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?

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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