fly Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 Does the Moon Affect Deer Movement? | Quality Deer Management Association Stumbled upon this and thought it was forum worthy. The video indicated the most deer activity (best hunting time) is during a last quarter moon - just prior to a new moon. In 08 I created a journal of my hunts that included moon phase. Sure enough I shot my biggest deer of the season (130 inch 8-point) on Nov. 21st at 8am during a last quarter moon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthGaHuntingandOutdoors Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 I think it's a mental thing. My first deer was a 6 pointer, morning after a full moon. In fact I've had better luck after a fill moon period. My biggest so far is that 6, however all my does have been taken on half moons. I guess luck is luck though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smha6784 Posted September 8, 2013 Report Share Posted September 8, 2013 Moon Phase and Deer Activity Research I did a similar journal last year, I compared movement captured on trail cams based on lunar movement table. I did this from July thru November and quit because there was absolutely no correlation. But this was on my property in south miss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 Here is a book you may want to buy and read; Amazon.com: Moon-Phase Deer Hunting (Outdoorsman's Edge) (9781580112178): Jeff Murray, Various: Books Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthGaHuntingandOutdoors Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 Eh, I've never believed the lunar cycle when it comes to killing deer. Full moon or not, there are a million different reasons why we do or don't see them. I've had good luck with the full moon. I've had good luck with both high and low pressure systems moving in. Hot, cold you name it. For me, I'm more concerned with scent control. I think that's where we make the biggest mistakes, along with how quietly we enter and exit our locations. The stuff I worry about is what I can control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkeygirl Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 I don't get into the whole full moon/best days to hunt. I hunt regardless...too many other variables affecting deer movement. I think the moon phase thing is just another way to try and rationalize deer hunting.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 Hunt when I can here regardless of moon phase. I have seemed to notice full moon when clear usually equates to poor morning movement, but I won't give up a morning hunt just because of the moon. Have killed some of my better deer on afternoon hunts with a full moon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abrown Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 I hunt regardless, but I believe common sense applies too! More light they move later or during the night, less light, they move earlier. Why, well it has to do with seeing, lol. If you believe big or mature bucks go noturnal once pressured, then you believe in moon phases, simply because of how hard it is to see with less light. Young deer it would not affect as much, but your older mature bucks it will! Big deer don't get big for being stupid. Of course rut would be an exception. Try walking into a stand on a full or new moon in the morning on the edge of field vs. a quarter moon, and see if there's a difference in how many deer blow at you. From experience, BIG difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 I believe the moon phase has something to do with photoperiodism for sure. New moon near the end of October or beginning of November seems to trigger a lot of rut activity, especially if it's cold. Having said that, my biggest deer was shot on October 12th, full moon, 78 degrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MNhunterr Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 Don't pay much attention to the moon phase here. The moon phase does not and will not affect when I hunt - The way I see it, if you're not in the woods you don't have a chance to kill a deer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 JMO but I believe the moon phase has very little, if anything to do with when deer are apt to get on their feet & move during daylight hours. There are too many other factors that come into play WAY before the moon phase is considered. Those would be weather conditions like the wind speed, temperature, rain, etc. I believe a deer's comfort level in temperature range changes as their winter coat gets longer. Also timing relative to the different phases of the rut is a big factor in deer movement too. When considering those, I believe the moon's effect is negligible. BTW...when I was keeping a detailed hunting journal for ~10 years my buck kills ranged all over the different moon phases and my mature buck sightings did too. One thing for sure though from my notes...when the temperature rises above their comfort level for that particular time of the year, daylight deer activity drastically drops off regardless of the moon's phase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted September 9, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 Moon Phase and Deer Activity Research The only thing the video clip might change for me is he time I get out for an evening hunt. I always thought a full moon would equate to more deer activity at night and less during the day - the findings in the video didn't support this theory. It did say that deer moved earlier in the evening before a full moon. I may go out an hour earlier in the evening if it a full moon. I put more stock into dates and weather than I do moon phase - still it adds another component to the greatest sport on earth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 I think it's a factor... a small one but still a factor. I hunt any day I'm free to though and then just figure out where depending on what will work with the conditions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elkoholic Posted September 9, 2013 Report Share Posted September 9, 2013 As long as they did not use my tax dollars to do the study, I'm good with it. Will the moon phase have any affect on when I hunt and if I fill the freezer? Not very likely. Do I think there is a correlation? Not where I hunt. I do like watching the full moon set as the sun is rising on a clear, crisp morning though. One thing comes to mind, on many of my hunts, the hammer fell between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. I think not going "in" for lunch will improve your odds more than hunting a certain moon phase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stinger-Hunter Posted September 16, 2013 Report Share Posted September 16, 2013 Fly is right, IMO. Full moon - hunt at Noon is a mantra of mine. You'll likely see a big buck. But that coincides with the get out early during a full moon. Get out really early. That is the only moon phase correlation that I have seen and I read every darn book on moon phases (both of them) a bunch of years back and was humbled and embarrassed when I told my buddies - they should be out this morning, its a "blah blah blah moon" - no one saw anything. That happened so many times during one season I bought a new rifle cause I thought I was jinxed. It was too warm... moon had nothing to do with it. scent control | keep as silent as possible | walk slowly (slow is smooth and smooth is fast) | and get out in the thickest nastiest area you can. That is your secret to hunting deer right there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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