Full moon and hunting
 

How bad does a full moon and a clear night effect hunting? A couple of guys I hunt with refuse to go when there is a full moon and a clear night. They swear it's a total waste of time. I tend to disagree. I have seen a few deer with these conditions. Just curious to see what you all think and feel about this.

RE: Full moon and hunting
 

I was told years ago by my grandfather that with full moon, get to stand an hour earlier to get everything settled down.Deer will usually be going back to bed up before shooting light. May have a chance like that.

RE: Full moon and hunting
 

I never think of hunting as a waste of time but, I do agree I have very little success w/ a full moon. I have to walk across a 13 acre food plot to get to my best stand and I have bumped a lot of deer off that field in the morning on my way to my stand. I have also noticed that the evenings before a full moon the activity seems to be low until just before dark. It is the RUT so right now no time is the wrong time.

RE: Full moon and hunting
 

Morning and evening movement slows during a full moon but a lot of times deer will move more during mid day at this time. Sleep in a little bit and hunt from 10-3 you may be suprised at what you see during these hours when its a full moon.

RE: Full moon and hunting
 

I've had some success in the afternoons during full moons. Much less in the mornings....but you can't get them if you stay in bed either.

RE: Full moon and hunting
 

I agree with lefty. During the full moon deer move most of the night and bed down b-4 dawn. They tend to move midday after resting. Especially the bucks during the rut. I have seen alot of great deer taken at this time during full moon stages.

RE: Full moon and hunting
 

When it is full moon, does will usually bed down just after sunrise sometime. Bucks will bed down about an hour or so after sunrise. They will get up usually again around noon and start pushing the does again. If its a full moon, get to your stand EARLY and hunt areas that are close to bedding areas so you can catch does coming in from feeding. Bucks will be following them. Make sure you are in your stand around noon-2 and hour before sunset.

RE: Full moon and hunting
 

IMO mornings after a clear sky full moon is usually pretty bad. I'd rather sleep in an hit the mid-day and evening hunts.

RE: Full moon and hunting
 

waste of time i think not, i saw 2 shooters at 8:30 yesterday and i saw one killed yester day 23 pt probably score 160 anyway. i agree w/ the deer moving later deal though. i think your best chances are at first light and mid morning, try to stay in stand til noon.

RE: Full moon and hunting
 

Watch the hours that the full moon is up. For instance, if the full moon is still going to be up a after the sun comes up be in the stand. This is a hot time to catch a big buck cruising. I have seen this happen many times.

Good luck