Moon Myths

lmbhanger

Banned
I have noticed several things that indicate that people believe that deer sightings go down when a full moon rises. Here are some other observations.

The second full moon after the autumnal equinox is when the rut, and I mean the chasing not breeding, peaks in the area where I hunt. The first full moon post equinox is classic pre rut behavior. And the third full moon is our secondary rut.

It seems that some decide not to hunt because of the moon phase being full. There has been scores of research done and it all proves that diurnal movement is actually higher during a full moon than on a new moon.

I guess some hunters think deer can see better at night on a full moon,make no mistake deer can see good at night all the time moon or no moon. Every trip I schedule to GA coincides with the days leading up to the full moon. In the past I went on new moons or last quarters and deer sightings were much lower than on pre full and full moon trips.

The full moon curtailing deer activity is another myth, like cows laying down deer don't move, etc..... If anyone would like to learn more Charles Alsheimer wrote an excellent book to back all of this up entitled "Hunting Whitetails By the Moon."
 

Palmetto

Senior Member
Strangley enough we have always noticed that we tend to see/ shoot a lot of the Big bucks the week after a full moon. Not sure of the science behind it but it seems to hold true year after year.
 

Taylor Co.

Senior Member
I tend to agree there is more overall activity! I usually see more deer! That is a good book lmbhanger. I've read that book, very interesting material. Thanks for sharing. Anyone interested in deer behavior and the "why's" should read it.
 

captainhook

Senior Member
I concur with lmbhanger also. If your property is managed responsibly and the hunting style is low impact you will see NORMAL deer movement that has not been tainted by human pressure. We see deer every time we go to our QDM lease regardless of moon phase or time of day. The results on my two other clubs are much different due to heavy scouting pressure and people shooting all the time.
 

TJay

Senior Member
The only time I curtail my hunting during a full moon is when it coincides with unseasonably warm weather. It has been my experience that those two together means slow hunting. Other than that I don't really pay much attention to moon phase.
 

ryanwhit

Senior Member
And it makes sense that diurnal activity could be increased during periods of a full moon because deer feed throughout the night, then again in mid-day. They may deviate from the standard crepuscular movement patterns to a nocturnal and diurnal pattern. The key to hunting full moons (imo) is staying on the stand.

I know a lot of people believe the moon is what triggers the rut. Science tells us it's photoperiod. The moon may play a much smaller roll, probably more dealing with deer behavior than the timing of the rut.
 

lmbhanger

Banned
It seems awfully evident through lots of research and so for that photoperiod has alot to with the rut, however it is also shown that the rut is affected by the moon and its position over head. Good points ryan and nice word----crepuscular.

Warm weather during deer season always affects deer movement no matter what the moon phase is. A deer grows it's winter coat because of photope4riod and when unseasonably warm temperatures arise it causes them to feed less and hence become less visible to us. Warm Weather and hunter influence are two big contributers of a suppressed rut, not to mention poor age structure and sex ratios which are out of balance.
 

calvin

Banned
Deer and the Moon...

I consider myself a student not a teacher of this game. I still have much to learn...however...

The peak of "The Rut" here in middle georgia is generally the middle of November plus or minus 1 week. This I feel is the truth from all I have read and almost twenty five years of processing deer. I have consistantly seen more bucks brought in the cooler in the middle two weeks of November over this time frame with no exception. If I had to put a number on it I would say 85% of the deer herd.

The Moon effects all wildlife peak feeding times and whitetail deer are no exception to this fact. The Full moon is a time frame in which I see more deer in the middle of the day (around lunch time) than any other moon phase.


Without question, Hunting pressure is by far a bigger factor on how many deer you see than the moon phase.
The next factor, IMO would be dry weather. During the season when you have two or three weeks without rain for some reason effects daylight deer movement.

In some seasons the full moon will be on the first and the 28th day of the month. IMO the peak "Rut" still occurs in the middle of November. This season the Full moon will be smack dab in the middle of the month. The Peak Rut will still take place in the middle of the month.

Now, before eveybody starts jumping there are exceptions to every rule. Personally, I always like hunting around thanksgiving and I seem to always kill my best buck during that time. I also believe that the Peak rut has passed at that time for just a few days and the bucks are still searching for receptive does.

Deer are very nervious critters by habit. Hunting pressure is a BIG factor. There are times when deer are heavy hunted when it can effect when your deer herd is bred. Also, there have been many articles written in the last few years where it is believed that some not all yearling does reach sexual maturity and become receptive during December and January.

In closing, I believe that the Peak Rut is in the middle of November, However there are many factors that can cause deer to bred well into the wintertime. The main reason the Rut is predictable is because of the shorting of daylight hours. These shorting days remain constant and the same reason that a bucks horns harden and he begins to mark his ground is the reason that does come in season.

Not the moon...

Calvin
 
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lmbhanger

Banned
I hate to disagree. But there is just too much evidence to suggest that the moon plays an integral part in the rut. Of course, this will vary depending on where in the state you hunt. Like my place, my deer ALWAYS are at peak chasing on the days leading up to the second full moon after the equinox. Last year this occured around Oct. 22. The year before that it was Nov. 9, the year before that it was Nov. 14, this year it should be Nov. 10.

Yes it all seems to fall in the same two or three week period, and it is due to photoperiod and moon phase they both coincide each year at a particular timeand this jump starts the rut and the only variable is the day of the month to humans. Not to mention previously stated supressorsare a major variable. Deer don't have a calender, they just don't wake up and say YEA it is Nov. 15th I think I will chase some does around today.
 

calvin

Banned
hummmmmmmm

Sept 22....plus 28, plus 28 equals.....

Nov.17.....wow!

28 DAYS are a complete moon cycle.......

Calvin
 

lmbhanger

Banned
The moon changes every year. Last Year I am pretty sure the full moon was on the 26th of October. I know what a complete moon cycle is no need for carification. I guess time will tell, but I would be willing to bet the deed on my 3000 acres that next week at my place it will peak on Friday. Mybe it is just my herd who knows, but I witness the same thing in Al every year as well the full moon closest to Jan. 1 is always the peak there as well.
 

Vernon Holt

Gone But Not Forgotten
lmbhanger said:
"I have noticed several things that indicate that people believe that deer sightings go down when a full moon rises".

I happen to be one who believes that sightings diminish on full moons. Calling it a "myth" in no way renders it untrue.

I fully trust, and have full confidence in my own "research". I killed my first deer in 1944 and have hunted with intensity since that date. I was lucky enough to live and hunt in an area of Georgia which had an abundance of game. My "research" has been ongoing, as you can see, for 60 years.

For the most part, I have hunted locally. This is to say that I hunted as often as I had the opportunity, and this was often. I have never stayed home because I considered the full moon as adverse. I can say that on full moon, I was never at my peak of optimism, but I would always go.

In summary, the gist of my 60 years of "research" is that one can expect deer sightings to be at their lowest on days when nights which are the brightest. This is not to say that deer will not move sometime during daylight hours. They are very likely to do so, but certainly not necessarily at the same time when most hunters are in the woods.

Limbhanger sez, "my deer ALWAYS are at "peak chasing" on the days leading up to the second full moon after the equinox." At best, even a well informed hunter can determine when "chasing" starts. He likely can even take note of the approximate time that "chasing" stops. The question of when it peaks is a different matter. A hunter, or even a researcher, can only monitor a single locale at any one time. If you observe buck chasing does within your sight, this in no way implies that it is occurring on a grand scale. I hold to the position that it is virtually impossible to say that any particular time represents the "peak of the rut"

Deer researchers have learned much about what makes the Whitetail click. Most would tell you that they have a ways to go as far as answering all of the questions.

The full moon after the equinox rises withing a few minutes of the same time all over the state of Georgia. The equinox occurs at virtually the same time all over the entire state. Yet, the rut commences in late September in southeast Georgia, moves til late November in extreme north Ga. and then occurs in late December in southwest Georgia. How can you explain how the second full moon in the autumnal equinox accounts for a three months spread in the rut in Georgia??

Vernon
 

dixie

Senior Member
Just what its worth, I read, I believe this was in a UGA report, that deer see about as well on a pitch black night as we do on a full moon lit night, says a lot about their night vision.
 

lmbhanger

Banned
To be honest I don't care what happens in the rest of the state. And if you would please go back and read and not just pick out points which suit your mission you will find that I said several times where I hunt.

I have a different opinion and that is mine to have, my deer move great all the time! A.M. P.M. full moon whatever, I just have noticed here,TN,KY,KS,TX,WI,IL,MISS,ARK,and OH that all the log books and other observations myself and others have made all clearly shows the best movement is leading up to the full moon.

I am not a researcher on a state or national level, however I am on the property I own in GA, all the way from herd counts to fawn production. And yes Mr. Holt it is possible to monitor my herd on a single locale. My neighbors have noticed the same thing so I am not alone.

There are alot of awfully nice bucks that thought the days leading up to the second full moon was a great time to go for a run, and now they run no more.

I welcome your opinion and it is yours to have, however, I have seen different and no I don't just hunt locally. I also think in some areas the age structure and sex ratios are so messed up that it effects the rut altogether.
 

lmbhanger

Banned
Like I have said before dixie, if I run through the woods in the dark I run into trees, deer can run through the woods at 50 mph and hit absolutely nothing. Moon or no moon they could care less. Another wives tale, like cows laying down, deer laying down. Moon Overhead deer in their bed. Moon under foot, deer on the foot. All made up after too many beers and a night at deer camp.
 

Killdee

Senior Member
Every member of my small club will be hunting all next week,regardless of the moon phase.The week of Nov 10th has been the ticket for us for 20 yrs.We tend to notice more deer movement when the moon is directly overhead or directly underneath.We tend to see more deer in afternoon hunts on the full moon also.BTW several of us have been wearing Casio fish-hunt watches for several years that gives the moon positions and have been useful for this purpose.
Killdee
 

gorejr

Member
I totally agree with lmbhanger. I hunt by the moon daily. Today the peak feeding time was 1pm. My hunting buddy saw a monster at 1:10 TODAY. He is still looking for it. The Indians called the moon lmbhanger speaks of as the "moon of the broken antler". This is my 12th year hunting whitetail and 2 things drastically improved my success. 1. scentlok- I know both sides on this 2. Reading the book "Hunting whitetails by the moon"
 

lmbhanger

Banned
Amen GoreJr.,Hunting whitetails by the moon is one of the best deer hunting books on the market.The best is now out of print--- Patterning Whitetails.
 

Jimmys 78

Senior Member
I agree with you Imbhanger about the rut. It falls around the hunters moon (2nd full moon) on my club pretty much every year. I have been hearing tells about the rut around burke county georgia from the start of rifle season. Maybe they are right but I bet my final vacation Nov 11-Nov 26 that the rut falls around the 15th(full moon).
 
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