TR
I provided our MD State QDMA (Ed Grimes) fetus data from a managed hunting program in So MD for the past two years. Ed complied additional fetus data from other regions of the State. In 2008, the "moonies" were predicting a rut two weeks later than "normal". In 2009, the "moonies" were predicting a rut closer to "normal". Ed's data (the conception dates of 193 pregnant does bred in 2008, and 208 pregnant does bred in 2009) showed that the average breeding date was 15 Nov for both years. You are spot on. I averaged the conception data for pregnant does harvested in So MD over a 16 yr period - the overall average for breeding was again 15 Nov. The conclusion is that the moon phase does not likely affect breeding dates at our latitude.
-fsh