Just wondering what the experiences have been with everyone as far as the moon phases go. Is it better during no moon, because the deer can't see too well to browse all night long? Do they tend to stay out all night on a full moon, and therefore not be seen as much in the daylight? I realize that most of them are nauchturnil, but just wondering from your experiences if the moon plays a big part in their daytime activity from your observations.
- Thread starter overdrawn
- Start date
LavaHunter
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2001
- Messages
- 108
- Reaction score
- 0
seems like i've had most of my luck later in the day. Last year for example my hunting partners and bagged 4 bucks one was at day break the rest were later in the day 11:30am 4:00pm and 5;00pm. You may see more at day break in the dark of the moon. But to me when there is any moon light i see them all day long just starting later in the morning. The year before we got 2 bucks one at 1:30 pm and one at 3:00pm. So for me i'am out all day hunting ......
I believe that the bucks stay out browsing a little longer in the morning before bedding down when there is no moon. It has been my experience that I see more deer ,particularly bucks, in the early morning when there has been no moon than on mornings when there has been a full or partial moon. Likewise when there has been a cloud cover the night before.
I also think this is more true on opening weekend. Once the deer start feeling hunting pressure. There are even more cautious about leaving cover even in the early morning light.
I also think this is more true on opening weekend. Once the deer start feeling hunting pressure. There are even more cautious about leaving cover even in the early morning light.
Speckmisser
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2001
- Messages
- 12,900
- Reaction score
- 27
Traditional "wisdom" says that during the full moon, the deer will feed all night, and bed most of the day. I've always found this to be pretty variable, though...especially depending on other conditions.
Back east, you may as well sleep in following the full moon. Head out in the afternoon and evening, and you may get your shot, but mornings were usually uneventful... especially for stand hunting. It's a good time for still hunting bedding areas, though.
Out here, I've found that the deer seem to move daylight and dusk pretty much regardless of the moon...at least where I'm hunting. Closer to the rut, I see more during the mid-morning and afternoon too, but I'd imagine that's to be expected. I shot my deer last year on a full-moon morning, after watching him and a doe browse and chase each other for an hour before shooting time. The day before that, I watched a true HOSS of a blacktail browse a ridgeline right up until sunrise...at which point he simply vanished. Poof.
The new moon, on the other hand, seems to have a lot more effect, and morning hunts have been most consistent for me when the moon is slender or obscured.
Frontal systems are my favorite deer mover, though. Doesn't matter as much what comes with it, as long as the pressure is changing the deer seem to get up and move around. I can count on the weather systems a lot better than I can count on the moonlight.
Back east, you may as well sleep in following the full moon. Head out in the afternoon and evening, and you may get your shot, but mornings were usually uneventful... especially for stand hunting. It's a good time for still hunting bedding areas, though.
Out here, I've found that the deer seem to move daylight and dusk pretty much regardless of the moon...at least where I'm hunting. Closer to the rut, I see more during the mid-morning and afternoon too, but I'd imagine that's to be expected. I shot my deer last year on a full-moon morning, after watching him and a doe browse and chase each other for an hour before shooting time. The day before that, I watched a true HOSS of a blacktail browse a ridgeline right up until sunrise...at which point he simply vanished. Poof.
The new moon, on the other hand, seems to have a lot more effect, and morning hunts have been most consistent for me when the moon is slender or obscured.
Frontal systems are my favorite deer mover, though. Doesn't matter as much what comes with it, as long as the pressure is changing the deer seem to get up and move around. I can count on the weather systems a lot better than I can count on the moonlight.
Based on my experience, hogs are active at night regardless of the moon phase. I have seen them on the darkest night or on nights with the brightest moon. In fact, nothing seems to phase them including moon phases or weather for that matter.
HOGHUNTER714
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 20, 2002
- Messages
- 2,578
- Reaction score
- 19
I would have to agree with Rifleman....
1SoCalHunter
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2002
- Messages
- 1,484
- Reaction score
- 0
Rifleman is right, the only thing I would like to add is that, like with just about any game animal, when there is a full moon they have the chance to fill their bellies quicker, finishing early and bedding early, this could mean that you may not see them at day break because chances are that they are already bedding, on the other hand, when there is no full moon, they take longer to feed leaving them until the mid morning out still feeding before they get ready to bed, giving you a better chance to harvest one. Does this make sense to you?
