jamaro Report post Posted October 31, 2006 Hey Everybody.. I tool a look at the moon phases for the Jan bowhunt like hunting should be best towards the end of the hunt... BUT If Coues deer typically move better in the afternoon will the hunting be better with a full-moon???? Yes I do have tooooo much time on my hands.. I am stuck in a dang airport... J- Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScottAF Report post Posted November 1, 2006 I used to think that deer would feed more at night if there was a full moon.But I read some where that the moon has no efect on them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elmergoo Report post Posted November 1, 2006 I used to think that deer would feed more at night if there was a full moon.But I read some where that the moon has no efect on them. Good question Scott. Anybody have any experience on this ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamaro Report post Posted November 1, 2006 Lets try to track this information this year.. Does anybody have any ideas of a GOOD way of doing this? J- Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coues7 Report post Posted November 1, 2006 Where did you find that on the net? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamaro Report post Posted November 1, 2006 http://www.hotspotfishing.com/learn/moon.asp j- Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mulie hunter Report post Posted November 1, 2006 I'm interested in this subject, I sure would like to know how the moon affects deer. I always heard and believed that deer would feed at night with a full moon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coues4x4 Report post Posted November 1, 2006 Moon Struck, by Jeff Murry with Myles Kellar.I've got the book but have to sit and read thier side. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattys281 Report post Posted November 1, 2006 WHat needs to happen is that as many people as are willing should carry a little pocket notebook & pen to keep track of the number of deer they see, time of day, activity (i.e., are they bedded, feeding, traveling, etc.), and a description of conditions, such as temp, wind, & cloud cover. Then it could all be compiled in a table to run stats. I have a lot of experience with building data bases, so if people want to send me their observations, I'll compile it & post it on the discussion board in Feb. It'll be in excel format. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rembrant Report post Posted November 1, 2006 Deer and elk females will come into estrus with the full moon. If they don't get bred, they will cycle on the next full moon. That is why you can see a velvet antlered buck standing next to a hard antlered buck in the early fall. One was either a late birth or an early birth, which also means that one was a late conception or an early conception, i.e., one month or the next. The rutting activity of the males will be crazy as the full moon aproaches, pecking order fighting etc. The obvious rutting activity decreases when the does are actually in heat because the good bucks are "tending" a doe until she gives in. Not much movement. If we take notes, some of it will make sense and some of it won't. There is a lot of early activity by young bucks around the does, because they are young, excited, and stupid. The bigger bucks are saving their energy until the time is right. This is just like a big bull elk letting the younger bulls herd up the cows until they come into estrus and then he shows up, kicks butt and breeds the cows. This is a good subject. I believe the moon is really important. So, according to the moon phase chart shown above, the end of Dec. is when the first full moon of the rutting period approaches and the end of the late rifle hunt this year will be hot. But the main Whitetail estrus period in Arizona for whitetails is in January and again the last two weeks (as the full moon approaches) is gonna be hotter. Just remember that when the moon is FULL and the does are accepting, the deer seem to dissapear. They're busy making babies! No I can't reference this info; probably read it in a hunting magazine once upon a time and believed it. I still think it's true. Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coues7 Report post Posted November 1, 2006 I may be missing something here but doesn't a full moon occur every month? It appears that if we go to November 2006 (my hunt).....there is a full moon on November 5th....with almost full moons on the 4th and 6th. If we fast forward to December 2006....there is a full moon on December 6th or 7th. What actually makes the rut begin? Cold weather? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues79 Report post Posted November 2, 2006 In the November issue of Rocky Mountain Game and Fish, there is a moon guide as well as a deer feeding chart that claims to be tested and proven. The guy that does these charts is Dan Barnett. The best feeding times according to this man are as goes, I will start on the opening day for the 2 weekend hunt on coues, the 10th of November, 10th- 240-740 pm; best feeding day 11th- 330-830 pm; fair feeding day 12th- 355-855 am; fair feeding day 13th- 440-940 am; good feeding day 14th- 525-1025 am; good feeding day 15th- 610-1110 am; good feeding day 16th- 655-1155 am; poor feeding day 17th- 740am-1240pm; fair feeding day 18th- 825am-125pm; good feeding day 19th- 910am-210pm; best feeding day I would assume that with the feeding cycles being good to best, the glassing would also be good to best. There is quite a length of time that the guy allows for feeding times, but I would be interested to test his claims that these are true. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rembrant Report post Posted November 2, 2006 There is NOT a moon per month. It's more like 13 full moons a year, so the full moon does not occur the same time every month. The gravitational pull of the moon controls the tides and other things like estrus cycles of ungulates. The cold weather may encourage movement of anxious bucks, but the moon controls the female ovulation cycle - in combination with the decreased photoperiod of the later months. The MAIN reason for the rut is the decreased photoperiod (shorter days). This is all part of the grand design. Northern states have an earlier whitetail rut - Nov - Dec.. Our whitetail rut here in Arizona is later - Jan. These are peak periods, as the total rut may span over several months - if does miss being bred and recycle on a later moon phase. Clear as mud? Mike Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coues7 Report post Posted November 2, 2006 A full moon occurs at least once a month.....actually a little more.....and Rembrant you are right......they don't occur on the same day. It just so happened that in Nov. and Dec. this year they are pretty close. I spoke with a wildlife biologist for the AZGFD last night and he said that the rut is triggered by nothing but pure hormones......there is NO EVIDENCE that it is triggered by cold weather or the moon. The same hormones that trigger the rut also trigger the bucks to grow antlers, velvet to fall off and hard horns to develope. God just so happened to make that process correlate with cold weather, full moons near the end of December and early January. The bucks in Mexico have the rut later than here in AZ......it's all about hormones. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jamaro Report post Posted November 2, 2006 What triggers the whoremoans???? Light??? How do they get those captive does to go into estroeus? Jason Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
