RE: Lunar phases and the Rut?
Photoperiodism controls hormone release in an elk’s body all year, not just for the rut. It controls so many functions in an elk’s life. But it is nothing more than a trigger for hormones. The two major hormones are estrogen and testosterone that deal with the rut. Testosterone tells an elk to grow antlers, shed velvet and make seamen. Estrogen starts the reproductive cycle in the females, but doesn’t stop with the rut. But even though Photoperiodism triggers the rut, it does not control it! Physical environment controls the rut; temperature, weather and hunting pressure are the key elements to how the rut runs.
There is a good reason why elk cows will go through a minimum of three cycles. There have been as many as 5 cycles by a cow that was not bred[Elk of North America Ecology and Management] The idea heat won’t shut down the rut is absurd, if a bull tries to rut in very warm conditions it will kill him. This is why they go nocturnal in hot conditions, or stop until the temperature cools down. Hence multiple cycles in cows.
So even though the moon doesn’t cause the rut, it most definitely enhances the elk going nocturnal for the time it is up between dusk and dawn because the optimal conditions to rut.
Gselkhunter