Moon Phase

[WaitForIt]

Do you believe moon phase affects deer activity - especially mature buck activity?

The most recent bowhunter mag has an article about this where a study was done using GPS tracking collars. Surprisingly, there was NO significant affect on movement. The study did not make note of whether deer returned to beds or left beds to feed earlier or later, just that total movement was not significantly different during full moon phase compared to other phases.

[Bear55]

There are a lot of theories about the moon phases and all that but I don't reall buy into them. In the area I hunt you can pretty much set your clock to the rut give or take a couple of days. After years of documenting mature buck sightings/shootings I have pegged down Nov 7-13 as the best days to catch the peak of the chasing phase and the begining of the breeding phase in our area. I try to get as many of those days off as possible and hunt hard.

[james_walleye]

I don't see as many deer period around the full moon i know that.

[vister]

i rely on barometric pressure over moon phase. if its rising, u can bet i'll be in my stand.

[FishingWebGuy]

i rely on barometric pressure over moon phase. if its rising, u can bet i'll be in my stand.

Why not the falling barometer? I'm new to this but I would think the falling barometer would be a better indicator. i.e. more activity before a storm or change in weather.

[Bear55]

As long as the barometer is moving I am happy.

[vister]

falling is good too. my sightings are better with rising and steady high. falling is good too, but steady low is not

[Musky Buck]

Full moon for me has been poor, just seems like they are already bedded down for the day and sightings are minimal, but other hunters are out and some are making drives and the chance exists to see or maybe get one. I have noticed in a few journal entries though that I have had some mid-day buck movement on those around full moon times, I always hope for cloudy or weather changing events during the full moon and no snow seems to help a touch during the full torch. About 26 moons till world war 2009.

[pikerliker]

I would imagine that it would have some effect, but if the rut is in full swing I bet it's minimal. I have heard that during a full moon fase that there is a small spike in mid-day movement and a small decrease in normal early morning/late afternoon times. But again this is all things that I've heard and I don't have any scientific data to back it up. You also hear that people supposedly act nuts during a full moon. I think people always act nuts......

~piker