Buck Hollow Sporting Goods - click or touch to visit their website Midwest Habitat Company

Moon Phase ?

C

cdpurcell

New Member
I usually try to pay attention to the moon phases to plan my hunting. It doesn't always work out the way I would like one, because I am still trying to figure it out, two I don't always have enough vacation, and three I still like to hunt when there isn't a full moon or new moon.

My question is first has anyone looked to see when the second full moon of the fall is and is it really the third week of Nov. ? If it is then does that mean that will be when the rut will peak is the third week of Nov. ?

I am still new to the moon phases but I still think with all the research that has been done it does play a big fact in deer movement.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks!!
 
Don't worry about the moon phase, be in the woods the month of November and you'll be ok.
 
The new moon is Nov 5th. That coinsides with the start of the serious rut. If i had only one week of vacation; it would be that week. Don't overlook the pre rut also. I have taken more quality bucks before the rut than i have during the rut. The only moon phase i like is the new moon. I believe the dark nights have the deer moving more during daylight hours.
 
I always hunt Halloween. And I took off November 5th - 8th. I am planning on trying to kill in the first couple mornings of the season.
 
ironwood said:
Deer and Deer Hunting calendar calls for an extreemly late rut this year.
Click to expand...


This is what I was seeing by the moon phase. I realize that you just need to be out there however I like hunting by the moon phase as far as my mental state. If I am not seeing much movement then if I know the full moon hasn't showed up yet then I understand why the deer haven't been moving.

My wife and I are expecting a baby girl on the 17th of November and I get to take up to 8.5 weeks off paid. So my wife is not sure about me being home all that time because she is worried I will drive her nuts!! I already had other plans!!!! :) So I am hoping it will work the way I want it too and either way I have two reasons to be excited this fall!!!

Good hunting to all of you and may you all shoot the buck of your dreams!!!
 
cdpurcell said:
I usually try to pay attention to the moon phases to plan my hunting. It doesn't always work out the way I would like one, because I am still trying to figure it out, two I don't always have enough vacation, and three I still like to hunt when there isn't a full moon or new moon.

My question is first has anyone looked to see when the second full moon of the fall is and is it really the third week of Nov. ? If it is then does that mean that will be when the rut will peak is the third week of Nov. ?

I am still new to the moon phases but I still think with all the research that has been done it does play a big fact in deer movement.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks!!
Click to expand...

Been bow hunting off and on for 13 years...shotgun group hunting for 20+. Last year my work schedule finally allowed me to be more flexible in when I hunted the moon (overhead and underfoot) and I have to say it was almost like clockwork. I could follow the calander and literally within 15 minutes of when they were suppose to feed they were feeding. However there is that certain magical time in early nov where I do not think its as critical.
 
I plan on hunting both the full and new. Nov 4th-14th and then if needed I'll tie some vacation into the holiday and hunt Nov 20th-28th.

In most seasons it seems like Thanksgiving provides some of the best chances at the bigger bucks, where I hunt...probably because they're usually done being "locked-down" and are cruising again.
 
Highmark said:
Been bow hunting off and on for 13 years...shotgun group hunting for 20+. Last year my work schedule finally allowed me to be more flexible in when I hunted the moon (overhead and underfoot) and I have to say it was almost like clockwork. I could follow the calander and literally within 15 minutes of when they were suppose to feed they were feeding. However there is that certain magical time in early nov where I do not think its as critical.
Click to expand...

This post has my curiousity peaked...

So what times exactly were you hunting & which calander were you looking at that predicted the deer movement to within 15 minutes?
Just wanting a little more info on that. My schedule is usually pretty flexible so anything that can help me out, I'm all for!
 
I quit using the game calanders for many years now. Most calanders i see have the best time for fishing, and game feeding along with the moon phase. The only thing that is correct is the moon phase. Spent many a day sitting in a boat or tree stand twittling my thumbs when the calander said today's the day. Too many other variables like wind and weather play into the situation. When you think about it; they make the calander a year in advance. How can anyone possibly tell if the deer or fish will be feeding. They predict it according to the moon phase, and i say it's a load of crap!
 
IowaDave said:
This post has my curiousity peaked...

So what times exactly were you hunting & which calander were you looking at that predicted the deer movement to within 15 minutes?
Just wanting a little more info on that. My schedule is usually pretty flexible so anything that can help me out, I'm all for!
Click to expand...

I'm sure there are decent free ones out there but this is the one I used. Both the best days and periods were very accurate for me last season. It got to the point I'd sneak into my stand 45 minutes before the start of the peak times pending light conditions and like clockwork 10-15 minutes from the times shown the deer would show up over the food source. If hunting trails to the food source you would want to time them right as they work their way towards the food source.

http://primetimes2.com/pages/02-catalog.html

http://primetimes2.com/pages/2-periods.html

http://primetimes2.com/pages/3-bestdays.html
 
I bought a moon callender / wheel for several years a few years back. It would tell me when the moon was overhead and underfoot and where I should hunt. I can honestly say that I gave it a chance and I can honestly say that it was inaccurate just as much as it was accurate. I no longer worry about where the moon is at during a certain part of the day. I pay a little more attention to the moon cycle as in my experience I see a little less movement during full moons during early morning and late evening. Mid day movement seems a little higher during full moon, for me. That being said, year in and year out November 1st- 15th I am in a tree as many hours as I can be, regardless of the moon phase, and I see bucks during every moon phase, no matter what.

I do think that moon phase plays a role but I put much more weight on temperature, weather fronts, and crops. There are obviously allot of different opinions and if it seems to work for you then use it. You will stay in a tree much longer if you feel that you have done all that you can to prepare. I am a detail freak and when I feel that I have crossed every "t" and dotted every "i" I have more confidence and when I have more confidence I sit much much longer. The longer I sit, the better my odds.:way:
 
bowman said:
I bought a moon callender / wheel for several years a few years back. It would tell me when the moon was overhead and underfoot and where I should hunt. I can honestly say that I gave it a chance and I can honestly say that it was inaccurate just as much as it was accurate. I no longer worry about where the moon is at during a certain part of the day. :way:
Click to expand...

Ater I said this I read an article in North American Whitetail written by Adam Hayes. Adam swears by hunting by the moons position and how it affects deer movement. He uses the Moon wheel created by the late Jeff Murray religiously. Hayes has killed more big whitetails that I will ever dream of. Maybe I'm not as smart as I thought I was!:eek:
 
I have a subscription to Iowa Game and Fish which have a game feeding calendar. I think the calendar is based off of the moon phases. I am going to look at my recent trail cam pictures and see if the movement is similar to the calendar.

It would be another great tool to helping us shoot big deer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom