I was wondering what everyone thought about the full moon in regards to their hunting. Do you think it makes them (deer)less active in the a.m?
I hate it! Makes Elk and Hogs go nocturnal. You havta' beat them out of their daytime bedding areas.
The full moon is not our friend. And here it shows up just when the whitetail rut should be starting. :banghead:
we are just knockin on ruts door here and midday till dark seems to be workin for folks here
Full moon in jersey means a day o out of the woods.
According to Charlie Alsheimer's book "Hunting Whitetails by the Moon"
The Rut is triggered by the 2nd full moon after the Autumn Equinox.
(which would explain why it always shows up around the start of the Rut) ;)
Full Moons are great. Got more deer when the moon was full.
Mid day...If I told ya what I saw Sunday Morning from 9:30 till 12:45 you wouldn't believe me.
During the full moon phase....you gotta hunt mid day...or daylight till one...take a short break and eat lunch and get right back in there, or take lunch with ya.
It also makes a big difference 'where' you are hunting.
I am leaving for the McAlester Ok Army Ammo depot hunt this Thursday morning so I am hoping it does not hurt too bad. This should be a good weekend with the rut starting if the moon doesn't mess things up. Not supposed to be much wind this week either, which sure makes the hunting harder in my opinion. I have killed several deer when the moon is full so I sure do not stay home just because of a full moon.
I think that Terry hit it. I have taken my last five elk with a bow within a week of the full moon. With the exeption on this year I have taken them midday. They critters seem to be up all night sleep early then the have to get up for water a little grass maybe a bathroom stop, but they WILL get up. If you are hunting animals in the rut "getting up means action". The simple getting a drink changes to a two hour getting chased my the best bull or buck in the area.
Judging by the number of dead deer that had appeared on the side of the road in my county today between 6:45am and 1pm, I'd say the full moon makes em more active during daylight hours.
I love a full moon. It makes the mid-day activity really heat up where I am. Im talking 10am-3pm (when most people are back at camp).
I had alot of deer activity around me last night. A doe with a ruffed spot on her side just in the right spot screaming "Pick me! Pick me!". Followed by a tall, wide and heavy 8pt. His side was screaming "Pick me!" also! If only I had gone 6-8 yds further with my scent drag, she may have taken the trail that I was sitting on! This was at about a half hour before dark.
:knothead:
Bona
I may as well stay at home. 1 hour before sun up until well after sun set.. nada, zip, zero. Two hours after dark.. they are in my front lawn eating acorns. Almost hit two last night pulling into my driveway.
I think it varies based on where you live, available food sources, hunting preasure.
The full moon makes me hunt more. It makes my kids go crazy, so off to the woods I go!
hunt ...... just hunt
I'll be in Kansas Thursday morning. Its going to be high 60's and low 70 temp's, coming out of a full, all night moon ...... just hunt. At anytime a big buck can come through and for any reasons they might have to do it.
Just hunt
During a full moon the moon is closely rising and falling with the sun for the first few days, so hunting midday can be great. I saw 8 different bucks and 17 does today between sunrise and 1:00 and nothing on my evening hunt. By the weekend here the moon times will be more towards sundown as we leave this moon phase. The moon rises roughly 51 minutes later each day. try dailymoonposition.com
QuoteOriginally posted by 8888blk:
During a full moon the moon is closely rising and falling with the sun for the first few days, so hunting midday can be great. I saw 8 different bucks and 17 does today between sunrise and 1:00 and nothing on my evening hunt. By the weekend here the moon times will be more towards sundown as we leave this moon phase. The moon rises roughly 51 minutes later each day. try dailymoonposition.com
This is the key I believe on why they move mid day during a full moon. I'm a firm believer after years of watching the moon phases that moon position is much more important than phase for deer movement. It appears the deer always move when the moon is straight overhead or 12 1/2 hours later when the moons directly underneath so to speak. Wach the moon location and you will see!
Ditto what adeeden said. I was told by a wise old deer hunter to be in the stand when the moon is either directly overhead or on the other side of the earth (12.5 hours later).
I start feeling alittle wolfish during a full moon and want to get out hunting! :jumper:
I have been seeing many deer about an hour before to at sunset, since last weekend. I have not gotten a shot yet.To me this is the best time to hunt.
I use this app called hunt cast on my phone. It is based on lunar phase. Bit expensive at $5.00. I have used lunar calculators in the past and this one works as good as the rest of them.
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii45/heilakka/full.jpg)
I dunno about the deer, but during a full moon I have a hard time getting out there. Just don't feel like hunting during a full moon. :confused:
I dont give a rats ass what the moon looks like when i have time to hunt, i hunt. I do see more movement late in the morning during a full moon.
Oh yea one more thing during a full moon dark 30 becomes dark 1 hour.lol
Depends on the hunting presure in the area. Deer and elk sure seem to go nocturnal especially if it is warm. If the pressure is high it can be tuff. Last elk I harvested was 2:30 pm in the afternoon on a full moon. I see alot of big muleys get up a feed midday leaving thier first bed and settling into the second bed of the day. From what I seen it can be great hunting as long as the pressure is not bad.
I agree with Terry, you'd be surprised what's easing around out there in the middle of the day when most folks are at camp taking a nap. But as was stated a lot depends on the hunting pressure.