horntagger

The best Summary is if you look at the first and last quarter moon represent 70% of the activity.

Based from Daylight Deer Sightings in Missouri of 100% Free Ranging Whitetail Deer

NEW MOON – FULL MOON – FIRST QUARTER – LAST QUARTER

Deer Season FY 2000 – 100 Whitetails ------17% -----19% ------ 29% ----- 35%
Deer Season FY 2001 – 188 Whitetails ------14% ---- 16% ----- 33% ----- 37%
Deer Season FY 2002 – 274 Whitetails ------14% ---- 19% ----- 33% ----- 34%
Deer Season FY 2003 – 317 Whitetails ------13% ---- 17% ------ 35% ----- 35%
Deer Season FY 2004 – 460 Whitetails ------16% ---- 14% ------ 40% ----- 30%

Little change this year have used a % scale up or down highest being 40% and lowest being 14%. This will account for the phase light and dark of the moon. But is still broken down in brackets of Highest Days to Low Days but the % may be on the rise on fall during that phase.


Deer activity index is affected by the moon, location, weather (temperature, rain, etc) and hunting pressure which affects it the most. All this must be taken into account when using the following index.

My index is based off ten years of personal observation records and 6 years of photo’s from surveillance camera and other resources.

Before you go, no matter what the activity of Deer are, when you get a chance to hunt is still better than the chance you have sitting in the house. Plus the fact some of us only get to hunt the weekends. Good Luck.

Another interesting fact is that as of 2002.
Whitetail deer or (67%) moved during the nighttime hours.

Whitetail deer or (33%) moved during the daylight hours. (Which is represented by the 317 deer as of 2002.) Have not had time to update night time yet.

But that night time changes to 80 to 90 percent during rifle season.

Plus another thing is hunters that jump deer bedded do not count.

Also camtrakker photo's are also included.

You can also look at the link and go to the MOON FACTS link. That will explain thing also.

But, if you have any other question be glad to answer.