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Let's talk about the moon

Lucky13

Lucky13

Member
I saw that a full moon is coming in on Oct 8th and again on Nov 6th...I am in by no means an expert on deer movement and moon phases...but those of you that believe in the moon I would live to hear your thoughts and those that do no believe I would love to hear those as well...I'm taking a vacation starting the 5th of November so hopefully with the moon I'll be hitting it just right
 
I'll take the week before that when the moon starts rising in the afternoon. I typically see more movement during that period than during full moons. Just my thoughts.
 
Pretty sure that October moon this year is a blood moon. Never have put a lot of stock in the moon cycle but I like the activity during the week leading into Halloween. I think rut trumps the moon thing come November. Historically, that first full week after November 5th is a great week up north.
 
Perhaps a better way to look at it is when are fawns born? New moon, full moon? I believe fawns are more apt to be born during a new moon. Given a gestation of 200 days count back from the new moon May 17th 2015. It maybe the future moon phase that predicts the peak of the rut not the moon phase in October/November.
 
Unfortunately it doesn't seem that simple. I have spent some time on this and looking back it may be a piece but there are just to many factors to make it that easy. In my experience new moons in rut are best, and rising moon. I would say in the North after the first few days of November it is harder to kill for about 2 weeks. But every region and even farms are different . I have heard two weeks after the October full moon is best, doesn't seem true. Mostly the mature ones are locked down before you see the 2 and 3 yr olds really looking hard.
 
Mr winke just had a segment on this and he stated that he doesn't focus on the moon phase but keeps a log of deer/mature buck movement from year to year and claims his best movement happens within the same 7 days of the rut every year. He claims his best days are November 3-10 no matter what the moons doing. I've never put too much thought in the moon phase. If it's November- I'm hunting.
 
Just look at the harvest polls on here that tells you when most mature bucks or bucks in general are harvested.
 
I think this sums up the Moon theory. Same breeding dates year in and year out from road killed does fetus conception dates...

Shocking the highest number of does bred were between the 10-16th of November.

From MDC Deer off the MO Whitetails website:

"Good timing...I was just analyzing our recent data collected from 2010-2013. We collected samples from 500 road kill does between March 2011 and April 2013. A more detailed summary will be available late spring/early summer but here are some preliminary results. The slight shift in conception date distribution is likely the result of a lose of fawn reproduction.

Statewide
%Pregnant Fetuses per doe
Fawns 0.15 0.24
Yearling 0.89 1.45
Adult 0.95 1.93


 
Hmmm I've killed my last 5 bow bucks between Oct 26th and Nov 1st. Anyone that doesn't think the moon effects deer movement and the rut lives under a rock
 
Give me 9 days starting the weekend before Thanksgiving up through the weekend after Thanksgiving. I like hunting the early November days, but on our farms I have always seen the most mature deer movement during that time frame.
 
Usually from about October 28th till first gun season is good. Any day can be the day. I have never worried about the moon. Weather trumps all in my opinion as far as movement goes. Hunt hard, have fun and kill whatever floats your boat.
 
under-a-rock_zpsbaa49132.jpg


Perhaps I live under a rock but when the moon changes every 28 days which changes the moon phase every year relative to November 1st and to kill all your bucks in a five day span between 10/26 and 11/1 is remarkable. Makes me think, based on your kills, it is more date specific that moon specific.

Based on replies to this thread and every time this topic has come up over the years I am very confident saying peak rut is between 10/1 and 12/15.

Moon sign is just one more piece in the puzzle. Weather, moon phase, sun set and rise, food, deer population for a given area etc etc etc.

No, my address is not 30 Rock.
 
Fishbonker said:
Perhaps a better way to look at it is when are fawns born? New moon, full moon? I believe fawns are more apt to be born during a new moon. Given a gestation of 200 days count back from the new moon May 17th 2015. It maybe the future moon phase that predicts the peak of the rut not the moon phase in October/November.
Click to expand...

I like this one
 
Also have keep in mind that you can't kill bucks on days you're not hunting. I know plenty people save the same days every year for bow hunting vacation. Of course a pattern is gonna develop in that case regardless of moon phases. I also believe that different areas heat up at different times, so if it works consistently for one person then don't knock it.
 
If I kill a buck this year it will most likely be between oct 31st & nov 10th because that is when I am on vacation & hunting hard every day!
 
letemgrow said:
I think this sums up the Moon theory. Same breeding dates year in and year out from road killed does fetus conception dates... Shocking the highest number of does bred were between the 10-16th of November. From MDC Deer off the MO Whitetails website: "Good timing...I was just analyzing our recent data collected from 2010-2013. We collected samples from 500 road kill does between March 2011 and April 2013. A more detailed summary will be available late spring/early summer but here are some preliminary results. The slight shift in conception date distribution is likely the result of a lose of fawn reproduction. Statewide %Pregnant Fetuses per doe Fawns 0.15 0.24 Yearling 0.89 1.45 Adult 0.95 1.93 http://s327.photobucket.com/user/pes1979/media/Stark Farm Deer/attachment1_zps553d57a6.jpg.html
Click to expand...

The peak breeding occurs at nearly the same time every year, but that isn't when I want to be in the woods because that's "lockdown". I've experienced deer being way more receptive to calling the last 5 days in October when they are looking for the first does. The testosterone is peaked but they haven't gotten that first sniff yet. It would drive me nuts too and Id also being looking for a fight!
 
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