high winds forced me off the water but managed to bring home some meat.

 

[Flouncer]

So, barometer aside. OK low pressure because . .. it's very clouded. Like rain or snow. Moon is covered completely at night. Thoughts ? Bring more gospel please ! - thanks

 

[Sniper338]

True. Tested it many times. If full moon, hunt during the afternoon

 

[Daddymac]

Grandpa always told me, "the best time to go hunting is when you can".
Lot's of factors that affect animal movements, and yes, the moon is a big one, but I certainly am not going to pass an opportunity to hunt because "the moon ain't just right". That being said, if I had to make a choice prior to the season about days to take off for hunting, excluding the rut, I would pick my days based on the moon.

 

[WindSurgeon]

I'm a huge believer in moon phase. Less discussed issue: I find that through my notes over the years the most deer have been observed upon the rising moon, either morning or evening. I'm always in the stand two hours before the moon starts to rise over the horizon. Add high pressure and clear skies and its always a fantastic time to be in the woods.

 

[bsekf]

Charles Alsheimer: The Whitetail Rut Defined

Charles as passed, but his research will live on. He made a living studing Eastern Whitetails. According to him the rut is controled by the moon.

 

[Kramerica]

Charles Alsheimer: The Whitetail Rut Defined

Charles as passed, but his research will live on. He made a living studing Eastern Whitetails. According to him the rut is controled by the moon.

That’s a bit much. The rut is scientifically proven to be controlled by photoperiod. Does will come into estrus for 2 days at the exact same time every year within a one week variance based on weather factors mainly. If you want to believe the moon causes better days to hunt that’s one thing but controls the rut that’s a stretch.

 

[hogpatrol]

I don't eat or sleep according to the moon or barometer. I don't believe wild animals do either. They're slave to their stomachs just like us. The rut is a special case but they still have to eat.

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Going into a full moon, I hunt and expect higher activity in the evening. Moon is raising before sunset. After full moon a few days I switch to morning hunts. The whitetail rut photo period by calendar falls between Nov 7 and the 10th or 11th in my area. Elk rut is linked to the fall equinox(Sept 23). Sept full moon is the 14th. I would expect better morning activity for elk leading up to the 23rd.

 

[284winner]

I have no clue on mule deer but on whitetails, the very best time to hunt a full moon is between 11am and 1pm. Normally there is heavy movement in that time period during a full moon and very little early and late. Most hunters are out of the woods before 11 am when they aren't seeing anything. I make it an all day sit.

Perfect case in point. Those hours would be the best time to kill an animal if hunting pressure wasn't so bad. Michigan has an unbelievable high hunter to deer population and getting out between 11am-2pm may be the best time to kill a deer anytime regardless of moon phase. I think the deer movement thing is as much associated with weather, hunting pressure and available food as much as moon phase. In an ideal whitetail world, the moon phase would dictate alot more than what it does in many areas. In the upper Midwest if you could find low hunting pressure and food sources were plentiful, I think it can work like a clock. Throw any of the above wrenches in the mix and it throws off that predictability factor. I use upper Midwest only because temps are typically cold during the hunting seasons. The rut and feeding tends to ramp up better when temps drop.

 

[hogpatrol]

Zero pressure in my haunts. This is for a creek bottom/funnel area, I get in the stand around 9:30 to 10:00 and catch them when they get up for lunch and wander around a bit. Have killed quite a few between 11:00 and 1:00.

 

[JFrank]

Inversely, the best days to hunt are when there is very little or no moon at night. Much more activity during daylight hours, especially if it's cold out.

Great advice here.

 

[okie]

watch the cows--if they are not in a feedlot, starving, or in knee deep alfalfa. (basic pasture/rangeland)
when they are up, so are deer. when they are down so are deer.

 

[okie]

View attachment 1108707 View attachment 1108706 I’m heading to the lake tomorrow to specifically fish the new moon. I will set out the jugs and sit back and watch with a pole in hand. Expect fish to bite from 10 till 2 , minus the daylight savings adjustment.

Edit: high winds forced me off the water but managed to bring home some meat.

channel shark?

 

[Immike]

channel shark?

Just made another Moon run Wednesday morning.

 

[okie]

I would like to set some hoop nets there!---or 3inch trammel!! lol

 

[Knotwild]

I take care of an island on the coast. We have guests come in to hunt deer, ducks, and doves. I hate it when they kill deer because we have to boat it to to the landing and drive 25 miles to the processor. When it is cloudy and about 2 hours before or after low tide, someone will typically shoot. In the summer, they will be in my crops at the same tide, day or night. Tide is tied to the moon, and it's just an easy indicator to use.

During rut, bucks "go fool" and might be anywhere, anytime. They don't concentrate on food, but on something else.