Moon phase

bucks

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Im asking in hopes someone knows more about this than I do.
How much does the moon phase affect mule deer.The dates im looking at for a deer hunt this year have 4- 3/4 full moons,And 4- Full moons.
I don't know much this effects mules???
 
Whitetail hunters sure pay attention to it but they also seem to be able to hunt deer in the rut more than muley hunters.
I have found later dates make more difference than the moon and for most of my muley hunting, I'll take later dates regardless of what the moon is doing.
To me weather is also more of a factor and we certainly can't control that.
I'm with ridge in that I don't pay much attention to it when planning a hunt.
 
I've been on early hunts where it was hot and dry with a full moon and bucks hardly were out during the daylight. I've also been on late season hunts with similar conditions during the rut where small bucks were with does and mature bucks only showed themselves at night.....headed back into seclusion during the day.

With that said, with how tough limited tags are to draw I'd take full advantage of years where there are more mature bucks available with a full moon than hunt in a dark moon year after horrible winterkill or when there are few mature bucks available. Each state and unit within each state may be a little different.

One thing I've noticed is that muley bucks become a totally different critter once they shed their velvet. Mature bucks tend to go into seclusion and are nearly impossible to find around the time they shed velvet through the early rut. Add to this a full moon plus warm weather and you'll have your work cut out for you!

Colo is a great example of there being fewer and fewer mature bucks available each year with all the tags plus rut rifle season dates. The sooner you can draw a tag in Western Colo the better! It may be years and years (if ever) that Colo's B&C bucks return to most Western Colo units unless the CPW wakes up to what they are doing!

Another consideration in Colo is hunting pressure. Although a unit may have limited deer tags it can be a nightmare dealing with all the OTC elk hunters. Mature bucks obviously know something's up once all the OTC archery, muzzy, and rifle elk hunters are in the field.

There is also a lot more to it than just a full moon. Hunting pressure, winterkill, alpine vs open vs timber country, migration, snow depth, etc.

If you happen to know which year you may draw a tag of a lifetime it's obviously better to have as many factors stacked in your favor as possible.
 
It's funny how passionate that many deer (and elk) hunters get about moon phase impact on deer movement. The majority would swear that it has a significant impact, with the underlying theme that deer tend to move less during the day when there is a full (or near full) moon.

I have buddies who say things like; "With this full moon, the deer will be up feeding all night...". Fact is though, that with or without a full moon, the deer are up feeding all night! They are nocturnal!! LOL

If you do a little research with that handy google-thingy at your fingertips, you can find information on studies basically supporting the fact that moon phases have VERY little to do with daytime deer activity.
 




 
It's funny how passionate that many deer (and elk) hunters get about moon phase impact on deer movement. The majority would swear that it has a significant impact, with the underlying theme that deer tend to move less during the day when there is a full (or near full) moon.

I have buddies who say things like; "With this full moon, the deer will be up feeding all night...". Fact is though, that with or without a full moon, the deer are up feeding all night! They are nocturnal!! LOL

If you do a little research with that handy google-thingy at your fingertips, you can find information on studies basically supporting the fact that moon phases have VERY little to do with daytime deer activity.
Deer aren't nocturnal they're ruminates. Ruminates have to move for their digestive system to work. And they have to do this or they bloat. Deer can't bed down all day, they have to be up and moving in rhythm with their digestive cycle.. Weather and moon phases have more to do with where and much they're willing to move than when they move. I.e they don't move in the open in the middle of the day.
 
Deer aren't nocturnal they're ruminates. Ruminates have to move for their digestive system to work. And they have to do this or they bloat. Deer can't bed down all day, they have to be up and moving in rhythm with their digestive cycle.. Weather and moon phases have more to do with where and much they're willing to move than when they move. I.e they don't move in the open in the middle of the day.
Your first statement is not a logical comparison/contrast, IMO. The term 'ruminate' refers to what they eat and how they digest. 'Nocturnal' simply refers to what time(s) of day they are generally active. I believe that deer are both nocturnal AND ruminates.

Bottom line though, is that study after study has shown no significant correlation between moon phase and deer activity during the day, which I think is primarily what the OP was asking about.
 
Your first statement is not a logical comparison/contrast, IMO. The term 'ruminate' refers to what they eat and how they digest. 'Nocturnal' simply refers to what time(s) of day they are generally active. I believe that deer are both nocturnal AND ruminates.

Bottom line though, is that study after study has shown no significant correlation between moon phase and deer activity during the day, which I think is primarily what the OP was asking about.
Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day.

All ruminates are active all day, whether you're watching or not.

Owls are nocturnal.
 
Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day.

All ruminates are active all day, whether you're watching or not.

Owls are nocturnal.
I found that definition for nocturnal on Google, too. ?


Like I said twice already though, 'ruminate', 'nocturnal', whatever.... Study after study has shown that moon phase has virtually no impact on deer movement, which is what I think the OP was asking about.
 
I found that definition for nocturnal on Google, too. ?


Like I said twice already though, 'ruminate', 'nocturnal', whatever.... Study after study has shown that moon phase has virtually no impact on deer movement, which is what I think the OP was asking about.
I'd recommend learning the difference between "failed to show" and "virtually no impact". It's subtle but it's important.
 
Funny how definitions are standardized.
Especially when they’re taken (but not quoted) directly from the first line of the Wikipedia link referenced on the Google search page. :ROFLMAO:

Again, for the OP’s purposes (and basically any hunter) the question regarding moon phase impacts on deer habits is pretty clear. ??
 
I thought pressured deer bed down earlier and get up later during bright full moons. Maybe see them move bedding areas during the day for various reasons. Temps seem to have similar effects.
 
So?

Some Of You Are Sayin A Big Smart Buck Doesn't Go Nocturnal at times of the year?

Like I Said!

If You Don't Think The Moon Screws With Deer & Elk Habits We'll Just Call You ROOKIES!
 
So?

Some Of You Are Sayin A Big Smart Buck Doesn't Go Nocturnal at times of the year?

Like I Said!

If You Don't Think The Moon Screws With Deer & Elk Habits We'll Just Call You ROOKIES!
Don't recall saying big smart bucks don't go nocturnal at times. (They get big for a reason, I reckon... ) Read the studies regarding moon phases and deer movement, Bess. ;)

Down here in southern AZ, you would be a rookie if you thought that deer didn't move during the day (full moon, or not...). LOL
 
To circle back to OP's question. If this is a OTC hunt you can do every year go hunt. If you're burning 10 points on a hunt you could draw next year with a new moon.... I think I'd wait.
 
I saw predictions based on the solunar tables that you would not believe. The guys helping me could predict when bucks would stand up to feed and re-bed. It was spot on and really unbelievable. I would have never believed it if I had not witnessed it.
But, I would never schedule a hunt based on the moon only.
 
Hey az!

Not Sayin They Don't!

All I'm Sayin Is That The Moon Does Effect Their Movements & Patterns!

And You're Right!

I'd Be A ROOKIE Down Your Way!:D

Don't recall saying big smart bucks don't go nocturnal at times. (They get big for a reason, I reckon... ) Read the studies regarding moon phases and deer movement, Bess. ;)

Down here in southern AZ, you would be a rookie if you thought that deer didn't move during the day (full moon, or not...). LOL
 
I just looked up the moon phases of my last two biggest bucks. My biggest, which was in mid October in 2015 was bedded at 7am. I spotted it at first light. The moon was in it's 1st quarter and was a little less than 50 percent full. My second biggest buck was killed in early October in 2019 and it was out feeding an hour after sun up and the moon was 88 percent full.
 
Rut, We’re those limited units? I really think weather, snow, daytime temps, plus hunting pressure are other factors that tie into it.
 
What I've seen while bow hunting deer in moon phases is it's not the phase of moon thats really important. It's when the moon rises and sets that really have the deer moving or beding day or night.
 
IMO its more about pressure then it is moon phase. Secondly its all about when the moon rises and sets. If its a general or easy to draw tag I feel like your hours of spotting them heading to bed are reduced. 10 minutes after light and 10 minutes before dark. When its a full moon I like to sneak into the edge of the thick stuff and catch them going to bed. Lastly they do get up 2-3 times a day and rotate beds. Many people catch them stretching or moving around at 9:00-10:00am and again around 2:00-3:00pm or so. Bighorn sheep are especially patternable around 1:00-2:00
 
When I first started hunting whitetails, I paid attention to the moon and those major and minor hunt times. But in my experience, it doesn't make any difference. A couple years ago, I read several hunting mags and compared all the moon articles. Red moon. Moon directly overhead and underfoot. One when moon and sun are in opposition at dawn and dusk. Bottom line, they all picked two days that were the "best." Funny all of them picked a couple days between Nov 5-15. Duh.

In my experience, the period from about 1-3 hours after sunrise is when I have the best opportunities. Or, when there is a light rain.

Based on my trail cam observations, deer move during the day and night regardless of moon phase.

So bottom line. I just hunt when I can!
 
Not just a linear thing with the moon. Full moon plus pressure mature bucks will move less in day light.

Careful with scientific studies, they are a good base but have limited use in hunting. They say deer movements is the same regardless of moon cycle, they are talking all deer. What we are interested in is mature Buck movements. Mature Buck movements are definitely influenced by moon cycle. How much pressure the area gets influences mature Buck movements more during bright moon phases. I hunt in unpressured and pressured areas and it’s a noticeable difference IMO.
 
I used to have a Casio watch called the hunting timer that kept track of the moon phases and prime times for each day. I am a firm believer in moon phases and prime times. I killed my biggest Coues deer using that watch as a guide for my stalk. We first glassed him up at over 1000 yards away across a deep canyon just as the sun was coming up. Watched him mill around for about 30 min while we talked about the best way to get over to him. He bedded up in some tall grass in the shade of a Juniper tree. Looked at my watch and it said they should have a minor phase starting at 10am and lasting for the hour. Figured he would get up to stretch and pee around then so we made our move. We crossed the canyon and got set up on him at 563 yards at about 9:30am. At 10:06 he stood up to stretch and I let him have it. The moon phases also plays a huge part in the Coyote activity as well. Seems like I always do much better on the prime days of the month.
 
I always thought the best time of day to glass coues was first thing in the morning. After we put them to bed, we would “stalk” into position so we could whack em when the came out of their beds. I never realized it was the moon phase :rolleyes:
 

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