Deer movement according to moon phase
 

I know this has been discussed several times but I was looking for any good reads about deer movement during different moon phases. Has anyone studied this?

RE: Deer movement according to moon phase
 

Look up work done by Charlie Alsheimer, he has done a pile of research on it, and its quite interesting. I dont think i would bet the farm on it though...

RE: Deer movement according to moon phase
 

Check out Moonstruck (pretty sure that's it), by Jeff Murray. I think Myles Keller contributed as well.I bought it about 13 years ago, it's a good read. Whether you agree with everything he says or not, it'll get you thinking.

RE: Deer movement according to moon phase
 

Thanks guys. I am by no means going to bet the farm on it. My time to hunt is somewhat limited so I will be in the woods when I can. I do know that deer tend to move more based off of moon phases, weather patterns and the like and was wanting to study more on the subject.

RE: Deer movement according to moon phase
 

Well, all I know is I see less deer when there's a full moon. I had planned to go to Ohio on Nov 12 for a few days bowhunting. The other day I checked the moon phase. Full moon coming then so I changed my plans and backed up a week. On one hand I think the rut and chasing would be better starting around the 12th, but I just hate that full moon. I'll take my chances a week earlier.

RE: Deer movement according to moon phase
 

Alsheimer wrote a book called "Hunting Whitetails by the Moon".
Murray wrote "Moon-Phase Deer Hunting".

I have Whitetails by the moon and it'sa good read as well, but as SSH said about Moon-Phase, not sure how much to believe/agree with, but It'll get you thinking.


From personal experience and trying best that I can to keep track via journals...If there is a difference it's hard to to pin-point it and develope/adjust a plan by it. I will say that if there is going to be a full moon, its not going to keep me out of the woods. Then again, not much does. ;)

RE: Deer movement according to moon phase
 

Alsheimer's work is incredible. His book, I believe, was written in the midst of about a fifteen year study that has yet to be completed. He's definitely the man when dealing with the rutting moons, equinoxes, photoperiodism, etc.

RE: Deer movement according to moon phase
 

I'd sooner hunt deer by moon position than I would moon phase.

It's not rocket science to know that on a full moon, the night is bright and the deer not only are safe by night, they can see as well. Up all night, sleep all day...good song by the way.

RE: Deer movement according to moon phase
 

It's not something I even consider, honestly. I hunt when I have the time.....and the honest part is.....I think they move better in the crepescular (dawn and dusk) times, more. So that's when I hunt.

If I ever got solid evidence they were moving during the daylight, HERE......then I'd hunt them that way. It's just hard to go against what you've witnessed. I'll likely change my tune on this as I hunt more.

RE: Deer movement according to moon phase
 

Full moon, waxing gibbus, waning crescent and the whole 9 are moon phases...If you hunt by moon position then you would hunitng at night based upon the moon's position in the sky as that what is referred to as moon position. I believe that is also referred to as illegal;)

RE: Deer movement according to moon phase
 

I have posted my thoughts, theories, and practice a few times. It is a lot to type, so if you are interested you can check posts by me in my profile. I do put a whole lot of weight on moon position, much like Jeff Murry wrote about as someone mentioned above. You can really get into some good daytime hunts if you take the time to discern where deer will be during differentmovement times. In other words, for mid day transits, sit on a field edge, mid-day, far away from bedding areas and you will probably be dissappointed. Sit on some acorns, or browselike honeysuckle close to beds in good cover and you might be suprised at the deer on their feet.

Davidmil mentioned backing off his rut dates cause of the full moon. I am the opposite...a full moon (actually, the midday moon transits associated with the full moon) during the rut is my favorite, bar none. I will be somewhere in a tree during the middle of the day during that full moon period, even if I have to travel to a new state to get a new tag and hunt public ground somewhere. I hunt all day nearly every day for the first 3 weeks of November anyways, but I can tell you without a doubt, the most exciting huntsI have had were mid-day during the full moon.

RE: Deer movement according to moon phase
 

Good article on the subject

http://www.buckhuntersblog.com/tactics/tips-for-deer-hunting-the-moon-phases

RE: Deer movement according to moon phase
 

No dung Sherlock, I know what moon phases are but you forget, moon underfoot now are you not? Moon position has more pull on whitetail movement than does it's phases. Don't believe me, ask any real farmer howwhat his cattle do, you can learn a lot. Just because it's day here doesn't mean the moon is gone. Duh? ;) :D

RE: Deer movement according to moon phase
 

I agree with Rob...moon position is more important. If you can hunt when the sun and moon are both in the sky, it is a money shot. I plan my hunts by it.

RE: Deer movement according to moon phase
 

I am a big believer that the moon position and phases control movements and the onset of the rut. Charles Alsheimer has more recorded data on this subject than anyone else, if I am corrected.

Personally I have used the times and phases as to when and if I hunt, with good sightings and success. We started our hunt 3 days after the full moon and I can tell you this...those ahead of us reportedvery little rutting activity. When we were there it seemed to increased to the point where I thought I missed out by leaving Friday. In addition, the weather was warmer than the week before with no cold fronts other than a small rain in the beginning.

RE: Deer movement according to moon phase
 

Hmmm, haven't done much reading on the topic of moon position. Could you point me to some studies/articles on the topic so I can relieve my ignorance please sir.

RE: Deer movement according to moon phase
 

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&hs=bpt&sa=X&oi=spell&r esnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=Moon+Position ing+and+whitetail+movement&spell=1

RE: Deer movement according to moon phase
 

although most of those say position, if you read the articles the speak of moon phase. If you could direct me to some studies that have helped you form your opinion it would be greatly appreciated